a black capp or I might have thought of Lady Harriett Harley now Lady Oxford.

NOTES ON LV.

Lady Henrietta Cavendish Holles, heiress of Holles, Duke of Newcastle, had married Lord Harley, son of the Earl of Oxford, in 1713. Swift celebrated the marriage in verse. Bolingbroke described it, in a letter to the Dean, as "the ultimate end of a certain administration." The administration was the one in which he himself had held the post of Secretary of State. He asserted, and asserted it moreover to a man who had been deep in the confidence of the minister, that his chief, Lord Treasurer Oxford, in all his measures had had one end in view-to secure for his son the wealthiest heiress in England. Of this same Lord Treasurer Swift wrote: "I do impartially think him the most virtuous minister, and the most able that ever I remember to have read of." Both Bolingbroke and Swift wrote the history of their own time. Who can wonder that Sir Robert Walpole exclaimed: “Anything but history, for history must be false."

Both

The second Lady Oxford had her troubles. Mrs. Pendarves wrote in 1741, just before the Earl's death: "My Lord Oxford has of late been so entirely given up to drinking that his life has been no pleasure to him or satisfaction to his

friends; my Lady Oxford never leaves his bedside, and is in great trouble. He has had no enjoyment of the world since his mismanagement of his affairs." It was with a folio belonging to his library that

Johnson beat Osborne, the book

seller.

LVI.

[Knightley Chetwode to Dean Swift.]

S", I am truly concerned at y' having been so long lame which you say I can't see you, tho' I imputed it to your having taken something amiss in my last letter, wherein when I thought I was only plaine perhaps I've been blunt, and y' is a fault for I am of opinion with my old friend Wycherly, that some degree of ceremony shd [should] be preserved in the strictest friendship. However I write again to you, upon my old maxim y [that] he who forbears to write because his last letter is unanswered shews more regard to forms and punctillios than to friendship. I've mett you handed about in print and as the Coffey Houses will have it of your owne doing-I am afraid y' using y' legg too soon will not let it be too soon well, the very shaking of a chair tho' yo had a stole under it, I believe harm'd you for

you see by y' accident at y A'p's visitation how small a thing throws you back. Beware I pray you of this hurt in time, for if a swelling shd fix in y' leggs an access of a Dropsy may be apprehended-I shd be glad to see you if it were conven' [convenient] and agreeable to you and not else, tho' I am y' well wisher and humble Serv

K. C.

LVII.

[Dean Swift to Knightley Chetwode.] [Indorsed, “A very extraordinary lettr designed I suppose to mortifie me-within this letter are coppies of some lettrs of mine to him."]

DUBLIN. May 8th 1731 [? 1732].

SR, Your letter hath layen by me without acknowledging it, much longer than I intended, or rather this is my third time of writing to you, but the two former I burned in an hour after I had finished them, because they contained some passages which I apprehended one of your pique might possibly dislike, for I have heard you approve of one principle in your nature, that no man had ever offended you, against whom you did not find some opportunity to make him regret it, although perhaps no offence were ever designed. This perhaps, and

you,

the other art you are pleased with, of knowing the secrets of familyes, which as you have told me was so wonderfull that some people thought you dealt with old Nick, hath made many families so cautious of you. And to say the truth, your whole scheme of thinking, conversing, and living, differ [sic] in every point from mine. I have utterly done with all great names and titles of Princes and Lords and Ladyes and Ministers of State, because I conceive they do me not the least honor; wherein I look upon myself to be a prouder man than who expect that the people here should think more honorably of you by putting them in mind of your high acquaintance, whereas the Spirits of our Irish folks are so low and little, and malicious, that they seldom believe a syllable of what we say on these occasions, but score it all up to vanity; as I have known by Experience, whenever by great chance I blabbed out some great name beyond one or two intimate friends. For which reason I thank God that I am not acquainted with one person of title in this whole Kingdom, nor could I tell how to behave myself before persons of such sublime quality— Half a dozen midling Clergymen, and one or two midling laymen make up the whole circle of my acquaintance-That you returned from an amour without profit, I do not wonder, nor that it was

more pleasurable, if the Lady as I am told be sixty, unless her literal and metaphorical talents were very great; yet I think it impossible for any woman of her age, who is both wise and rich, to think of matrimony in earnest. However I easily believe what you say that women have not yet lost all their charms with you-who could find them in a Sybel. I am sorry for what you say that your ambition is unsatiated, because I think there are few men alive so little circumstanced to gratify it. You made one little essay in a desperate Cause much to the disadvantage of your fortune, and which would have done you little good if it had succeeded; and I think you have no merit with the present folks, though some affect to believe it to your disadvantage.

I cannot allow you my disciple; for you never followed any one rule I gave you-I confess the Qu's [Queen's] death cured all ambition in me, for which I am heartily glad, because I think it little consists either with ease or with conscience.

I cannot imagine what any people can propose by attempts against you, who are a private country Gentleman, who can never expect any Employment or power. I am wondering how you came acquainted with Horace or St. Ambrose, since neither Latin nor Divinity have been your Studyes; it