“I am rambling from place to place.  In about a month I hope to be at Paris, and in the next month to be in England, and the next minute to see you.  I am now at Dijon in Burgundy, where last night, at an ordinary, I was surprised by a question from an English gentleman whom I had never seen before; hearing my name, he asked me if I had any relation or acquaintance with myself, and when I told him I knew no such person, he assured me that he was an intimate acquaintance of Mr. Gay’s of London.  There was a Scotch gentleman, who all supper time was teaching some French gentlemen the force and propriety of the English language; and, what is seen very commonly, a young English gentleman with a Jacobite governor.  A French marquis drove an Abbe from the table by railing against the vast riches of the Church, and another marquis, who squinted, endeavoured to explain transubstantiation:  ’That a thing might not be what it really appeared to be, my eyes,’ says he, ’may convince you.  I seem at present to be looking on you; but, on the contrary, I see quite on the other side of the table.’  I do not believe that this argument converted one of the heretics present, for all that I learned by him was, that to believe transubstantiation it is necessary not to see the thing you seem to look at.

“So much I have observed on the conversation and manners of the people.  As for the animals of the country, it abounds with bugs, which are exceedingly familiar with strangers; and as for plants, garlick seems to be the favourite production of the country, though for my own part I think the vine preferable to it.  When I publish my travels at large I shall be more particular; in order to which, to-morrow I set out for Lyons, from thence to Montpelier, and so to Paris; and soon after I shall pray that the winds may be favourable, I mean, to bring you from Richmond to London, or me from London to Richmond; so prays, etc., JOHN GAY.

“I beg you, madam, to assure Miss Lepell and Miss Bellenden, that I am their humble servant."[21]

[Footnote 1:  Pope:  Works (ed.  Elwin and Courthope), IV, p. 412.]

[Footnote 2:  Pope:  Works (ed.  Elwin and Courthope), VI, p. 223.]

[Footnote 3:  Ibid., VII, p. 455.]

[Footnote 4:  Ibid., VI, p. 227.]

[Footnote 5:  Pope:  Works (ed.  Elwin and Courthope), VI, p. 237.]

[Footnote 6:  Pope:  Works (ed.  Elwin and Courthope), VII, p. 460.]

[Footnote 7:  George Rooke, a Dublin linendraper.]

[Footnote 8:  Swift:  Works (ed.  Scott), XVI, p. 251.]

[Footnote 9:  Johnson:  Works (ed.  Hill), II, p. 271.]

[Footnote 10:  Pope:  Works (ed.  Elwin and Courthope), VII, p. 418.]

[Footnote 11:  Spence:  Anecdotes (ed.  Singer), p. 202.]

[Footnote 12:  Addison died on June 17th, 1719.]