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LETTER XV.

From Dr. SWIFT.

London, May 4, 1726.

Had rather live in forty Irelands than under the frequent difquiets of hearing you are out of order. I always apprehend it most after a great dinner; for the leaft Trangreffion of yours, if it be only two bits and one fup more than your stint, is a great debauch; for which you certainly pay more than those fots who are carried dead drunk to bed. My Lord Peterborow spoiled every body's dinner, but especially mine, with telling us that you were detained by fickness. Pray let me have three lines under any hand or pot-hook that will give me a better account of your health; which concerns me more than others, because I love and esteem you for reasons that most others have little to do with, and would be the fame although you had never touched a pen further than with writing

to me.

I am gathering up my luggage, and preparing for my journey; I will endeavour to think of you as little as I can, and when I write to you, I will strive not to think of you: This I intend in return to your kindness; and further, I

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know no body has dealt with me fo cruelly as you, the confequences of which usage I fear will last as long as my life, for fo long shall I be (in fpite of my heart) entirely Yours.

LETTER XVI.

Aug. 22, 1726.

M

Any a fhort figh you coft me the day I left you, and many more you will coft me, till the day you return. I really walk'd about like a man banished, and when I came home found it no home. that of a limb lopp'd off, minute unawares to use it,

'Tis a fenfation like

one is trying every and finds it is not.

I may fay you have used me more cruelly than you have done any other man; you have made it more impoffible for me to live at ease without you: Habitude itself would have done that, if I had lefs friendship in my nature than I have,

Befides my natural memory of you, you have

made a local one, which prefents you to me in every place I frequent; I fhall never more think of Lord Cobham's, the woods of Ciceter, or the pleasing profpect of Byberry, but your Idea must be join'd with 'em; nor fee one feat in my own garden, or one room in my own house, without

without a Phantome of you, fitting or walking before me. I travell'd with you to Chester, I felt the extream heat of the weather, the inns, the roads, the confinement and clofeness of the uneafy coach, and wish'd a hundred times I had either a Deanry or a Horfe in my gift. In real truth, I have felt my foul peevish ever fince with all about me, from a warm uneafy defire after you. I am gone out of myself to no purpofe, and cannot catch you. Inhiat in pedes was not more properly apply'd to a poor dog after a hare, than to me with regard to your departure. I wish I could think no more of it, but lye down and fleep till we meet again, and let that day, (how far foever off it be) be the morrow. Since I cannot, may it be my amends

where

that every thing you with may attend you. you are, and that you may find every friend you have there, in the ftate you with him, or her fo that your vifits to us may have no other effect, than the progrefs of a rich man to a remote estate, which he finds greater than he expected; which knowledge only ferves to make him live happier where he is, with no difagreeable profpect if ever he should chufe to remove. May this be your ftate till it become what I wish. But indeed I cannot exprefs the warmth, with which I wish you all things, and and myself you. Indeed you are ingraved elfe

where than on the Cups you fent me (with fo kind an infcription) and I might throw them into the Thames without injury to the giver. I am not pleased with them, but take them very kindly too: And had I suspected any fuch ufage from I should have enjoyed your company less than I really did, for at this rate I may fay

you,

Nec tecum poffum vivere, nec fine te.

I will bring you over juft fuch another prefent, when I go to the Deanry of St. Patrick's; which I promise you to do, if ever I am enabled to return your kindnefs. Donarem Pateras, &c. 'Till then I'll drink (or Gay shall drink) daily healths to you, and I'll add to your infcription the old Roman vow for years to come, VOTIS X. VOTIS XX. My Mother's age gives me authority to hope it for yours. Adieu.

LETTER XVII.

Sept. 3, 1726.

URS to Mr. Gay gave me greater satisfaction than that to me (tho' that gave me a great deal) for to hear you were safe at your journey's end, exceeds the account of your fatigues

fatigues while in the way to it: otherwise believe me, every tittle of each is important to me, which fets any one thing before my eyes that happens to you. I writ you a long letter, which I guess'd reach'd you the day after your arrival. Since then I had a conference with Sirwho exprefs'd his defire of having feen you again before you left us. He faid he observed a willingness in you to live among us; which I did not deny; but at the fame time told him you had no fuch defign in your coming this time, which was merely to fee a few of those you loved but that indeed all those wished it, and particularly Lord Peterborow and myself, who wished you lov'd Ireland lefs, had you any reafon to love England more. I faid nothing but what I think wou'd induce any man to be as fond of you as I, plain Truth, did they know either it or you. I can't help thinking (when I confider the whole fhort Lift of our friends) that none of them except you and I are qualify'd for the Mountains of Wales. The Dr. goes to Cards, Gay to Court; one loses Money, one lofes his time: Another of our friends labours to be unambitious, but he labours in an unwilling foil. One Lady you like has too much of France to be fit for Wales: Another is too much a fubject to Princes and Potentates, to relish that wild Tafte of liberty and poverty.

Mr.