writes on December 5 of this year. His French seems to have forsaken him when he wrote "qu" for "que." According to John Forster, he was accomplished in French. Sir William Temple more justly said of him that "he has Latin and Greek, some French."

High Churchman though he was, he cared nothing for the divine right of kings. "I always declared myself," he wrote, "against a Popish successor to the crown, whatever title he might have by the proximity of blood: neither did I ever regard the right line except upon two accounts; first, as it was established by law, and secondly as it has much weight in the opinions of the people. For necessity may abolish any law, but cannot alter the sentiments of the vulgar; right of inheritance being perhaps the most popular of all topics; and therefore in great changes, when that is broke, there will remain much heart-burning and discontent among the meaner people."

The nonjuror Hearne took a very different view of the oath of abjuration. "Notwithstanding its abominable wickedness," he wrote in 1723, "it is incredible what numbers of all kinds run in to swear." Three years later he recorded: "A Scottish man whispered me in the ear, 'You are the only honest man in Oxford. You want a larger gullet to swallow damned cramp oaths.'"

When Swift wrote to Chetwode, "I envy your Employm's of improving Bogs" this was no passing

caprice. Into the mouth of the king of Brobdingnag he put sentiments which he really felt, when he made him say that "whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country than the whole race of politicians put together." Arthur Young held with Swift in this. In his tour through Ireland in 1776 he made such entries as the following: "I saw two large compost dunghills turning over and mixing, a sight not common in Ireland. It pleased me more than the sight of a palace would have done." "I saw four men hoeing a field of turnips. These were the first turnip hoers I have seen in Ireland, and I was more pleased than if I had seen four emperors."

XIX.

[Indorsed by Chetwode, "upon ye Subject of my quarrell with Coll.—-— at Maryborough Assizes."]

DUBLIN. May 9. 1721.

SR, I did not answer your last because I would take time to consider it I told the Ar. BP what you had done, that you had taken the Oathes &c. and then I mentioned the Fact about Wall who brought a Challenge &c. tho you did not tell from

whom and whether you should apply to have him put out of the Commission; the A. B' said he thought you ought to let the matter rest a while, and when you have done so, and get your Materials ready and that it appears not to be a sudden Heat, he did hope the Chancell' would do you Justice.

As to the Business of Sandis going about for hands I know not what to say. That was rather a Scoundrell than an illegal Thing, and probably will be thought merit and zeal rather than a Fault; I take your Part to be onely despising it; as you ought to do the Bravery of his Brother, and his manner of celebrating it; For my own Part (and I do not say it as a Divine) there is nothing I have greater contempt for than what is usually stiled Bravery, which really consists in never giving just offence, and yet by a generall Demeanour make it appear that we do not want Courage, though our Hand is not every Hour at our Hilt-I believe your courage has never been suspected; And before I knew you I had heard you were rather much too warm, and you may take what Sandis said, as a Complmt [Compliment] that his Brother's Bravery appeared by venturing to quarrell with you.

You are to know that few persons have less Credit with the present Powers than the A. B' and therefore the Redress you are to expect must be from

the justice of those who have it in their way to do you right; I mean those at the Helm or rather who have their little finger at the helm, which however is enough for your use, if they will but apply it; But in great Matters of Governm the La L' [LordLieutenant] does all, and these folks can not make a Vicar or an ensign.

I am y' &c.

My humble Service to y' Lady.

NOTES ON XIX.

J. S.

The name of the colonel with whom Knightley Chetwode quarreled I have omitted at the request of the present owner of Woodbrooke.

According to the New English Dictionary "bravery," in its first sense, was "the action of braving or acting the bravo; daring, defiance; boasting, swaggering; bravado.'

Thomas Sheridan, writing of Dublin a few years earlier than the date of Swift's letter, says, "At that time party ran very high, but raged no where with such violence as in that city, insomuch that duels were every day fought there on that score."

The Duke of Grafton, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, two years later thus wrote of Archbishop King to Sir Robert Walpole: "He is of as uncommon a mixture as most people I know. He is very indiscreet in his actions and expressions, pretty ungovern

able, and has some wild notions, which sometimes make him impracticable in business, and he is, to a ridiculous extent, national. Upon some points (of which the jurisdiction of the House of Lords is one) he loses both his temper and his reason." After adding that he had objected to the words "a happy people " in the Lord-Lieutenant's speech at the opening of Parliament, as they were in some respect put under slavery," the Duke continued: "He is very well affected to the King, and an utter enemy to the Pretender and his cause. He is charitable, hospitable, a despiser of riches, and an excellent bishop."

XX.

[Indorsed, "Swift dated at Dublin. June 10 1721 the A. Bishop's and his own opinion of the prosecution agst me."]

DUBLIN. June 10th. 1721.

SR, I received both your Letters and the Reason why I did not answer the first was because I thought I had said all I had to say upon the occasion, both as to the A. Br's opinion and my own, but if that reason had not been sufficient there was another and a Better, or rather a Worse ffor I have been this last Fortnight as miserable as a Man can possibly