by the villainy of agents, and the miseries of this kingdom, where there is no money to be had: nor am I unconcerned to fee all things tending towards abfolute power, in both nations a (it is here in perfection already) although I shall not live to fee it established. This condition of things, both public and perfonal to myself, hath given me fuch a kind of despondency, that I am almost unqualified for any company, diverfion, or amusement. The death of Mr. Gay and the Doctor, hath been terrible wounds near my heart. Their living would have been a great comfort to me, although I should never have seen them; like a fum of money in a bank, from which I fhould receive at least annual intereft, as I do from you, and have done from my Lord Bolingbroke. To fhew in how much ignorance I live, it is hardly a fortnight fince I heard of the death of my Lady Mafham, my conftant friend in all changes of times. God forbid that I fhould expect you to make a voyage that would in the least affect your health: but in the mean time how unhappy am I, that my best friend should have perhaps the only kind of diforder for which a feavoyage is not in fome degree a remedy? The

The Dean was frequently troubled, as he tells

us, with a giddinefs in his head.

old Duke of Ormond faid, he would not change his dead fon (Offory) for the best living fon in Europe. Neither would I change you my abfent friend for the best present friend round the Globe.

I have lately read a book imputed to Lord B. called a Differtation upon Parties. I think it very masterly written.

Pray God reward for you your kind prayers: I believe your prayers will do me more good than those of all the Prelates in both kingdoms, or any Prelates in Europe except the bishop of Marseilles b. And God preferve you for contributing more to mend the world, than the whole pack of (modern) Parsons in a lump.

I am ever entirely yours.

T

LETTER LXXV.

From Dr. SWIFT.

Sept. 3, 1735.

HIS letter will be delivered to you by Faulkner the Printer, who goes over on his private affairs. This is an answer to yours

b Who continued there a dreadful peftilence defowith his flock all the time lated that city.

of

of two months ago, which complains of that profligate fellow Curl. I heartily wish you were what they call difaffected, as I am. I may say as David did, I have finned greatly, but what have these fheep done? You have given no offence to the Ministry, nor to the Lords, nor Commons, nor Queen, nor the next in Power. For you are a man of virtue, and therefore must abhor vice and all corruption, although your difcretion holds the reins. "You need not fear any confequence in the "commerce that hath fo long paffed between

us; although I never destroyed one of your "letters. But my Executors are men of ho"nour and virtue, who have ftrict orders in <c my will to burn every letter left behind me." Neither did our letters contain any Turns of Wit, or Fancy, or Politics, or Satire, but mere innocent Friendship: yet I am loth that any letters, from you and a very few other friends, fhould dye before me; I believe we neither of us ever leaned our head upon our left hand to study what we should write next; yet we have held a conftant intercourse from your youth and my middle and from age, must be continued till my death, which my bad state of health makes me expect every month. I have the ambition, and it is very earneft as well as in hafte, to have one Epiftle inscribed to

your

middle

age

it

me

me while I am alive, and you just in the time when wit and wisdom are in the height. I muft once more repeat Cicero's defire to a friend; Orna me. A month ago were fent me over by a friend of mine, the works of John Hughes, Efq. They are in verse and prose. I never heard of the man in my life, yet I find your name as a subscriber too. He is too grave a Poet for me, and, I think, among the mediocribus in profe as well as verfe. I have the honour to know Dr. Rundle; he is indeed worth all the rest you ever sent us, but that is faying nothing, for he answers your character; I have dined thrice in his company. He brought over a worthy clergyman of this kingdom as his chaplain, which was a very wife and popular action. His only fault is, that he drinks no wine, and I drink nothing else.

This kingdom is now abfolutely ftarving, by the means of every oppreffion that can be inflicted on mankind-Shall I not vifit for these things? faith the Lord. You advise me right, not to trouble myself about the world: But, oppreffion tortures me, and I cannot live without meat and drink, nor get either without money; and money is not to be had, except they will make me a Bishop, or a Judge, or a Colonel, or a Commiffioner of the Revenues.

LET

10

LETTER LXXVI.

O anfwer your queftion as to Mr. Hughes,

T what he wanted as to genius he made

up as an honest man: but he was of the class you think him.

I am glad you think of Dr. Rundle as I do. He will be an honour to the Bishops, and a difgrace to one Bishop, two things you will like: But what you will like more particularly, he will be a friend and benefactor even to your un-friended, un-benefited Nation; he will be a friend to human race, wherever he goes. Pray tell him my best wishes for his health and long life: I wish you and he came over together, or that I were with you. I never faw a man fo feldom whom I liked fo much as Dr. Rundle.

Lord Peterborow I went to take a laft leave of, at his fetting fail for Lisbon: No Body can be more wafted, no Soul can be more alive. Immediately after the feverest operation of being cut into the bladder for a fuppreffion of urine, he took coach, and got from Bristol to Southampton. This is a man that will neither live nor die like any other mortal.

Poor Lord Peterborow! there is another ftring loft, that would have help'd to draw

you