TO THE SAME.

Sept. 18, 1728. *

My continuance here is owing partly to indolence, and partly to my hatred to Dublin. I am in a middling way, between healthy and sick, hardly ever without a little giddiness or deafness, and sometimes both so much for that. As to what you call my lesson, I told you I would think no more of it, neither do I conceive the world deserves so much trouble from you or me. I think the sufferings of the country for want of silver deserves a paper, † since the remedy is so easy, and those in power so negligent. I had some other subjects in my thoughts: but truly I am taken up so much with long lampoons on a person, who owns you for a back, that I have no time for any thing else: and if I do not produce one every now and then of about two hundred lines, I am chid for my idleness, and threatened with you. I desire you will step to the deanery, speak to Mrs Brent, bid her open the middle great drawer of Ridgeway's scrutoire in my closet, and then do you take out from thence the history § in folio, marble cover; and two thin folios fairly writ. I forget the titles, but you have read them; one is an account of the proceedings of Lord Oxford's ministry, and the other || to the same purpose.

*This should also be dated from Market-hill.-H.

+ In the Intelligencer, the 19th number of which is on this subject.-H. See Vol. IX. p. 300.

The Dean's housekeeper.-H.

§ History of the Peace of Utrecht.-H. The State of Affairs in 1714.-H,

There are foul copies of both in the same drawer, but do you take out the fair ones, not in my hand. Let them be packed up and brought hither by the bearer. My lady is perpetually quarrelling with Sir Arthur and me, and shows every creature the libels I have writ against her. *

Mr Worrall sent me the particulars of the havock made in Naboth's vineyard. † The d burst,

&c.

I think Lady Dun's burning would be an admi. rable subject to show how hateful an animal a human creature is that is known to have never done any good. The rabble all rejoicing, &c. which they would not have done at any misfortune to a man known to be charitable.

I wish you could get in with the primate, on the account of some discourse about you here to-day with Whaley and Walmsley. Whaley goes to Dublin on Monday next in order for England. I would have you see him. I fancy you may do some good with the primate as to the first good vacant school, if you wheedle him, and talk a little whiggishly. JON. SWIFT.

* See Hamilton's Bawn, or the Grand Question debated.-H. Lady Acheson's anger was, of course, affected, as it appears from a preceding passage, that she often pressed him to write these lampoons, as Swift calls them. Yet by the foolish and malignant libellers who delighted to attack our author, these lively trifles were represented as serious breaches of hospitality.

+ A field, not far from the deanery-house, which Doctor Swift inclosed at a great expence, with a fine stone wall lined with brick, against which he planted vines and the best-chosen fruittrees, for the benefit of the Dean of St Patrick's for the time being.-H.

in

MR POPE TO DR SHERIDAN.

SIR,

I THANK you kindly for your news of the Dean of St Patrick's, for your Persius, for every thing your letter. I will use my warmest endeavours to serve Dr Whaley. Beside his own merit, the demerit of his antagonist goes into the scale, and the dean tells me he is a co-adjutant of that fool Smedley. You must have seen, but you cannot have read, what he has lately published against our friend and me. The only pleasure a bad writer can give me he has given, that of being abused with my betters and my friends. I am much pleased with most of the Intelligencers, but I am a little piqued at the author of them for not once doing me the honour of a mention upon so honourable an occasion as being slandered by the dunces, together with my friend the Dean, who is properly the author of the Dunciad: it had never been writ but at his request, and for his deafness; for had he been able to converse with me, do you think I had amused my time so ill? I will not trouble you with amendments to so imperfect an edition as is now published; you will soon see a better, with a full and true commentary, setting all mistakes right, and branding none but our own cattle. Some very good epigrams on the gentlemen of the Dunciad have been sent me from Oxford, and others of the London authors: if I had an amanuensis (which is a thing neither I nor my cominon trifles are worth)

* A prose translation by Dr Sheridan, formerly mentioned.

you should have them with this. If your university or town have produced any on this subject pray send them me, or keep them at least together, for another day they may all meet.

I have writ to the dean just now by Mr Elrington, who charges himself with this, and have inserted a hint or two of his libelling the lady of the family in as innocent a manner as he does it, he will hardly suspect I had any information of it. *

my

Though I am a very ill correspondent, I shall at all times be glad to have the favour of a line from you. My eyesight is bad, my head often in pain, time strangely taken up. Were I my own master (which, I thank God, I yet am, in all points but one, where humanity only constrains me) I would infallibly see Ireland before I die. But whether that, or many other of my little, though warm designs, will ever take effect,

Caliginosa nocte premit Deus!

I am (wherever I am) the Dean's, and the Dean's friends, and consequently faithfully, Sir,

Your affectionate servant,

A. POPE.

*This probably alludes to the misrepresentations of the dean's pieces of humour, composed during his residence at Market. hill.

TO MR WORRALL. *

September 28, 1728.

I HAD all the letters given me by my servants: so tell Mrs Brent† and Dr Sheridan: and I thank you for the great care you had in the commissions I troubled you with.

I imagine Mrs Brent is gone into the country, but that you know where to send to her. I desire you will pay her four pounds, and sixteen pounds to Mrs Dingley, and take their receipts. I beg Mrs Dingley's pardon for not remembering her debt sooner; and my humble service to her. I desire Mrs Brent to send me the best receipt she has for making meath: she may send me her receipt for making the strong meath, and that for making the next strong, and the third strong. Hers was always too strong; and on that account she was so wilful I would suffer her to make no more. There is a vexatious thing happened about the usquebaugh for my Lord Bolingbroke. It seems, you only directed it for the Earl of Berkeley; but I thought I had desired you to add "for Lord Bolingbroke:" but there is nothing in that; for I wrote to the Earl of Berkeley, to give him notice. But Mr Gavan, who married a daughter of Mrs Kenna, who keeps the inn at Chester, hath just sent me a letter, inform

* Vicar of St Patrick's, a quiet and intelligent man, with whom Swift lived on a very casy footing, occasionally dining at his house at a settled board. He often acted, as appears from this and other letters, as a kind of agent in the Dean's private affairs. + His housekeeper.-H.