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poetical Texts to confirm the one; and as to the other, I know it was antiently the Custom to fleep in Temples for those who would confult the Oracles, "Who dictateth to me lumbering," &c.

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You are an ill Catholick, or a worse Geographer, for, I can affure you, Ireland is not Paradife, and I appeal even to any Spanish Divine, whether Addreffes were ever made to a Friend in Hell, or Purgatory. And who are all these Enemies you hint at? I can only think of Curl, Gildon, Squire Burnet, Blackmore, and a few others whose Fame I have forgot; Tools in my Opinion are as neceffary for a good Writer, .as Pen, Ink and Paper. And befides, I would fain know whether every Draper doth not shew you three or four damned Pieces of Stuff to fet off his good one? However, I will grant, that one thorough Bookfelling Rogue is better qualified to vex an Author than all his contemporary Scriblers in Critick or Satire, not only by ftolen Copies of what was incorrect or unfit for the Publick, but by downright laying other Men's Dulness at your Door. I had a long Defign upon the Ears of that Curl, when I was in Credit, but the Rogue would never allow me a fair Stroke at them, although my Penknife was ready and sharp. I can hardly believe the Relation of his being poifoned, although the Hiftorian pretendeth to have been an Eyewitness. But I beg Pardon, Sack might do it, although Rats-bane would not: I never faw

the

the Thing you mention as falfely imputed to you; but I think the Frolicks of merry Hours, even when we are guilty, fhould not be left to the Mercy of our beft Friends, until Curl and his Refemblers are hanged.

With Submiffion to the better Judgment of you and your Friends, I take your Project of an Employment under Langallerie to be idle and unneceffary: Have a little Patience and you will find more Merit and Encouragement at home by the fame Methods. You are ungrateful to your Country; quit but your own Religion, and ridicule ours, and that will allow you a free Choice for any other, or for none at all, and pay you well into the Bargain. Therefore pray do not run and disgrace us among the Turks, by telling them you were forced to leave your native Home, because we would oblige you to be a Christian; whereas we will make it appear to all the World, that we only compelled you to be a Whig.

There is a young ingenious Quaker in this Town, who writeth Verses to his Mistress, not very correct, but in a Strain purely what a poetical Quaker fhould do, commending her Look and Habit, &c. It gave me a Hint that a Set of Quaker-paftorals might succeed, if our Friend Gay could fancy it, and I think it a fruitful Subject; pray hear what he faith. I believe further, the perfonal Ridicule is not exhausted; and that a Porter, Footman, or Chairman's Paftoral might do well, Or what think you

* George Rooke, a Linen Draper.

of

of a Newgate-Pastoral, among the Whores and Thieves there?

Laftly, to conclude, I love you never the worfe for feldom writing to you. I am in an obfcure Scene, where you know neither Thing nor Perfon. I can only answer yours, which I promise to do after a Sort whenever you think fit to employ me. But I can afsure But I can affure you, the Scene and the Times have depreffed me wonderfully, for I will impute no Defect to those two paltry Years which have flipt by fince I had the Happiness to see you. I am with the trueft Esteem,

Yours, &c.

A

LETTER V.

From Dr. SWIFT to Mr. POPE.

Dublin, Jan. 10, 1721.

Thoufand Things have vexed me of late Years, upon which I am determined to . lay open my Mind to you. I rather chufe to appeal to you than to my Lord Chief Justice * Whitshed, under the Situation I am in. For, I take this Caufe properly to lie before you: You are a much fitter Judge of what concerns the Credit of a Writer, the Injuries that are done him, and the Reparations he ought to receive. Besides, I doubt, whether the Argu

1

ments

* A Judge of the King's-Bench in Ireland,

ments I could fuggest to prove my own Innocence, would be of much Weight from the Gentlemen of the Long-robe to thofe in Furs, upon whose Decifion about the Difference of Style or Sentiments, I should be very unwilling to leave the Merits of my Cause.

Give me Leave then to put you in Mind, (although you cannot eafily forget it) that about ten Weeks before the Queen's Death, I left the Town, upon occafion of that incurable Breach among the great Men at Court, and went down to Berkshire, where you may remember that you gave me the Favour of a Vifit. While I was in that Retirement, I writ a * Difcourfe which I thought might be useful in such a Juncture of Affairs, and fent it up to London but ;. upon fome Difference in Opinion between me and a certain great § Minifter now abroad, the publishing of it was deferred so long that the Queen died, and I recalled my Copy, which hath been ever fince in fafe Hands. In a few Weeks after the Lofs of that excellent Princefs, I came to my Station here; where I have continued ever fince in the greatest Privacy, and utter Ignorance of thofe Events which are most commonly talked of in the World; I neither know the Names nor Number of the Family which now reigneth,

* See the laft Piece in this Volume, intitled, Some free Thoughts upon the present State of Affairs.

§ Henry St. John, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, then Secretary of State.

reigneth, farther than the Prayer-book informeth me. I cannot tell who is Chancellor, who are Secretaries, nor with what Nations we are in Peace or War. And this manner of Life was not taken up out of any Sort of Affectation, but meerly to avoid giving Offence, and for fear of provoking Party-zeal.

I had indeed written fome Memorials of the four last Years of the Queen's Reign; with some other Informations, which I received, as neceffary Materials to qualify me for doing something in an Employment then defigned me: * But, as it was at the Difpofal of a § Perfon, who had not the smallest Share of Steadiness or Sincerity, I disdained to accept it.

These Papers, at my few Hours of Health and Leifure, I have been digesting into Order, by one Sheet at a Time, for I dare not venture any further, left the Humour of searching and feizing Papers should revive; not that I am in Pain of any Danger to myself, (for they contain nothing of prefent Times or Perfons, upon which I shall never lofe a Thought while there is a Cat or a Spaniel in the House) but to preferve them from being loft among Meffengers and Clerks.

I have written in this Kingdom, at Discourse to perfuade the wretched People to wear their

* Hiftoriographer.

own

§ D. of K-t.

A Propofal for the univerfal Ufe of Irish Manufactures. Vide Vol. IV. of the Author's

Works.

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