that errand? Because I did no mind it, quo' Sawny. A curfe on these twenty foldiers drumming thro' my liberty twice a-day, and going to a barrack + the government hath placed just under my nose. I think of a line in Virgil Travefty. The d cut their yelping weasons. We expect Lord Orrery and Bishop Rundle next week. -This letter was intended for laft poft, but interruptions and horses hindered it. Poor Mrs Achefon is relapsed at Grange, and worfe than ever. I was there yesterday, and met Dr H-m, who hopes fhe was a little better.. 16. Here has no body been hanged, married, or dead that I hear of. Dr Grattan is confined by a boil; if you ask him where, he will fell you a bargain. My chief country companion now is philofopher Webber; for the Grattans and Jacksons are neither to be found at home or abroad, except Robin, who cannot stir. a foot. A April 9. 1737. BOUT a month ago I received your last letter, wherein you complain of my long filence; what will you do when I am so long in answering? I have one excufe which will ferve for all my friends; I am quite worn out with disorders of mind and body; a long fit of deafness, which ftill continues, hath unqualified me for converfing, or thinking, or reading, or hearing; to all this is added an apprehenfion of giddinefs, whereof I have frequently fome frightful touches. Befides, I can hardly write ten lines without twenty blunders, as you will fee by the number of fcratchings and blots before this letter is done: in to the bargain, I have not one rag of memory left; and my friends have all forfaken me, except Mrs Whiteway, who preferves fome pity for my condition; and a few others, who love wine that costs them + Called now the poddle-guard, and kept within the liberties of St Patrick's to fupprefs riots. them nothing. As to my taking a journey to Cavan, I am just as capable as of a voyage to China, or of running races at Newmarket. But to fpeak in the Latinitas Grattaniana, Tu clamas meretrix primus; for we have all expected you here at Eafter, as you were used to do. Your mufter-roll of meat is good, but of drink infup port able. Yew wann twine. My ftrefs Albavia has eaten here all your hung beef, and faid it was very good. The affair of high importance in their family is, that Mifs Molly hath iffued out orders, with great penalties, to be called Mrs Harrison: which causeth many fpeck you'll afh owns.— I am now come to the noli me tan jerry, which begg inns wyth Mad dam.—So I will go on, by the strength of my own wit, upon points of the high eft imp or taunts. I have been very curious in confidering that fruitful word ling; which explains many fine qualities in ladies; fuch as grow ling, ray ling, tip ling, (feldom) toy ling, mumb ling, grumb ling, curr ling, pufs ling, bufs ling, ftrow ling, ramb ling, quarry ling, tat ling, whiff ling, dabb ling, doub ling. Thefe are but as ample o fan hunn dread mower: they have all got cold this winter, big owing tooth in lick lad ink old wet her, and dare ink you rabble.- Well, I triumph over you, Is corn urine cap a city. Pray tell me, does the land of Quilca pay any rent? or is any paid by the tenant? or is there not any part of 50 1. to be got? But before you make complaints of ill payments from your school, I will declare I was never fo ill paid as now, even by my richer debtors. I have finished my will for the last time; wherein, I left fome little legacy, which you are not to receive till you fhall be entirely out of my debt, and paid all you owe me to my executors And I have made very honourable mention of you in the will, as the confideration of my leaving thefe legacies to you. EXPLAIN this proverb. Salt dry fish, and the weddinggold, is the vice of women both young and old. Yes, you have it i nam o mento time. The old huncks Shepherd has buried his only fon,' who was a young huncks come to age. POST SCRIPT. HERE is a rhyme; it is a fatire on an inconstant lover. You You are as faithlefs as a Carthaginian, To love at once Kate, Nell, Doll, Martha, Jenny, Anne. E A fpecimen of Latinitas Grattaniana. GO ludam diabolum fuper duos baculos cum te. Profecto ego dabo tibi tuum ventrem plenum legis. Sine me folum cum illo. Ego capiam tempus. Quid peftis velles tu effe apud? Ego faciam te fumare. Duc uxorem veni super. Ego dabo tibi pyxidem in aure. Ego faciam te jecare faltum. Veni, veni, folve tuum fcotum, et fac non plura