Enemies and your Friends: And, I will fwear you have fifty times more Charity for Mankind than I could ever pretend to. Whether the production you mention came from the Lady or the Lord, I did not imagine that they were at least so bad verfifyers. Therefore, * facit indignatia verfus, is only to be applied when the indignation is against general Villainy, and never operateth when fome fort of people write to defend themselves. I love to hear them reproach you for dulnefs, only I would be fatisfied fince you are fo dull, why are they fo angry? give me a fhilling, and I will enfure you, that pofterity shall never know you had one single enemy, excepting those whofe memory you have preferved.

I am forry for the fituation of Mr. Gay's papers. You do not exert your felf as much as I could wish in this affair. I had rather the two fifters were hanged than fee his works fwelled by any lofs of credit to his memory. I would be glad to see the most valuable printed by themselves, thofe which ought not to be feen burned immediately, and the others that have gone abroad, printed feparately like opufcula, or rather be ftifled and forgotten. I thought your Epitaph was immediately to be engraved, and therefore I made lefs fcruple to give a copy to Lord Orrery, who earnestly defired it, but to no body elfe; and he telleth me,

* Indignation produceth Verses.

he

I

he gave only, two which he will recal. have a fhort Epigram of his upon it, wherein I would correct a line, or two at moft, and then I will fend it you (with his permiffion.) I have nothing against yours, but the last line, Striking their aching, the two participles, as they are fo near, feem to found too like. I fhall write to the Duchess, who hath lately honoured me with a very friendly letter, and I will tell her my opinion freely about our friend's papers. I want health, and my affairs are enlarged: but I will break through the latter, if the other mendeth. I can use a courfe of medicines, lame and giddy. My chief defign next to seeing you, is to be a fevere Critick on you and your neighbour; but firft kill his father, that he may be able to maintain me in my own way of living, and particularly my horfes. It coft me near 600l. for a wall to keep mine, and I never ride without two fervants for fear of accidents; *bic vivimus ambitiofa paupertate. my acquaintance, but he With you I will find gråfs, vants, but with him not. you speak of is this.

You are both too poor for

much the poorer. and wine, and fer

The Collection

A Printer came to me

to defire he might print my works (as he called them) in four volumes by fubfcription. I faid I would give no leave, and thould be forry to fee them printed here. He faid they could

*Here we live in ambitious Poverty.

U 2

not

Í answered, they

not be printed in London. could, if the Partners agreed. He faid, "he "would be glad of my permiffion, but as he "could print them without it, and was advised "that it could do me no harm, and having been "affured of numerous fubfcriptions, he hoped "I would not be angry at his pursuing his own intereft," &c. Much of this difcourfe paffed, and he goeth on with the matter, wherein Ï determine not to intermeddle, although it be much discontent to me; and I wish it could be done in England, rather than here, although I am grown pretty indifferent on every thing of that kind. This is the truth of the story.

My Vanity turneth at prefent on being perfonated in your Quæ Virtus, &c. You will obferve in this letter many marks of an ill head and a low fpirit; but an Heart wholly turned to love you with the greatest earnestness and truth.

Oct. 21, 1735

Answered your letter relating to Curl, &c. I believe my letters have efcaped being published, because I writ nothing but Nature and Friendship, and particular incidents. which could make no figure in writing. I have obferved that not only Voiture, but likewise Tully and Pliny writ their letters for the publick

view

view, more than for the fake of their correfpondents; and I am glad of it, on account of the Entertainment they have given me. Balfac did the fame thing, but with more stiffness, and confequently lefs diverting: Now I muft tell you that you are to look upon me as one going very faft out of the world; but my flesh and bones are to be carried to Holy-head, for I will not lie in a Country of flaves. It pleaseth me to find that you begin to diflike things in fpight of your philofophy; your Mufe cannot forbear her hints to that purpose. I cannot travel to fee you; otherwife I folemnly proteft I would do it. I have an intention to pass this winter in the country with a friend forty miles off, and to ride only ten miles a day, yet

is

my health fo uncertain that I fear it will not be in my power. I often ride a dozen miles, but I come home to my own bed at night: My best way would be to marry, for in that cafe any bed would be better than my own. I found you a very young man, and I left you a middle aged one; you knew me a middle aged man, and now I am an old one. Where is my Lord- -? methinks I am enquiring after a Tulip of last year.

"You need not apprehend any Curl's meddling with your "letters to me; I will not deftroy them, but "have ordered my Executors to do that Office." I have a thousand things more to fay, longa

*Old Age is talkative.

U

3

vitas

vitas eft garrula, but I must remember I have other letters to write if I have time, which I spend to tell you fo; I am ever, dearest Sir, Yours, &c.

my

LETTER LXXXVI.

Dr. SWIFT to Mr. POPE.

Dublin, July 23, 1737. Sent a letter to you fome weeks ago, which Lord Orrery inclosed in one of his, to which I received as yet no anfwer, but it will be time enough when his Lordship goeth over, which will be as he hopeth in about ten days, and then he will take with him "all the letters I preferved of yours, which are not "above twenty-five. I find there is a great

chefm of fome years, but the dates are more "eatly than my two laft journeys to England, "which maketh me imagine, that in one of "thofe journeys I carried over another Cargo." But I cannot truft my memory half an hour and my diforders of deafnefs and giddinefs increafe daily. So that I am declining as faft as it is easily poffible for me, if I were a dozen years older.

We have had your volume of Letters, which I am told are to be printed here: Some of those who highly efteem you, and a few who