LETTER LV,

Mr. GAY to Dr. SWIFT.

December 1, 1731.

you.

OU us'd to complain that Mr. Pope and I would not let you speak: you may now be even with me, and take it out in writing. If you don't fend to me now and then, the poft-office will think me of no confequence, for I have no correspondent but You may keep as far from us as you please, you cannot be forgotten by thofe who ever knew you, and therefore please me by fometimes fhewing that I am not forgot by you. I have nothing to take me off from my friendship to you; I feek no new acquaintance, and court no favour; I spend no fhillings in coaches or chairs to levees or great vifits, and as I don't want the affiftance of fome that I formerly convers'd with, I will not fo much as feem to feek to be a dependant. As to my ftudies, I have not been entirely idle, though I cannot say that I have yet perfected any thing. What I have done is fomething in the way of thofe Fables, I have already published. All the money I get is by faving, fo that by habit there may be fome hopes (if I grow richer) of my becoming a

mifer.

your

mifer. All mifers have their excufes ; the motive to my parfimony is Independance. If I were to be reprefented by the Dutchefs (fhe is fuch a downright niggard for me) this character might not be allowed me; but I really think I am covetous enough for any who lives at the court-end of the town, and who is as poor as myfelf: For I don't pretend that I am equally faving with S-lk-k, Mr. Lewis defir'd you might be told that he hath five pounds of yours in his hands, which he fancies you may have forgot, for he will hardly allow that a Verfeman can have a juft knowledge of his own affairs. When you got rid of law-fuit, I was in hopes you had got your own, and was free from every vexation of the law; but Mr. Pope tells me you are not entirely out of your perplexity, though you have the fecurity now in your own poffeffion; but ftill your cafe is not fo bad as Captain Gulliver's, who was ruin'd by having a decree for him with cofts. I have had an injunction for me against pyrating-bookfellers, which I am fure to get nothing by, and will, I fear, in the end drain me of fome money. When I begun this profecution I fancy'd there would be fome end of it, but the law ftill goes on, and it is probable I fhall fome time or other fee an Attorney's bill as long as the Book. Poor Duke Difney is dead, and hath left what he had among his friends, among whom are Bolingbroke, five hundred pounds; Sir William Wyndham's

youngest

youngest fon, five hundred pounds; General Hill, five hundred pounds; and Lord Maffam's fon, five hundred pounds.

You have the good wishes of those I converse with, they know they gratify me when they remember you; but I really think they do it purely for your own fake. I am fatisfied with the love and friendship of good men, and envy not the demerits of those who are more confpicuously diftinguifh'd. Therefore as I fet a juft value upon your friendship, you cannot please me more than letting me now and then know that you remember me (the only fatiffaction of diftant friends!)

P. S. Mr. Gay's is a good letter, mine will be a very dull one; and yet what you will think the worst of it is what should be its excufe, that I write in a head-ach that has lafted three days. I am never ill but I think of your ailments, and repine that they mutually hinder our being together: Though in one point I am apt to differ from you, for you fhun your friends when you are in thofe circumftances, and I defire them; your way is the more generous, mine the more tender. Lady took your

letter very kindly, for I had prepared her to expect no answer under a twelvemonth; but kindness perhaps is a word not applicable to courtiers: however she is an extraordinary woman there, who will do you common juftice. For God's fake why all this fcruple about Lord

B-'s

1

park,

B's keeping your horfes, who has a or about my keeping you on a pint of wine a day? We are infinitely richer than you imagine; John Gay fhall help me to entertain you, tho' you come like King Lear with fifty KnightsTho' fuch profpects as I wish cannot now be formed for fixing you with us, time may provide better before you part again: The old Lord may die, the benefice may drop, or at worst you may carry me into Ireland. You will fee a work of Lord B-ke's and one of mine; which with a juft neglect of the prefent age, confult only pofterity; and with a noble fcorn of Politicks, afpire to Philofophy. I am glad you refolve to meddle no more with the low concerns and intereft of Parties, even of Countries, (for Countries are but larger parties) * Quid verum atque decens, curare, & rogare, noftrum fit. I am much pleased with your defign upon Rochefoucault's maxim, pray finish it I am happy whenever you joyn our names together; fo would Dr. Arbuthnot be, but at this time he can be pleas'd with nothing; for his darling fon is dying in all probability, by the melancholy account I received this morning.

The paper you ask me about is of little value. It might have been a seasonable fatire upon

the

fcanda

* We are to spend our Time in the Search and Enquiry after Truth and Decency.

VOL. VII.

fcandalous language and paffion with which men of condition have ftooped to treat one another furely they facrifice too much to the people when they facrifice their own characters, families, &c. to the diverfion of that rabble of readers. I agree with you in my contempt of most popularity, fame, &c. even as a writer I am cool in it, and whenever you see what I am now writing, you'll be convinced I would please but a few, and (if I could) make mankind less Admirers and greater Reafoners. I ftudy much more to render my own portion of Being easy, and to keep this peevish frame of the human body in good humour. Infirmities have not quite unman'd me, and it will delight you to hear they are not increased, tho' not diminished. I thank God I do not

very much want people to attend me, tho' my

Mother now cannot. When I am fick I lie down, when I am better I rife up; I am used to the head-ach &c. If greater pains arrive (fuch as my late rheumatism) the fervants bathe and plaifter me, or the furgeon scarifies me, and I bear it, because I muft. This is the evil of Nature, not of Fortune. I am just now as well as when you was here: I pray God you were no worse. I fincerely with my life were past near you, and fuch as it is I would not repine at it.-All you mention remember you, and wish you here.

LETTER