Show o 0 d i 0 WILLIAM CONGREVE TO ARABELLA ABABELLA William Congreve whose bOS tragedy of or the Morning Bride Dr Johnson thought contained some flome lines linos unequaled In English English Eng Eng- lish poetry was contemporary with Far Far- ar as a a. dramatist and a friend of or Pope Lady Jady I Mary ry Montague lonta ue Swift a and tho other celebrated el writers rs of or this thin period He Ue hind had x saved cral affairs of the heart heart henrt the most notable them being hl his affection affection af ar- for Henrietta duchess of or Marlborough Marlborough Marl Marl- borough to whom he left at nt MS death most of or hos nos fortune On her part the tho duchess erected a most splendid tomb for Cor him In tn Westminster abbe abbey and anti had an effigy of or tho the poet Jre dressed lIed sed as al In life lite made exactly to resemble resemble ble ble- him and ind this Image so flO common report re- re port of or the time averred sho rho ordered red brought to her table when she took look her bet meals and would talk to it by tho the hour dour rho Tho force of or devotion could no further go There herc Is very r little of ot Congreve's correspondence corre corro- preserved and none of or his letters letters let let- lers to the duche's duches of Marlborough The following note which gives very vary little Idea of or tho the wit and vivacity which flavor his lils comedies comedic was written to Arabella I Hunt a public singer er of or tho the time I Angel There Angel Thera can an be bo no stronger motive to brio bring me to Epsom or to the north of Scotland or nr to than your being In hi n I any of or tho those o places pieces for you make mako every place alike h heavenly enl a wherever you jou OU go bU And I believe If anything thing could curme cure cur me of a nil turn I Infirmity seeing ant and hearing you jou ou would bo be the surest remedy a at t least I should hould forget that I had anything anything any any- thing thin to complain of or while I had hod so 50 much snore more reason realon to rejoice I should hould certainly I had I been at ut my own dl disposal have p taken po post for tor Ep Epsom om upon receipt of or your letter but I have I a nurse hero who has dominion over o me mo a most unmerciful she ass s Balaam was allowed an tinsel angel to his Ill I'll pray If that will do any good for tho the tame fame grace I am having great experience In tho the slowness of or that animal for tor you jou must know I am making m my Journey journe to health upon that beast anslow an anslow and slow advances I des desor despal or any other bless of or making makins a a. moro mom 0 eX I could tell you sou OU of of or orto to bring bring- you yon OU to to this sworn worn to fl secrecy hov bo here I would contrive I of or the part party Ill I'll exp I Christian ma may ly Iy prays for I 1 am m lasting admirer William Congreve o bb bl for Tor tho the duchess duche s of Mai Ma Hunt was for a Uve tiro to Mrs Braces acted his heroines an anor andor and or an al epilogue Ip In his died In Ja Jant a ago age o of uC 59 9 9 and was I 1 pomp In Westminster a bulk of ot his fortune fortuno to toto t tto tto to o Mr Mra re Brace a an nO to Anne 5 dollars doUan of the duchess was as expended necklace Arabella Hunt died t tv earlier than Congrove wrote rote a lon long Irregular od ad bella Hunt Singing as aa gram upon a n portrait of bank singing flinging f |