268 'OLD q' 



in waiting. If she is, pray make her say anything to me 

 that she pleases ; and pray, to please me, and tell me true, 

 that Mrs. Howard is perfectly well. Now that I have 

 written, I think I cannot fail of your answering, unless 

 you are very ungrateful, which I will never believe till I 

 have your own word for it. Finis. 



Say something for me very obliging to Mrs. Meadows 

 and Mrs. Casteret. 



Mr. Gay borrows the rest of the paper for his use. 



C. Q. 



I think it may be of use to let you know that Middle- 

 ton is near Bicester, Oxfordshire. 



(The same blot that appeared on the other side has sunk 

 through the paper.) 



That blot ^ was of my making, and not on purpose, as 

 witness. Queensberry.^ 



Now you know everything about the blot, I will go on 

 with my letter. We do not play at cards, and yet the 

 days are too short for us. I know that this Avill scarce be 

 credited ; yet it is true. We do not want one another's 

 company, nor are we tired of one another. This, too, 

 sounds a little incredible ; yet it is true. You see that 

 we that live in the country speak truth and are willing 

 that others should think we do so. I wish this may 

 not be interpreted a reflection^ by somebody that does 

 not understand it : I will not say any more about truth. 



1 Paragraph written by Gay. 



2 The duke's signature appended to it. 



' An allusion to the interpretations given to passages of Gay's 

 works, particularly the Beggars^ Opera. 



