which is the fociety of a valuable Lady. I conclude (tho' I know nothing of it) that you quarrel with her, and abuse her every day, if she is fo. I wonder I hear of no Lampoons upon her, either made by yourself, or by others, because you esteem her. I think it a vaft pleafure that whenever two people of merit regard one another, fo many fcoundrels envy and are angry at them; 'tis bearing teftimony to a merit they cannot reach; and if you knew the infinite content I have receiv'd of late, at the finding yours and my name conftantly united in any filly scandal, I think you would go near to fing Io Triumphe! and celebrate my happiness in verfe; and, I believe, if you won't, I fhall. The inscription to the Dunciad is now printed and inferted in the Poem. Do you care I should say any thing farther how much that poem is yours? fince certainly without you it had never been. Would to God we were together for the rest of our lives! The whole weight of Scriblers would just serve to find us amusement, and not more. I hope you are too well employed to mind them: every ftick you plant, and every ftone you lay, is to fome purpose; but the bufinefs of fuch lives as theirs is but to die daily, to labour, and raise nothing. I only wish we could comfort each other under our bodily infirmities, and let thofe who have fo

great

great a mind to have more Wit than we, win it and wear it. Give us but ease, health, peace, and fair weather! I think it is the best wish in the world, and you know whose it was. If I liv'd in Ireland, I fear the wet climate wou'd indanger more than my life; my humour, and health; I am so Atmospherical a creature.

I must not omit acquainting you, that what you heard of the words fpoken of you in the Drawing-room, was not true. The fayings of Princes are generally as ill related as the sayings of Wits. To fuch reports little of our regard fhould be given, and lefs of our conduct influenced by them.

I

Lived

LETTER XXXV.

From Dr. SWIFT.

Dublin, Feb. 13, 1728.

very easily in the country: Sir A. is a man of sense, and a fcholar, has a good voice, and my lady a better; she is perfectly well bred, and defires to improve her understanding which is very good, but cultivated too much like a fine Lady. She was my pupil there, and severely chid when she read wrong; with that, and walking, and making

twenty

very

twenty little amusing improvements, and writing family verfes of mirth by way of libels on my Lady, my time past very well and in great order; infinitely better than here where I fee no creature but my fervants and my old Presbyterian house-keeper, denying myself to every body, till I fhall recover my ears.

The account of another Lord Lieutenant was only in a common news-paper, when I was in the country; and if it should have happen'd to be true, I would have defired to have had accefs to him as the fituation I am in requires. But this renews the grief for the death of our friend Mr. Congreve, whom I loved from my youth, and who surely, befides his other talents, was a very agreeable companion. He had the misfortune to fquander away a ve→ ry good conftitution in his younger days; and I think a man of fenfe and merit like him, is bound in confcience to preserve his health for the fake of his friends, as well as of himself. Upon his own account I could not much defire the continuance of his life,

under fo much

Years have not an addition of

pain, and fo many infirmities. yet hardened me; and I have weight on my spirits fince we loft him; tho' I faw him fo feldom, and poffibly, if he had liv'd on, fhould never have seen him more. I do not only with as you ask me, that I was unacquainted

quainted with any deferving perfon, but almost that I never had a friend. Here is an ingenious good-humour'd Physician, a fine gentleman, an excellent scholar, easy in his fortunes, kind to every body, hath abundance of friends, entertains them often and liberally, they pafs the evening with him at cards, with plenty of good meat and wine, eight or a dozen together; he loves them all, and they him. He has twenty of these at command; if one of them dies, it is no more than poor Tom! he gets another, or takes up with the rest, and is no more mov'd than at the lofs of his cat; he offends no-body, is eafy with every body---Is not this the true happy man? I was describing him to my Lady A---, who knows him too, but she hates him mortally by my character, and will not drink his health: I would give half my fortune for the fame temper, and yet I cannot say I love it, for I do not love Lord my who is much of the Doctor's nature. I hear Mr. Gay's fecond Opera, which you mention, is forbid ; and then he will be once more fit to be advised, and reject your advice. Adieu.

LETTER

LETTER XXXVI.

Dr. SWIFT to Lord BOLINGBROKE.

YOU

Dublin, March 21, 1729.

OU tell me you have not quitted the defign of collecting, writing, &c. This is the answer of every finner who defers his repentance. I wish Mr. Pope were as great an urger as I, who long for nothing more than to fee truth under your hands, laying all detraction in the duft----I find myfelf difpofed every year, or rather every month, to be more angry and revengeful; and my rage is fo ignoble, that it defcends even to refent the folly and baseness of the enflav'd people among whom I live. I knew an old Lord in Leicestershire, who amused himself with mending pitchforks and fpades for his Tenants gratis. Yet I have higher ideas left, if I were nearer to objects on which I might employ them; and contemning my private fortune, would gladly cross the channel and stand by, while my betters were driving the Boars out of the garden, if there be any probable expectation of fuch an endeavour. When I was of your age I often thought of death, but now after a dozen years more, it is never out of my mind, and terrifies me lefs. I

conclude