the leaft turn to your mind. Therefore I hope, what I have faid is pardonable in every respect, but that of taking up your time.

My Lord, we are here preparing for your reception, and for a quiet feffion under your government; but, whether you ap prove the manner, I can only guess. It is by univerfal declarations against Wood's coin. One thing I am confident of, that your Excellency will find and leave us under difpofitions very different, towards your person and high ftation, from what have appeared towards others.

I have no other excufe for the length of this letter, but a faithful promise that I will never be guilty of the fame fault a fecond time. I am, &c.

MADAM,

MRS.

To Mrs. PRATT.

March 18th, 1724-5.

RS. FITSMORRICE did the unkindeft thing fhe could imagine; fhe fends an open note by a fervant, (for she was too much a prude to write me a letter) directing

recting me to enquire for one Howard mafter of a fhip, who had brought over a screen to me from Mrs. Pratt. Away I ran to the custom-houfe, where they told me the ship was expected every day: But the God of Winds, in confederacy with Mrs, Fitsmorrice to teaze me, kept the ship at leaft a month longer, and left me miserable in a state of impatience between hope and fear, worfe than a lady who apprehends her cloaths will not be ready against the birth-day.

I will not move your good-nature, by reprefenting how many reftlefs days and nights I have paffed, with what dreams my sleep hath been disturbed, when I fometimes faw the ship sinking, and my screen floating in the fea, and the mermaids ftruggling which of them fhould get it. At laft Mr. Medlicott*, whofe heart inclines him to pity the diftreffed, gave me notice of it's fafe arrival. He interpofed his authority; and, over-ruling the tedious forms of the custom-house, fent me my fcreen to the Deanry: Where it was immediately opened, on Tuesday the 16th inftant, three minutes feven feconds after four o'clock,

One of the commiffioners of the customs.

the

the day being fair but fomewhat windy, the fun in Aries, and the moon within 39 hours 8 feconds and a half of being full. All which I find, by confulting Ptolemy, to be fortunate incidents, and that, with due care, my screen will escape the mops of the housemaid, and the greafy hands of the footmen.

At the opening of the screen, just after dinner, fome company of both fexes were prefent. The ladies were full of malice, and the men of envy, while I was very affectedly calm. But all agreed, that nothing fhewed a better judgment than to know how to make a proper present, and that no prefent could be more judiciously chofen. For no man in this kingdom wanted a screen so much as myself: And, befides, fince I had left the world, it was As for very kind to fend the world to me. my own part, I confess I never expected to be fheltered by the world, when I have been fo long endeavouring to shelter myfelf from it. See how ill you bestow your favours, when you meet with nothing but complaints and reproaches, instead of acknowledgments, for thinking, in the midft of courts, upon an abfent infignificant man, buried in obfcurity. But I know it

is

is as hard to give thanks as to take them: Therefore I fhall fay no more, than that I receive your acceptable present just as I am fure you defire I should. But I cannot promise that it will add one jot to the love and esteem I have for you; because it is impoffible for me to be more than I have always been,

MADAM,

Your, &c.

LETTER XXXIX.

To his Excellency the Lord CARTERET, Lord Lieutenant of IRELAND.

MY LORD,

Deanry-houfe, April 17, 1725°

I HAVE been fo long afflicted with a deafnefs, and at prefent with a giddinefs in my head, (both old diftempers) that I have not been able to attend your Excellency and my Lady Carteret, as my inclination and duty oblige me; and I am now hafting into the country, to try what exercise and better air will do towards my recovery. Not knowing how long I may be abfent, nor how foon you may think fit to leave this kingdom, I take this occafion of returning your Excellency, and

my

my Lady Carteret, my moft humble acknowledgments for your great civilities towards me, which I wish it were in my power to deferve.

I have only one humble request to make to your Excellency, which I had in my heart ever fince you were nominated Lord Lieutenant; and it is in favour of Mr. Sheridan. I beg you will take your time for bestowing on him fome church-living, to the value of 150l. per annum. He is

agreed on all hands, to have done more public fervice, by many degrees, in the education of lads, than any five of his vocation; and has much more learning than ufually falls to the share of those who profefs teaching, being perfectly skilled in the Greek, as well as Latin tongue, and acquainted with all the antient writers, in poetry, philofophy, and hiftory. He is a man of good fense, modefty, and virtue. His greatest fault is a wife and four children, for which there is no excufe, but that a wife is thought neceffary to a schoolmaster. His conftitution is fo weak, that, in a few years, he muft give up his buffnefs; and probably muft ftarve, without fome preferment, for which he is an ill folicitor. My Lord Bifhop of Elphin hath promised