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and shall, for my small remainder of years, be weary of life; having for ever loft that converfation which could only make it tolerable.—I fear, while you are reading this, you will be fhedding tears at her funeral. She loved you well, and a great fhare of the litle merit I have with you, is owing to her folicitations.

I writ to you about a week ago

LETTER

CXVII.

Dr SWIFT to Dr SHERIDAN.

London, May 13. 1727.

His goes by a private hand; for my writing is too much known, and my letters often flopt and opened. I had your's of the 4th inftant; and it is the only one I have received out of Ireland, fince I left you. I hardly thought our friend would be in danger by a cold. I am of opinion the should be generally in the country, and only now and then vifit the town. We are here in a ftrange fituation; a firm fettled refolution to affault the prefent administration, and break it, if poffible. It is certain, that Walpole is peevish and difconcerted, ftoops to the vileft offices of hireling scoundrels, to write Billingsgate of the lowest and moft proftitute kind; and has none but beafts and blockheads for his penmen, whom he pays in ready guineas very liberally. I am in high difpleafure with him and his partifans. A great man, who was very kind to me laft year, doth not takethe leaft notice of me at the Prince's court, and there hath not been one of them to fee me. lam advised by all my friends, not to go to France, (as I intended for two months), for fear of their vengeance in a manner which they cannot execute here. I reckon there will be a warm winter, wherein my comfort is, I fhall have no concern. I defire you will read this letter to none but our two friends, and Mr P- -. His coufin with

*Soon after the date of this letter, the Dean went back to Ireland; but Mrs Johnson recovering a moderate fate of health, he returned again to England the beginning of the year 1727. Hawkes.

the

the red riband inquired very kindly after him.-I hear no news about your Bishops, farther than that the Lord Lieutenant flickles to have them of Ireland; which Walpole always is averse from, but does not think it worth his trouble to exert his credit on fuch trifles. The dif pute about a war or no war still continues, and the major part inclines to the latter, although ten thousand men are ordered for Holland. But this will bring fuch an addition to our debts, that it will give great advantages against thofe in power, in the next feffions. Walpole laughs at all this, but not fo heartily as he used. I have at last seen the Princess * twice this week, by her own commands. She retains her old civility, and I my old freedom. She charges me, without ceremony, to bé author of a bad book †, though I told how angry the miniftry were; but the affures me, that both fhe and the P: were very well pleased with every particular; but I difowned the whole affair, as you know I very well might; only gave her leave,fince fhe liked the book, to suppose what author fhe pleased. You will wonder to find me fay fo much of politics; but I keep very bad company, who are full of nothing elfe. Pray be very careful of your charge, or Ifhall order my lodgers the bulk of their glaffes, and the number of their bottles.

I ftole this time to write to you, having very little to fpare. I go as foon as poffible to the country, and fhall rarely fee the town.

My fervice to all friends.

I defire you will fend me fix fets of the edition of the Drapiers, by the firft convenience of any friend or ace quaintance that comes hither.

I

LETTER CXVIII.

Dr SWIFT to Dr SHERIDAN

London, June 24. 1727. Have received your laft, with the inclofed print. I defire you will let Dr Delany know, that I tranfcri

Caroline Princess of Wales, afterwards Queen, confort of King. George II. Gulliver's tr

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Let. 1 18. bed the fubftance of his letter, and the translation of what was registered; and added a whole state of the cafe, and gave it Mrs Howard, to give to the Prince* from me, and to defire, that, as a chancellor, he would do what he thought most fit. I forgot to ask Mrs Howard what was done in it, the next time I saw her; and the day I came to town, came the news of the King's death, of which I sent particulars the very fame day to our friend; fince then we have been all in a hur ry, with millions of fchemes. I deferred kiffing the King and Queen's hands till the third day, when my friends at court chid me for deferring it fo long. I have been, and am so extremely bufy, that though I begin this letter, I cannot finish it till next poft ; for now it is the last moment it can go, and I have much more to fay. I was just ready to go to France, when the news of the King's death arrived, and I came to town, in order to begin my journey. But I was defired to delay it; and I then determined it a fecond time; when, upon some new incidents, I was, with great vehemence, diffuaded from it, by certain perfons whom I could not disobey. Thus things stood with me. My ftomach is pretty good; but for fome days my head has not been right, yet it is what I have been formerly used to. Here is a strange world; and our friend would reproach me for my share in it. But it shall be short; for I defign foon to return into the country. I am thinking of a chancellor for the univerfity, and have pitched upon one; but whether he will like it, or my word be of any use, I know not. The talk is now for a moderating scheme, wherein no body fhall be used the worfe or better, for being called Whig or Tory; and the King hath received both with great equality, fhewing civilities to feveral who are openly known to be the latter. I prevailed with a dozen, that we fhould go in a line to kifs the King and Queen's hands. We have now done with repining, if we shall be used well, and not baited as formerly. We all agree

