LETTER CCLXXII. THE EARL OF OXFORD TO DR SWIFT. August 6, 1717. WO years retreat has made me taste the converfation of my dearest friend, with a greater relish, than ever at the time of my being charmed with it in our frequent journies to Windfor. Three of your letters have come fafe to my hands. The first about two years fince: That my fon keeps as a family monument. The other two arrived fince the firft of July. My heart is often with you; but I delayed writing, in expectation of giving a perfect answer about my going to Brampton: But the truth is, the warmth of rejoicing in those parts, is fo far from abating, that I am perfuaded by my friends, to go into Cambridgeshire, where you are too juft not to believe you will be welcome before any one in the world. The longing your friends have to fee you, must be fubmitted to the judgment yourself makes of all circumftances. At prefent, this feems to be a cooler climate, than your ifland is like to be, when they affemble, &c. Our impatience to fee you, should not draw you into uneafinefs. We long to embrace you, if you find it may be of no inconvenience to yourself. OXFORD. LET 1 LETTER CCLXXIII. MR PRIOR TO DR SWIFT. YOUR'S Heathrop, in Oxfordshire, Aug. 24. 1717. "OUR's, my good friend, of the fixth, finds mc in Oxfordshire with the Duke of Shrewsbury, which would fooner have been acknowledged, had it ftayed in London. Before I left that pious city, I made due enquiries into the methods and regularity of your correfpondence with the Earl *. He has received your letters; he will answer them, but not to-day, ficut olim. Nothing can change him. I can get no pofitive anfwer from him, nor can any man elfe; fo trouble yourself no more on that head than he does. He is ftill in London, and poffibly has answered you; while I am a little arraigning his neglect, but in all cafes liberavi animam meam. I wish you were in England, that you might a little look over the ftrange stuff that I am to give our friends for their money. I fhall be angry, if you are near, and not with me; but when I fee you, that weighty question may easily be decided. In the mean time, I am taking your good counsel, and will be in the country as much as I can. You have found two mistakes in the lift, but have not corrected them. I prefume we shall * Of Oxford. have have it of the best edition, when you fend the lift back again; of which, I fay, no hafte is required. Give my service and thanks to all friends; re ferve only to yourself, the affurance of my being, beyond expreffion, my friend, your's, LETTER M. PRIOR. CCLXXIV. MR ADDISON TO DR SWIFT. DEAR SIR, MUU March 20, 1717-18. ULTIPLICITY of bufinefs, and a long dangerous fit of ficknefs, prevented me from anfwering the obliging letter you honoured me with fome time fince: But, God be thanked! I cannot make ufe of either of thefe excufes at prefent, being entirely free, both of my office *, and my asthma. I dare not, however, venture myself abroad yet, but have fent the contents of your last to a friend of mine †, (for he is very much fo, tho' he is my fucceffor), who I hope will turn it to the advantage of the gentleman whom you mention. I know you have fo much zeal and pleasure in doing kind offices for those you wifh * Of Secretary of State; which post Mr Addison resigned on the 14th of March 1717-18, and had a pension granted him of one thousand five hundred pounds a-year. † James Craggs, Efq; wifh well to, that I hope you reprefent the hardfhip of the cafe in the ftrongeft colours that it it can poffibly bear. However, as I always honoured you for your good nature, which is a very odd quality to celebrate in a man who has talents fo much more fhining in the eyes of the world, I fl.ould be glad if I could any way concur with you, in putting a stop to what you fay is now in agitation. I must here condole with you upon the lofs of that excellent man, the Bishop of Derry*, who has fcarce left behind him his equal, in humanity, agreeable conversation, and all kinds of learning. We have often talked of you with great pleasure; and, upon this occafion, I cannot but reflect upon myself, who, at the fame time that I omit no opportunity of expreffing my esteem for you to others, have been fo negligent in doing it to yourself. I have feveral times taken up my pen to write to you, but have been always interrupted by fome impertinence or other; and, to tell you unrefervedly, I have been unwilling to anfwer fo agreeable a letter, as that I received from you, with one written in form only; but I must ftill have continued filent, had I deferred writing till I could have made a fuitable return. Shall we never again talk together in laconic? Whenever you fee England, your company will be the most acceptable in the world at Holland-houfe, where you are highly efteemed by Lady Warwick, and Dr Narciffus Marfh. the the young Lord, though by none any where more, than by, Sir, your most faithful, and most obedient humble fervant, J. ADDISON. LETTER CCLXXV. LORD HARLEY TO DR SWIFT. HIS April 12, 1718. TIS Lordship writes to the Dean, that he hopes to fee him at Wimple this year: That Lord Oxford was well, and talked of going into Herefordshire. He adds, your fifter is obliged to go to Bath, prefents her humble fervice, and defires you to accept of a little etuy. I beg you will not deny me the favour to take the fnuff-box which comes along with it, to fupply the place of that which was broke by accident fome time ago. I am, with true refpect, your most humble fervant, and brother, HARLEY. LET |