The soldiers were sent for, and firing with ball wounded three or four. "I do not find," the Primate continues, "that there was much more in it than the popish rabble coming down to fight the Whigg mob, as they used to do on that day."

XXI.

[Indorsed, "a humorous pleast [pleasant] letter."] GALSTOWN. Septr 14th 1721.

no answer.

SR-I have been here these three months, and I either answered y' former Letter, or else it required I left the Town on a sudden, and came here in a Stage Coach meerly for want of Horses. I intend a short Journey to Athlone, and some Parts about it, and then to return to Dublin by the end of this Month, when the weather will please to grow tolerable; but it hath been so bad for these ten weeks past that I have been hindred from severall Rambles I intended. Yours of the 5 instant was sent here last Post; It was easy for you to conceive I was gone out of Town considering my state of Health, and it is not my Talent to be unkind or forgetfull, although it be my Misfortune as the World runs, to be very little Serviceable; I was in hopes that y' Affair by this time had come to some Issue, or at least, that you who are a warm

Gentleman, like others of your Temper, might have cooled by Degrees. For my own Part, I have learned to bear Every thing, and not to Sayl with the Wind in my Teeth. I think the Folke in Power, if they had any Justice, might at least give you some honorary Satisfaction: But I am a Stranger to their Justice and all their good Qualityes, having onely received Marks of their ill

ones

I had promised and intended a Visit to Will Pool, and from thence would have called at Woodbrook. But there was not a single Intervall of Weather for such an Expedition. I hope you have good Success with your Drains and other Improvements, and I think you will do well to imitate our Landlord here, who talks much of Building, but is as slow as possible in the Execution.

Mr Jervas is gone to Engl, but when I go to Town I shall Enquire how to write to him, and do what you desire; I know not a more vexatious Dispute than that about Meres and Bounds, nor more vexatitious [sic] Disputants than those Righteous I suppose upon the Strength of the Text, that the Righteous shall inherit the Land. My humble Service to Your Lady.

I am your most humble &c.,

J. S.

NOTES ON XXI.

George Rochefort's house at Galstown, where Swift was staying, is thus described by Dr. Delany

""Tis so old and so ugly, and yet so convenient,

You're sometimes in pleasure, though often in pain in't;
'Tis so large, you may lodge a few friends with ease in't,
You may turn and stretch at your length if you please in't;
"Tis so little, the family live in a press in't,
And poor Lady Betty has scarce room to dress in't ;
'Tis so cold in the winter, you can't bear to lie in't,
And so hot in the summer, you are ready to fry in't;
'Tis so brittle, 'twould scarce bear the weight of a tun,
Yet so staunch that it keeps out a great deal of sun ;
'Tis so crazy, the weather with ease beats quite through it,
And you're forced every year in some part to renew it ;
'Tis so ugly, so useful, so big, and so little,

'Tis so staunch and so crazy, so strong and so brittle,
'Tis at one time so hot, and another so cold,
It is part of the new, and part of the old;
It is just half a blessing, and just half a curse-

I wish then, dear George, it were better or worse."

Swift had come to Galstown, or Gaulstown, as early as July 5th of this year, as one of his letters to Vanessa shows. In it he says: "Cad [Cadenus] assures me he continues to esteem and love, and value you above all things, and so will do to the end of his life, but at the same time entreats that you would not make yourself or him unhappy by imaginations. The wisest men in all ages have thought it the best course to seize the minutes as