* His Royal Highnefs George Prince of Wales, Chancellor of the univerfity of Dublin, now King.

Afterwards Countefs of Suffelk.

King George I. He died June 11. 1727.

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in it; and if things do not mend, it is not our faults: we have made our offers: if otherwise, we are as we were. It is agreed the miniftry will be changed, but the others will have a foft fall; although the King must be exceffive generous, if he forgives the treatment of fome people. I writ long ago my thoughts to my viceroy, and he may proceed as he fhall be advised. But if the Archbishop * goes on to proceed to fub pœna con• temptus, &c. I would have an appeal at proper which, I fuppofe, muft be to delegates, or the crown, I know not which. However, I will spend a hundred or two pounds rather than be inflaved, or betray a right which I do not value threepence, but my fucceffors may. My fervice to all friends; and fo thinking I have faid enough, I bid you farewel heartily, and long to eat of your fruit, for I dare eat none here. It hath coft me five fhillings in victuals fince I came here, and ten pounds to fervants where I have dined. I fuppofe my agent + in Sheep street takes care and inquires about my new agent.

I

LETTER

CXIX.

Dr SWIFT to Dr SHERIDAN.

Twickenham, July 1. 1727.

Mr

Had your's of June 22. You complain of not hearing from me; I never was fo conftant a writer. I have writ fix times to our friends, and as many to you. Pope is reading your Perfius. He is frequently fick, and fo at this time. He has read it, but you must wait till next letter for his judgment. He would know whether it is defigned for an elegant tranflation, or only to fhew the meaning. I reckon it an explanation of a difficult author, not only for learners, but for thofe also who are not expert in Latin, because he is a very dark author. I would not have your book printed entire, till I treat with my bookfeller here for your advantage.

Dr William King.
†The Rev. Mr John Worral

There

--

There is a word (concacuus) which you have not explained, nor the reason of it. Where you are ignorant, you fhould confefs you are ignorant. I writ to Stella the day we heard the Kwas dead, and the circumftances of it. I hold you a guinea, I fhall forget fomething. Worral writ to me lately. In answer, I defire that when the Archbishop comes to a determination, that an appeal be properly lodged, by which I will elude him till my return, which will be at Michaelmas. I have left London, and stay here a week, and then I fhall go thither again; juft to fee the Queen, and fo come back hither. Here are a thousand schemes wherein they would have me engaged; which I embrace but coldly, because I like none of them. I have been this ten days inclining to my old disease of giddiness, a little tottering. Our friend understands it; but I grow cautious, and am fomething better. Cyder, and Champagne, and fruit, have been the caufe. But now I am very regular, and I eat enough. I took Dr Delany's paper to the King when he was prince. He and his fecretary * difcontented with the Provost †, but they find he has law on his fide. The King's death hath broke that measure. I propofed the Prince of Wales ‡ to be chan cellor, and I believe fo it will go. Pray copy out the verfes I writ to Stella on her collecting my verfes, and fend them to me; for we want fome, to make our poetical mifcellany large enough, and I am not there to pick what should be added. Direct them, and all other double papers, to Lord Bathurst, in St James's fquare, London. I was in a fright about your verses on Stella's fickness, but glad when they were a month old.

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Defire our friends to let me know, what I fhould buy for them here of any kind. I had just now a long letter from Mrs Dingley, and another from Mr Synge. Pray tell the latter, that I return him great thanks, and will leave the vifiting affair to his discretion. But all the lawyers in Europe fhall never perfuade me, that it is in the Archbishop's power to take or refufe my proxy,

* Samuel Mollyneux, Efq; Frederick Prince of Wales, died March 20, 1750-L

The Rev. Dr Baldwin. eldelt fon of K. George II. who

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