his Genius: Whatever befals him, he will fill be the greatest man in the world, either in his own time, or with pofterity.

Every man you know or care for here, enquires of you, and pays you the only devoir he can, that of drinking your health. I wish you had any motive to see this kingdom. I could keep you, for I am rich, that is I have more than I want. I can afford room for yourself and two fervants; I have indeed room enough, nothing but myself at home; the kind and hearty house-wife is dead! the agreeable and inftructive neighbour is gone! yet my house is enlarged, and the gardens extend and flourish, as knowing nothing of the guests they have loft. I have more fruit-trees and kitchen

garden than you have any thought of: nay I have good Melons and Pine-apples of my. own growth. I am as much a better Gardener, as I am a worfe Poet, than when you faw me: But gardening is near a-kin to Philofophy, for Tully fays, Agricultura proxima fapientiæ. For God's fake, why fhould not you (that are a step. higher than a Philofopher, a Divine, yet have too much grace and wit than to be a Bishop) e'en give all you have to the Poor of Ireland (for whom you have already done every thing else) fo quit the place, and live and die with me? And let Tales animæ concordes be our Motto and our Epitaph.

4

LET

MY

LETTER LXXXI.

From Dr. SWIFT.

Dublin, April 22, 1736.

Y common illness is of that kind which utterly difqualifies me for all converfation; I mean my Deafnefs; and indeed it is that only which difcourageth me from all thoughts of coming to England; because I am never fure that it may not return in a week. If it were a good honeft Gout, I could catch an interval, to take a voyage, and in a warm lodging get an eafy chair, and be able to hear and roar among my friends. "As to what you fay of your Letters, fince you have many years of life more than I, my resolution is to "direct my Executors to fend you all your let"ters, well fealed and pacquetted, along with "fome legacies mentioned in my will, and leave "them entirely to your difpofal: Those things "are all tied up, endors'd and locked in a cabi"net, and I have not one fervant who can

properly be faid to write or read: No mortal "fhall copy them, but you fhall furely have "them when I am no more." I have a little repined at my being hitherto flipped by you in your Epiftles, not from any other ambition

than

ner.

than the Title of a Friend, and in that fense I expect you shall perform your promise, if your health and leifure and inclination will permit. I deny your lofing on the fide of Poetry; I could reafon against you a little from experience; you are, and will be fome years to come, at the age when Invention still keeps its ground, and Judgment is at full maturity; but your fubjects are much more difficult when confined to Verfe. I am amazed to see you exhaust the whole fcience of Morality in fo masterly a manSir W. Temple faid, that the loss of Friends was a Tax upon long life: It need not be very long, fince you have had fo great a fhare, but I have not above one left: and in this Country I have only a few general companions of good nature and middling underftandings. How fhould I know Chefelden? On your fide, men of fame ftart up and die before we here (at least I) know any thing of the matter. I am a little comforted with what you fay of Lord B's Genius ftill keeping up, and preparing to appear by effects worthy of the author, and useful to the world.-Common reports have made me very uneafy about your neighbour Mr. P. It is affirmed that he hath been very near death: I love him for being a Patriot in moft corrupted times, and highly efteem his excellent understanding. Nothing

but

but the perverse nature of my diforders, as I have above described them, and which are abfolute difqualifications for converse, could hinder me from waiting on you at Twickenham, and nurfing you to Paris. In short, my Ailments amount to a prohibition, although I am, as you describe yourself, what I must call well, yet I have not fpirits left to ride out, which (excepting walking) was my only diverfion. And I must expect to decline every month, like one who lives upon his principal fum, which must lessen every day and indeed I am likewife literally almoft in the fame cafe, while every body owes me, and no body pays me. Instead of a young race of Patriots on your fide, which gives me fome glimpse of joy, here we have the direct contrary, a race of young Dunces and Atheists, or old Villains and Monsters, whereof four-fifths are more wicked and stupid than Chartres. Your wants are fo few, that you need not be rich to fupply them; and my wants are fo many, that a King's feven millions of guineas would not fupport me.

LET

LETTER LXXXII.

Aug. 17, 1736.

Find, tho' I have less experience than you,

I me

the truth of what you told me fome time ago, that increase of years makes men more talkative but lefs writative: to that degree, that I now write no letters but of plain business, or plain how-d'ye's to thofe few I am forced to correspond with, either out of neceffity, or love: And I grow Laconic even beyond Laconicifme; for fometimes I return only Yes, or No, to queftionary or petionary Epiftles of half a yard long. You and Lord Bolingbroke are the only men to whom I write, and always in folio. You are indeed almost the only men I know, who either can write in this age, or whose writings will reach the next: Others are mere mortals. Whatever failings fuch men may have, a refpect is due to them, as Luminaries whose exaltation renders their motion a little irregular, or rather caufes it to feem fo to others. I am afraid to cenfure any thing I hear of Dean Swift, because I hear it only from mortals, blindand dull: And you fhou'd be cautious of cenfuring any action or motion of Lord B. because you hear it only from fhallow, envious, or malicious reporters. What you writ to me

about