(which, by the way, is a little difqualifying for that employment): He was fo bad, that he was often forced to catch hold of any thing to keep him from falling. I know he has recovered, by the use of that water, to fo great a degree, that he can ride, walk, or do any thing as formerly. I leave this to your confideration. Your friends here wish to see you, and none more than myself; but I really don't advise you to such a journey, to gratify them, or myself; but I am almost confident, it would do you a great deal of good. The Dragon is juft the old man, when he is roufed. He is a little deaf, but has all his other good and bad qualities juft as of old. Lord B is mnch improved in knowledge, manner, and every thing clfe. The fhaver is an honest friendly man, as before: He has a good deal to do to fmother his Welsh fire, which, you know, he has in a greater degree than fome would imagine. He pofts himself a good part of the year in fome warm houfe, wins the Ladies' money at ombre, and convinces them that they are highly obliged to him. Lord and Lady M†, Mr Hill, and Mrs Hill, often remember you with affection.

As for your humble fervant, with a great stone in his right kidney, and a family of men and women to provide for, he is as chearful as ever in public affairs. He has kept, as Tacitus fays, Medium

I

* Erafmus Lewis, Efq; who, in Dr Swift's imitation of Horace, Ep. vii. B, 1. is fo called:

"This Lewis is an errant fhaver."

Masham.

Medium iter inter vile fervitium et abruptam contumaciam. He never rails at a great man, but to his face; which, I can affure you, he has had both the opportunity and licence to do. He has fome few weak friends, and fewer enemies: If any, he is low enough to be rather defpifed, than pushed at by them. I am, faithfully, dear Sir, your affectionate humble fervant,

J. ARBUTHNOTT.

LETTER

CCCXVII.

THE DUCHESS OF ORMOND TO DR SWIFT.

I

SIR,

December 9, 1723.

FIND by your's of the 6th November, which I did not receive till last night, that you have been fo good as to remember your poor relation here. But as your three laft never came to hand, I think it very happy, that you have kept your liberty thus long; for I can't account for my not receiving them any other way, than that they were ftopped in the poft-office, and interpreted, as most innocent things are, to mean fomething very diftant from the intention of the

writer or actor.

I am furprifed at the account you give me of that part of Ireland you have been in: For the best I expect from that grateful country, is to be forgotten by the inhabitants. For to remember VOL. XV. F f

with

with any kindnefs, one under the frowns of the Court, is not a gift the Irish are endowed with. I am very forry to hear you have got the spleen, where a man of your fenfe muft every day meet with things ridiculous enough to make you laugh, but I am afraid the jests are too low to do fo. Change of air is the best thing in the world for your diftemper. And if not to cure yourself, at leaft, have fo much goodness for your friends here, as to come and cure us; for it is a diftemper we are over-run with. I am fure your company would go a great way towards my recovery; for I affure you, nobody has a greater value for you than I have, and hope I fhall have the good fortune to fee you before I die.

I have no fort of correfpondence with the perfon you have not feen, and wonder at nothing they do, or do not do.

I will let your brother * and mine know, that you remembered him, in my letter. He is as good a man as lives.

I am afraid you will wish you had not encouraged my fcribbling to you, when you find I am ftill fuch an infipid correfpondent; but with that which I hope will make fome amends, am, with great fincerity and refpect, your most faithful friend, and humble fervant, M. ORMOND.

LET.

* In the fociety of fixteen, Charles Lord Butler of Weston, and Earl of Arran, brother to the Duke of Ormond, on whose attainder he was elected Chancellor the University of Oxford.

LETTER CCCXVIII.

LORD BOLINGBROKE TO DR SWIFT.

NEV

December 25, 1723. *

EVER letter came more opportunely, than your laft. The gout had made me a second vifit, and feveral perfons were congratulating with me on the good effect of the waters, which had determined my former illness, to a diftemper fo defirable. My toe pained me; these compliments tired me; and I would have taken my fever again, to give the gout to all the company. At that inftant, your letter was delivered to me. It cleared my brow, diverted my ill humour, and at laft made me forget my pain. I told the perfons, who were fitting round my bed, and who teftified fome furprife at fo fudden a change, that this powerful epiftle came from Ireland. At which, to fay the truth, I did not obferve that their furprife diminished. But the dulleft fellow among them, who was a priest, (for that happens to be the cafe fometimes in this country) told the others, that Ireland formerly had been called Infula fanctorum: That by the acquaintance he had at the Irish college, he made

* This letter appears to have been written from France, tho' Lord Bolingbroke had come over to England in the latter end of June this year, in order to plead his pardon, which had paffed the feals on the 28th of May.

no doubt of her deferving ftill the fame appellation: And that they might be fure, that the three pages were filled with matiere d' edification, et matiere de confolation, which he hoped I would be fo good as to communicate to them. A learned Rofycrucian of my acquaintance, who is a fool, of as much knowledge, and as much wit, as ever I knew in my life, smiled at the Doctor's fimplicity; obferved, that the effect was too fudden for a caufe fo heavy in its operations; faid a great many extravagant things about natural and theurgic magic; and informed us, that though the fages, who deal in occult fciences, have been laughed out of fome countries, and driven out of others, yet there are, to his knowledge, many of them in Ireland. I ftopped thefe gueffers, and others who were perhaps ready, by affuring them, that my correfpondent was neither a faint, nor a conjurer. They asked me, what he was then? I anfwered, that they fhould know it from yourfelf; and, opening your letter, I read to them, in French, the character which you draw of yourfelf. Particular parts of it were approved or condemned by every one, as every one's own habits induced them to judge; but they all agreed, that my correspondent ftood in need of more fleep, more victuals, lefs ale, and better company. I defended you the best I could; and, bad as the cause was, I found means to have the laft word, which, in difputes, you know, is the capital point. The truth is, however, that I convinced

nobody,