nothing so much, as my own want of worldly wisdom, in squandring all I had saved on a Cursed Wall; although I had your Example to warn me, since I had often ventured to railly you for your Buildings; which have hindred you from that Command of money; you might otherwise have had. I have been told that Lenders of money abound; not from the Riches of the Kingdom, but by the want of Trade-but whether Chattles be good security I can not tell. I dare say M' Lightburn will be able to take up what he wants, upon the Security of Land, by the Judgm' of the H. [House] of Lords; and I reckon he is almost a Lawyer, and would make a very good Solliciter. I can give you no Encouragement to go out of your way for a visit to this dismal Place; where we have hardly room to turn. our selves, and where we send five miles round for a lean sheep. I never thought I could battle with so many Inconveniencyes, and make use of so many Irish Expedients, much less could I invite any Friend to share in them; and we are 8 miles from Kells, the nearest habitable Place-These is the State of Affairs here. But I should be glad to know you had taken some Method to lump your Debts. I could have wished M Stopford had let me know his Intentions of travelling with Graham; I know not the Conditions he goes on, and there is but one

Reason why I should approve of such a Ramble; I know all young Travellers are eager to travell again. But I doubt whether he consults his Preferment, or whether he will be able to do any Good to, un Enfant gaté, as Graham is. Pray desire him to write to me. I had rather your Son might have the Advantage of his Care, than of his Chambers.

I read no Prints. I know not whether we have a new King, or the old much less any thing of Barber. I did not receive any Packet from you. I am ever y' &c.

The 6 months are over, so the Discoverer of the Draper will not get the 300" as I am told. I hope the Parlm will do as they ought, in that matter, which is the onely publick thing, I have in my mind.

I hope you like D' Delany's country Place and am glad to find you among such Acquaintances, especially such a Person as he.

NOTES ON XLI.

Swift was staying in Dr. Sheridan's country retreat at Quilca, "a bleak spot among the wildest of the Cavan heaths," about fifty miles north-west of Dublin.

One November ten years later he thus described the life he was leading there to his cousin, Mrs. Whiteway :-" Here are a thousand domestic conveniences wanting; but one pair of tongs in the

whole house; the turf so wet that a tolerable fire is a miracle; the kitchen is a cabin a hundred yards off and a half; the house back and fore door always left open, which in a storm, our constant companion, threatens the fall of the whole edifice; Madam as cross as the devil, and as lazy as any of her sister sows, and as nasty. These are some of our blind sides. But we have a good room to eat in, and the wife and lodgers have another, where the doctor often sits and seems to eat, but comes to my eating room (which is his study), there finishes his meal, and has a share of a pint of wine; the other pint is left till night." The Dean was working at Gulliver's Travels. "I have employed my time," he wrote to Pope, "(beside ditching) in finishing, correcting, amending, and transcribing my travels in four parts complete, newly augmented and intended for the press, when the world shall deserve them, or rather when a printer shall be found brave enough to venture his ears. I like the scheme of our meeting after distresses and dispersions, but the chief end I propose to myself in all my labours is to vex the world rather than divert it; and if I could compass that design without hurting my own person or fortune I would be the most indefatigable writer you have ever seen, without reading."

His sight had been long failing. Twelve years earlier he had told how Vanessa

"Imaginary charms can find

In eyes with reading almost blind.”