through all the progrefs of power and place. I expected the like in your Lordship; and ftill hope, that I fhall be the only perfon who will ever find it otherwife. I pray God to direct your Excellency, in all your good undertakings, and especially in your government of this kingdom. I shall trouble you no more; but remain, with great refpect, MY LORD, Your Excellency's Moft humble fervant. SIR, T O begin by confeffing myself in the wrong, will, I hope, be fome proof to you, that none of the stations, which I have gone through, have hitherto had the effects upon me, which you apprehend. If a month's filence has been turned to my difadvantage in your esteem, it has at least had this good effect, that I am convinced, by the kindnefs of your reproaches, as Lord C was then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In letter CCCXX. to which this is an anfwer, the Dean com. plained, that a former letter had been a month unanswered. as well as by the goodness of your advice, that you ftill retain fome part of your former friendfhip for me, of which I am the more confident, from the agreeable freedom with which you exprefs yourself: And I fhall not forfeit my pretenfions to the continuance of it, by doing any thing that fhall give you occafion to think that I am infenfible of it. But to come to the point: Your first letter is dated 28th May, your fecond the 9th of June. By the date of this you will fee, that the interval of filence may be accounted for by a few excurfions which I have made into the country : Therefore, I defire you will put the most favourable fenfe. The principal affair you mention, is under examination *; and, till that is over, I am not informed fufficiently to make any other judgment of the matter, than that which I am naturally led to make, by the general averfion which appears to it in the whole nation. I hope the nation will not fuffer, by my being in this great ftation; and if I can contribute to its profperity, I fhall think it the honour and happiness of my life. I defire you to believe what I fay, and particularly when I profefs myfelf to be, with great truth, Sir, your most faithful and affectionate humble fervant, C. LET * Probably that of Mr Wood's patent for coining half-pence and farthings for Ireland, which was referred to the Lords of the Privy Council of England, who, on the 24th of July, 1724, drew up a report, justifying the patentee. LETTER CCCXXII. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE LORD CARTERET LORD-LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND. I MY LORD, July 9, 1724. HUMBLY claim the privilege of an inferior, to be the last writer; yet with great acknowledgments for your condefcenfion in answering my letters. I cannot but complain of you, for putting me in the wrong. I am in the circumstances of a waiting-woman, who told her lady, that nothing vexed her more, than to be caught in a lie. But, what is worse, I have difcovered in myself somewhat of the bully; and that, after all my rattling, you have brought me down to be as humble as the most distant attender at your levee. It is well your Excellency's talents are in few hands; for, if it were otherwife, we, who pretend to be free-fpeakers, in quality of philofophers, fhould be utterly cured of our forwardness; at least, I am afraid there will be an end of mine, with regard to your Excellency. Yet, my Lord, I am ten years older than I was when I had the honour to fee you laft, and confequently ten times more tefty. Therefore I foretell, that you, who could fo cafily conquer fo captious a perfon, and of fo little confequence, will quickly fubdue this whole kingdom to love and reverence you. I am, with the greatest respect, LETTER CCCXXIII. TO EDWARD EARL OF OXFORD. On his Father's Death. MY LORD, July 1724. A LTHOUGH I had, for two years paft, inured myself to expect the death of my Lord your father, from the frequent accounts of the bad condition of his health; yet the news of it ftruck me fo fenfibly, that I had not spirit enough to condole with your Lordship, as I ought to have done, for fo great a lofs to the world and yourfelf. It is true, indeed, you no longer wanted his care and tenderness, nor his example, to incite you to virtue; but his friendship and converfation you will ever want, becaufe they are qualities fo rare in the world, and in which he fo much excelled all others. It hath pleafed me, in the midst of my grief, to hear that he preferved the greatnefs, and calmnefs, and intrepidity of his mind, to his last minutes : For it was fit that fuch a life fhould terminate with equal luftre to the whole progrefs of it. I must now beg leave to apply to your Lordfhip's juftice. He was often pleafed to promife me his picture; but his troubles, and fickness, and want of opportunity, and my abfence, prevented VOL. XV. G g vented him. I do therefore humbly infift, that your Lordship will pleafe to difcharge what I almoft look upon as a legacy. I would entreat another and much greater favour of your Lordship, that, at your leifure hours, you would please to infpect, among your father's papers, whether there be any memorials that may be of ufe towards writing his life; which I have fometimes mentioned to him, and often thought on, when I little thought to furvive him. I have formerly gathered several hints, but want many memorials, especially of his more early times, which might be easily supplied. And fuch a work moft properly belongs to me, who loved and refpected him above all men, and had the honour to know him better than any other of my level did. I humbly beg your Lordship's pardon, for fo long a letter, upon fo mournful an occafion; and expect your juftice to believe, that I am, and fhall ever be, with the greatest respect, |