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and fhall, 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 little merit I have with you, is owing to her folicitations.

I writ to you about a week ago t.

TH

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 stopt and o pened. I had yours 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 fhould be generally in the country, and only now and then vifit the town.- -We are here in a strange 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 fcoundrels, to write Billingsgate of the lowest and most proftitute kind; and has none but beafts and blockheads for his penmen, whom he pays in ready guineas very liberally. I am in high difpleasure with him and his partifans. A great man, who was very kind to me last year, doth not take the least notice of me at the Prince's court, and there hath not been one of them to see ms. I am 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 nofe but our two friends, and Mr P. His coufin with

.

the

+ Soon after the date of this letter, the Dean went back to Irela d; but Mrs Johnson recovering a moderate state of health, he returned again to England the beginning of the year 17:27. Hawke

the red ribband inquired very kindly after him.I hear no news about your Bishops, farther than that the Lord. Lieutenant stickles to have them of Ireland; which Wal pole always is averfe 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 ftill continues, and the major part inclines to the latter, altho' 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 ufed. I have at laft feen 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 be author of a bad bookt, tho' I told her how angry the miniftry were; but the affures me, that both he 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 fuppofe what author fhe pleafed-You will wonder to find me fay fo much of politics; but I keep very bad company, who are full of nothing else. Pray very careful of your charge, or I fhall order my lod gers the bulk of their glaffes, and the number of their Bottles. I ftole this time to write to you, having very little to spare. I go as foon as poffible to the country, and fhall rarely fee this town

be

My fervice to all friends.

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

LETTER CXVIII.

Dr SWIFT: to Dr SHERIDAN.

Landon, June 24. 1927. Have received your laft, with the inclosed print. I defire you will let Dr Delany know, that Î transcri

X.3.

bed

Caroline Princess of Wales, afterwards Queen, confort of

King George 11.
Gulliver's travels.

bed the fubftance of his letter, and the tranflation of what was registered; and added a whole state of the cafe, and gave it to Mrs Howard, to give to the Prince* from me, and to defire, that, as Chancellor, he would do what he thought moft fit. I forgot to afk Mrs Howard † what was done in it, the next time I faw her; and the day I came to town, came the news of the King's death, of which I fent particulars the very fame day to our friend; fince then we have been all in a hurry, with millions of schemes. I deferred kiffing the King's 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 fo extremely bufy, that tho' I begin this letter, I cannot finish it till next poft; for now it is the laft 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 fome new incidents, I was with great vehemence diffuaded from it, by certain perfons whom I could not difobey. Thus things ftand 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 ftrange world; and our friend would reproach me for my fhare in it. But it fhall be fhort, 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 should go in a line to kifs the King's 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 Countess of Suffolk.

King George I. He died June 11. 1727.

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*

in it; and if things no not mend, it is not our faults: we have made our offers if otherwife, we are as we were. It is agreed the miniftry will be changed, but the others will have a foft fall; altho' 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 contemptus, &c. I would have an appeal at proper time 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 enflaved, 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.

LETTER CXIX.

Dr SWIFT to Dr SHERIDAN.

Twickenham, July 1. 1727. I Had yours 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 ás many to you. Mr Pope is reading your Perfus. 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 fhé the meaning. I reckon it an explanation of a difficult author, not only for learners, but for thofe alfo who are not expert in Latin, becaufe 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 K- -was dead, and the circumstances of it. I hold you. a guinea, I shall 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 ftay here a week, and then I fhall go thither again; juft to fee the Queen, and fo come back bither. Here are a thousand fchemes 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 difeafe of giddinefs, a little tottering. Our friend understands it; but I grow cautious, and am fomething better. Cyder, and champagne, and fruit, have been the cause. 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 are discontented with the Provoft †, but they find he has law on his fide. The King's death hath broke that meafure. I propofed the Prince of Wales ‡ to be Chancellor, and I believe fo it will go. Pray copy out the verfes I writ to Stella on her collecting my verses, 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 Bathurft, in St James's fquare, London. I was in a fright about your verfes on Stella's fickness, but glad when they were a month old.

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DESIRE our friends to let me know, what I should 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 difcretion. But all the lawyers in Europe fhall never perfuade me, that it is in the Archbishop's power to take or refuse my proxy, when

• Samuel Mollyneux, Efq;

The Rev. Dr Baldwin.

Frederick Prince of Wales, eldeft fon of K. George whe

died March 20. 1750-1.

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