whom, dropp'd at his house in the dark, from a Hackney-coach by computing the time, I found it was after you left England; fo, for my part, I fufpend my judgment.

I am pleas'd with the nature and quality of your Prefent to the Princefs. The Irifh ftuff you fent to Mis H. her R. H. laid hold of, and has made up for her own ufe. Are you determined to be National in every thing, even in your civilities? you are the greateft Politician in Europe at this rate; but as you are a rational Politician, there's no great fear of you; you will never fucceed.

Another thing, in which you have pleas'd me, was what you fay to Mr P. by which it seems to me that you value no man's civility above your own dignity, or your own reason. Surely, without flattery, you are now above all parties of men, and it is high time to be fo, after twenty or thirty years obfervation of the great world.

Nullius addictus jurare in verba magiftri.

I queftion not, many men would be of your intimacy, that you might be of their interest: But God forbid an honeft or witty man fhould be of any, but that of his country. They have fcoundrels enough to write for their paffions, and their defigns; let us write for truth, for honour, and for pofterity. If you must needs write about Politics at all (but perhaps 'tis full as wife to play the fool any other way), furely it ought to be fo, as to preferve the dignity and integrity of

your character with thofe times to come, which will moft impartially judge of you.

I wish you had writ to Lord Peterborow; no man is more affectionate toward you. Don't fancy none but Tories are your friends; for at that rate I must be, at most, but half your friend, and fincerely I am wholly fo. Adieu, write often, and come foon; for many wish you well, and all would be glad of your company.

I

LETTER XX.

From Dr. SWIFT.

Dublin, Nov. 17. 1726.

Am just come from answering a Letter of Mrs

H 's writ in fuch mystical terms, that I should never have found out the meaning, if a Book had not been fent me called Gulliver's Travels, of which you say so much in yours. I read the Book over, and in the second volume observe several paffages, which ap pear to be patch'd and alter'd *, and the style of a different fort (unless I am much mistaken) Dr. Arbuthnot likes the Projectors least †; others, you tell me, the Flying-ifland; fome think it wrong to be so hard upon whole bodies or Corporations, yet the general opinion is, that reflections on particular perfons are most to be blam'd: fo that in thefe cafes, I think the best method is to let cenfure and opinion take their

*This was the fact, which is complained of and redreffed in the Dublin Edition of the Dean's works.

+ Because he understood it to be intended as a fatire on the Royal Society.

courfe. A Bishop here faid, that book was full of improbable lies, and, for his part, he hardly believed a word of it; and fo much for Gulliver.

Going to England is a very good thing, if it were not attended with an ugly circumstance, of returning to Ireland. It is a fhame you do not persuade your Minifters to keep me on that fide, if it were but by a court expedient of keeping me in Prison for a Plotter; but at the fame time I must tell you, that fuch journeys very much shorten my life, for a month here is longer than fix at Twickenham.

How comes friend Gay to be fo tedious? another man can publish fifty thousand Lies fooner than he can fifty Fables.

I am just going to perform a very good office; it is to affift with the Archbishop, in degrading a Parson who couples all our beggars, by which I fhall make one happy man, and decide the great question of an indelible character in favour of the Principles in fashion ; this I hope you will reprefent to the Miniftry in my favour, as a point of merit; fo farewell till I return.

I am come back, and have deprived the parfon, who, by a law here, is to be hanged the next couple he marries ; he declared to us that he refolved to be hanged, only defired that when he was to go to the gallows, the Archbishop would take off his Excommunication. Is not he a good Catholic? and yet he is but a ScotchThis is the only Irish event I ever troubled you with, and I think it deferves notice.-Let me add, that, if I were Gulliver's friend, I would defire all my

man.

acquaintance to give out that his copy was bafely mangled, and abused, and added to, and blotted out by the Printer; for fo to me it seems, in the second volume particularly. Adieu.

LETTER XXI.

From Dr SWIFT.

December 5. 1726.

I Believe the hurt in your hand affects me more than it does yourself, and with reafon, because I may probably be a greater lofer by it. What have Accidents to do with those who are neither jockeys nor fox-hunters, nor bullies, nor drunkards? And yet a rafcally Groom shall gallop a foundred horse ten miles upon causeway, and get home safe.

a

I am very much pleas'd that you approve what was fent, because I remember to have heard a great man fay, that nothing required more judgment than making a prefent; which, when it is done to those of high rank, ought to be of fomething that is not readily got for money. You oblige me, and at the fame time do me justice in what you obferve as to Mr P. Besides, it is too late in life for me to act otherwise, and therefore I follow a very easy road to virtue, and purchase it cheap. If you will give me leave to join us, is not your life and mine a state of power, and dependence a state of flavery? We care not three-pence whether a Prince or Minifter will fee us or no: We are not afraid of having ill offices done us, nor are at the trouble of guarding our words for fear of giving offence. I do agree that Riches are Liberty; but then we are to

put into the balance how long our apprenticeship is to: laft in acquiring them.

Since you have receiv'd the verfes, I moft earnestly intreat you to burn those which you do not approve,. and in those few where you may not dislike fome parts, blot out the rest, and sometimes (tho' it be against the laziness of your nature) be fo kind to make a few corrections, if the matter will bear them. I have fome few of those things I call Thoughts moral and diverting; if you please, I will send the best I can pick from them, to add to the new volume. I have reafon to chuse the method you mention of mixing the feveral verses, and. I hope thereby among the bad Critics to be intitled to more merit than is my due.

This moment I am so happy to have a letter from my Lord Peterborow, for which I intreat you will prefent him with my humble respects and thanks, tho' he all-to-be-Gullivers me by very strong infinuations. Though you defpife Riddles, I am ftrongly tempted to fend a parcel to be printed by themfelves, and make a nine-penny jobb for the bookfeller. There are fome of my own, wherein I exceed mankind, Mira Pamata! the most folemn that were ever feen; and fome write by others, admirable indeed, but far inferior to mine; but I will not praife myself. You approve that writer who laughs and makes others laugh; but why should I who hate the world, or you who do not love it, make it so happy? therefore I refolve from henceforth to handle only serious fubjects, nifi quid tu, docte Trebati, Diffentis. Yours, &c.