A

LETTER OF ADVICE

TO THE

REVEREND DR. D-LA-Y,

HUMBLY PROPOSED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF A

CERTAIN GREAT LORD.

This curious libel upon Dr. Delany takes the same tone with the rebuke administered to him by Swift, for boasting of his intimacy with Carteret. See Vol. XIV. p. 408 and 438, and also Vol. I. p. 352, where it is observed that there occurred some coldness between the Dean and Delany. I have a copy of verses upon Lord Carteret, supposed to be written by Dr. Delany himself, in which his lordship's taste for society is characterized by the last line :

"He chooses Delany and Tickell for friends."

This affectation of holding himself forth as the chosen favourite of the lord-lieutenant's easier hours, called down the censure of Tisdal, Smedley, and others, to one of whom we owe the following lines. They are here inserted as throwing some light on Swift's literary history.

WHAT, Doctor, if great Carteret condescends To chat with Swift and you as private friends,

Must you so silly be to tell the town,
And boast of freedoms he may blush to own?
Is this the modest dutiful behaviour

You shew your patron, for so great a favour?
Think you these honours to your merit due?
What equal honours can reflect from you?
You may perhaps propose immortal fame,
Under the shelter of your patron's name;
If you presume too far, you miss that end,
For the like course lost Swift his Gaulstown friend,
And in time disturb your patron too,

may

To see the simple choice he's made of you.
But is my lord still short of his intent?
Or is your merit of that vast extent,

That nothing less than thousands can content?
There was a time when Paddy, out of hope,
Thought a West Indian jaunt his utmost scope.
The world's well mended since with Patrick; now
Nothing but vistas and canals will do.

But pray, great sir, what friend of common sense,
Would labour to promote such vain expense?
And must your brethren all in hamlets dwell,
T' adorn your busts, and young St. Patrick's cell?
Why may not some of 'em, for ought you know,
Have a desire to build and to bestow?

Retrench then, and be modest if you can, sir,
Or raise objections stronger than your answer.
Think, Doctor, after double vicar, double rector,
A dignity in Christ-Church lecture;

And something else, which you have still forgot,
A college place. Won't all this boil the pot?
Then judge how very awkwardly it looks,
"You have not yet enough to buy your books."
Good Patrick, take advice, and first read o'er
The books you have, before you call for more;
Resign some of those cures you labour hard in,
If you must spend whole summers in your garden,

Attend some one at least, and quit Glass-Nevin,
Which will destroy your credit, if you live in ;
Let Barber, though polite, at counter wait,
Nor longer be caress'd in pomp and state:
Quickly do this, or you may some provoke
To say, you mean to fleece, not feed the flock.

END OF VOL. X.

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EDINBURGH AND LONDON.

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