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I affirm against Ariftotle, that cold and rain congregate homogenes; for they gather together you and your crew, at whift, punch, and claret. Happy weather for Mrs. Mau, Betty, and Stopford, and all true lovers of cards and lazinefs.

The bleffings of a country-life.
"Far from our debtors,
"No Dublin letters,

"Not feen by our betters."

The plagues of a country-life.
"A companion with news,
"A great want of fhoes;
"Eat lean meat, or chufe;
"A church without pews.
"Our horfes aftray,
"No straw, oats, or hay;
"December in May,
"Our boys run away,
"All fervants at play,

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Molly fends for the letter."

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LETTER CVIII.

Dr. SWIFT to Dr. SHERIDAN.

Quilca, June 28. 1725. U run out of your time fo merrily, that you are forced to anticipate it, like a young heir, that spends his fortune faster than it comes in: for your letter is dated to-morrow, June 29. and God knows when it was writ, or what Saturday you mean but I fuppofe it is the next; and therefore

your

your own mare, and Dr. Swift's horfe or mare, or fome other horse or mare, with your own mare aforefaid, fhall fet out on Wednesday next, which will be June 30. and fo they will have two nights reft, if you begin your journey on Saturday. You are an unlucky devil, to get a living the furtheft in the kingdom from Quilca *. If it be worth two hundred pounds a-year, my Lord Lieutenant hath but barely kept his word: for the other fifty muft go in a curate and vifitation-charges, and poxes, proxies I mean. If you are under the bishop of Cork +, he is a capricious gentleman: but you must flatter him monftroufly, upon his learning and his writings; that you have read his book against Toland a hundred times, and his fermons (if he has printed any) have been always your model, &c. Be not disappointed, if your living does not answer the fum. Get letters of recommendation to the Bishop and principal clergy, and to your neighbouring parfon or parfons particularly. I often advised you to get fome knowledge of tythes and church-livings. You must learnthe extent of your parifh, the general quantity of arable land and pafture in your parish, the common rate of tythes, for an acre of the several forts of corn, and of fleeces and lambs, and to fee whether you have any glebe. Pray act like a man of this world. I doubt, being fo far off, you must not let your living, as I do, to the feveral farmers, but to one man: but, by all means, do not now let it for more than one year, till you are furely apprifed of the real worth and even then, never let it for above three. Pray take my advice for once, and be very bufy while you are there. It is one good circumftance, that you got fuch a living in a convenient time, and just when tythes are fit to be let; only wool and lamb

In the county of Cork.

† Dr. Peter Brown.

P 3

are

are due in the fpring, or perhaps belong to the late incumbent. You may learn all on the spot, and your neighbouring parfons may be very useful if they pleafe; but do not let them be your te nants. Advife with Archdeacon Wall, but do not follow him in all things. Take care of the principal 'fquire, or 'fquires; they will all tell you the worst of your living; fo will the proctors and tythe-jobbers; but you will pick out truth from among them. Pray, fhew yourself a man of abilities. After all, I am but a weak brother myself; perhaps fome clergy in Dublin, who know that country, will further inform you. Mr. Townsend of Cork will do you any good offices on my account, without any letter.-Take the oaths heartily to the powers that be, and remember that party was not made for depending puppies. I forgot one principal thing, to take care of going regularly through all the forms of oaths and inductions; for the leaft wrong ftep will put you to the trouble of repaffing your patent, or voiding your liv ing.

LETTER CIX.

Dr. SWIFT to Dr. SHERIDAN.

Quilca, June 29. 1725. Writ to you yesterday, and faid as many things as I could then think on, and gave it to a boy of Kells, who brought me yours. It is ftrange, that · I, and Stella, and Mrs. Macfadin, should light on the fame thought, to advise you to make a great appearance of temperance while you are abroad, Mrs. Johnfon and I go further, and fay, you

eds obferve all grave forms, for the want of

which both you and I have fuffered. On fuppofal that you are under the Bishop of Cork, I fend you a letter inclofed to him, which I defire you will feal. Mrs. Johnson put me in mind to caution you not to drink or pledge any health in his company; for know his weak fide in that matter you * I hope Mr. Tickell has not complimented you with what fees are due to him for your patent. I wish you would say to him, (if he refuses them), that I told you, it was Mr. Addifon's maxim to excufe no body; for here, fays he, I may have forty friends, whofe fees may be two guineas a-piece; then I lofe eighty guineas, and my friends fave but two apiece.

I must tell you, Dan Jackson ruined his living, by huddling over the first year, and then hoping to mend it the next. Therefore pray take all the care you can, to inquire into the value, and fet it at the beft rate to fubftantial people.

I know not whether you are under the Bishop of Cork or no; if not, you may burn the letter.

I must defire, that you will not think of enlarging your expences, no not for fome years to come, much less at present, but rather retrench them. You might have lain deftitute till Antichrift came, for any thing you could have got from those you ufed to treat. Neither let me hear of one rag of better cloaths for your wife or brats, but rather plainer than ever. This is pofitively Stella's advice as well as mine. She fays, now you need not be afhamed to be thought poor.

We compute, you cannot be less than thirty days abfent; and pray do not employ your time in lolling abed till noon to read Homer, but mind your bufinefs effectually. And we thing you ought to have no breaking up this Auguft; but affect to ad

* He wrote a pamphlet against drinking to the memory of the dead,

here

here to your school closer than ever; because youwill find, that your ill-wifhers will give out, you are now going to quit your school, fince you have got preferment, &c.

Pray send me a large bundle of exercises, good as well as bad: for I want fomething to read.

I would have you carry down three or four fermons, and preach every Sunday at your own church, and be very devout.

I fent you in my laft a bill of twenty pound on Mr. Worral*; I hope you have received it.

Pray remember to leave the pamphlet with Worral, and give him directions, unless you have fettled it already fome other way. You know it must come out juft when the parliament meets.

Keep those letters, where I advise you about your living, till you have taken advice.

Keep very regular hours for the fake of your health and credit; and wherever you lie a night within twenty miles of your livings, be fure call the family that evening to prayers.

I defire you will wet no commiffion with your old · crew, nor with any but those who befriend you, as Mr. Tickell, &c.

LETTER

CX.

Dr. SWIFT to Lord CARTERET.

My LORD,

July 3. 1725. I Am obliged to return your Excellency my moft humble thanks for your favour to Mr. Sheridan, because when I recommended him to you, I recei

The Reverend Mr. John Worral, Vicar to the Bishop of Kildare, as Dean of Christ-church; as alfo to the Dean of St. Patrick's. Pub, edit.

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