verba. Si tu es pro lege, dabo tibi legem, tuum ventrem plenum. Quid eft materia tecum? Tu babes vetus proverbium fuper tuum latus : Cape me apud illud, et fu/pende me. Tu venis in farti tempore Eft formofus corporatus homo in facie. Efne tu fuper pro omni die? Morfus: Efne tu ibi cum tuis urfis? Ille eft ex fuper fuam fervationem. Tu u eft carcer avis. Ego amo mendacem in meo corde, et tu aptas me ad crimen. Ego dicam tibi quid: Hic eft magnus clamor, et parva lana. Quid! tu es fuper tuum altum equum. Tu nunquam fervafli tuum verbum. Hic eft diabolus et omne agere. Vifne tu effe tam bonus, quam tuum verbum ? Ego faciam porcum vel canem de id. Ego fervo hoc pro pluviofo die. Ego poffum facere id cum digito madido: VOL. IV. A a Profecto Profecto ego habui nullam manum in id. Tu eft homo extranei renis. Precor, ambula fuper. Ego intro non in tuas querelas. Ego feci amorem virgini honoris. Quomodo venit id circum, quod tu ludis ftultum ita? Vos ibi, fac viam pro meo domino. Omnes focii apud pedem pilam. Famina et linteum afpiciunt optimè per candela lucem, I : LETTER CXXXVII *. Dr SWIFT to Dr SHERIDAN. will on Monday (this is Saturday, May 22. as you will read below in the date) send or talk to Mr Smith but I diftruft your fanguinity fo much, (by my own defponding temper), that I know not whether that affair of your jufticeship be fixed; but I fhall know next week, and write or act accordingly. I battled in vain with the Duke and his clan against the lowering of gold, which is juft a kind fettlement upon England of 25,000l. a-year for ever. Yet fome of my friends differ from me, tho' all agree that the abfentees will be juft fo much gainers. I am exceffively glad that your difficulty of breathing is over; for what is life but breath? I mean not that of our noftrils, but our lungs. You must in fummer ride every half-holiday, and go to church every Sunday fome miles off. The people of England are copying from us to plague the clergy; but they intend far to outdo the original. I wish I were to be born next century, when we fhall be utterly rid of parfons, of which, God be thanked, you are none at prefent; and until your Bishop give you a living, I will leave off (except this letter) giving you the title of Reverend. I did write him lately a letter with a witnefs, relating to his printer of quadrille, (did you ever fee it?), with which he half ruined Faulkner. He promises * This should have been dated 22d May 1737, but is not. promises (against his nature) to confider him ; but interpofed an exception, which I believe will destroy the whole. Mrs Whiteway gives herfelf airs of loving you; but do not trust her too much; for fhe grows difobedient, and fays, fhe is going for to get another favourite. In short, fhe calls you names, and has neither Mr nor Dr on her tongue, but calls you plain Sheridan, and pox take you. She is not with me now, elfe fhe would read this in spite of me; and, between ourselves, the fets up to be my governor. I wish you had fent me the Christian name of Knatchbull, and I would have writ to him; but I will fee him on Monday, if he will be vifible. The poem on the legion-club is fo altered and en- . larged, as I hear, (for I only faw the original), and fo damnably murdered, that they have added many of the club to the true number. I hear it is charged to me, with great perfonal threatnings from the puppies of fended. Some fay they will wait for revenge to their next meeting; others fay the privy council will fummon the fufpected author. If I could get the true copy, I would fend it you. Your Bifhop writes me word, that the real author is manifeft by the work. -Your lofs of flesh is nothing, if it be made up with fpirit. God help him who hath neither, I mean myself.. I believe I fhall fay with Horace, Non omnis moriar; for half my body is already spent. LETTER CXXXVIII. Dear SIR, TH Dr SWIFT to Mr POPE. Dublin, April 28. 1739. HE gentleman who will have the honour to deliver you this, altho' he be one related to me, which is by no means any fort of recommendation; for I am utterly void of what the world calls natural affection; and with good reafon, because they are a numerous race degenerating from their ancestors, who were of good efteem for their loyalty and fufferings in the rebellion against King Charles I.: this coufin of mine, who is fo defirous to wait on you, is named Deane A a 2 Swift |