ful monitor, one that would vindicate me behind my back, and tell me my faults to my face. God knows, I write this with tears in my eyes. Yet do not be obftinate, but come up for a little time to London; and if you must needs go, we may concert a manner of correspondence wherever we are. I have a letter from Gay, juft before the Queen's death. Is he not a true poet, who had not one of his own books to give to the Princefs, that asked for one?

LETTER

CCXL.

DR SWIFT TO MISS VANHOMRIGH.

August 12, 1714.

HAD your letter laft poft; and before you

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can send me another, I fhall fet out for Ireland. I must go and take the oaths, and the fooner the better. If you are in Ireland when I am there, I fhall fee you very seldom. It is not a place for any freedom; but where every thing is known in a week, and magnified a hundred degrees. Thefe are rigorous laws, that muft be paffed through: But it is probable, we may meet in London next winter; or, if not, leave all to fate, that feldom cares to humour our inclinations. I fay all this out of the perfect efteem and friendship I have for you. Thefe public misfortunes have altered all my meafures,

and

and broke my spirits. God Almighty bless you. I fhall, I hope, be on horfeback in a day after this comes to your hand. I would not answer your questions for a million, nor can I think of them with eafe of mind.

any

Adieu.

I

LETTER

CCXLI.

CHARLES FORD, ESQ; TO DR SWIFT.

Auguft the 14th, 1714.

SUPPOSE you expect news upon Craggs's return from Hanover; but I don't hear a word more than what you have in the Lords Juftices fpeech. Yefterday morning, after he came, the Whigs looked dejected, and our friends very much pleased; tho' I do not know .any reafon for either, unless it was expected by both fides, that he would have brought orders for alterations. It feems the Dragon's entertainment was on a family account, upon the agreement between Lord Harley and Lord Pelham; and only thofe, who were concerned in their affairs, were invited. But flighter grounds would have ferved to raise a story at this time; and it was fufficient, that my Lord Townshend and Lord Cowper dined at his houfe. However, we look

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* On the back of this letter is the following note to the Dean: "Memorandum, I left Letcombe, August 19, 1714, in order "to go to Ireland."

look upon him as loft to our fide; and he has certainly made advances of civility to the Whigs, which they have returned with the utmost contempt. I am told Difmal + begins to declare for his old friends, and protefts he was really afraid for the Proteftant fucceffion, which made him act in the manner he did. The foreign Peers are certainly deprived of their right of voting, by the exprefs words of the Act of Succeffion; and it appears it was the intention of the Legislature at that time, for Prince George of Denmark was excepted by name; but it is thought the Lords will interpret it otherwife, when he comes to be tried. They don't lofe the other privileges of peerage; and their pofterity born here, may fit in the House. The fame clause extends to the House of Commons; and no foreigner can enjoy any employment, civil or military. They may be favourable to the Lords, who are all Whigs; but I doubt poor Duke Difney will lose his regiment. I fuppofe Barber has given you an account of Lord B- 's pamphlet. If you and he are not come to an eclairciffement upon it, fhall I send to him for it? I long for the other. Yefterday the Commons voted, nemine con. to pay the Hanover troops, that deferted us in 1712. To-day Sir William Wyndham, Campion, and two or three more, gave some oppofition to it; for which they are extremely blamed. I think they had acted right, if they had spoke against

The Earl of Nottingham.

against it yesterday; but it feems they were not then in the house. They had not strength enough to-day to come to a divifion.

Once more, I wish you a good journey, and a quick return; and I hope you will find things go better than you expect.

LETTER CCXLII.

MR GAY TO DR ARBUTHNOTT, OR THE DEAN OF ST PATRICK'S.

Hanover, August the 16th, 1714.

OU remember, I fuppofe, that I was to

You

write you abundance of letters from Hanover; but as one of the moft diftinguishing qualities of a politician is fecrecy, you must not expect from me any arcanas of ftate. There is another thing that is neceffary to establish the character of a politician; which is, to feem always to be full of affairs of ftate; to know the confultations of the Cabinet Council, when at the fame time all his politics are collected from newspapers. Which of thefe two caufes my fecrecy is owing to, I leave you to determine. There is yet one thing more, that is extremely neceffary for a foreign minifter, which he can no more be without, than an artizan without his terms; mean, the terms of his art. I call it an art or fcience, because I think the King of France hath established

I

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established an academy to inftruct the young Machiavillians of his country in the deep and profound fcience of politics. To the end that I might be qualified for an employment of this nature, and not only be qualified myself, but (to speak in the stile of Sir John Falstaff) be the caufe of qualifications in others, I have made it my business to read memoirs, treaties, &c. and as a dictionary of law terms is thought neceffary for young beginners, fo I thought a dictionary of terms of ftate would be no lefs useful for young politicians. The terms of politics being hot fo numerous, as to fwell into a volume, efpecially in time of peace, (for in time of war all the terms of fortification are included), I thought fit to extract them in the fame manner, for the benefit of young practitioners, as a famous author hath compiled his learned treatife of the law, called the Doctor and Student. I have not made any great progrefs in this piece; but, however, I will juft give you a fpecimen of it, which will make you in the fame manner a judge of the defign and nature of this treatife.

Politician. What are the neceffary tools for a Prince to work with?

Student. Minifters of State.

Politician. What are the two great qualities of

a Minifter of State?

Student. Secrecy and dispatch.

Politician. Into how many parts are the Mini

fters of State divided?

Student.