as I've been, long ago, of my Wit; my fyftem is a short one, and my circle narrow. Imagination has no limits, and that is a sphere in which you may move on to eternity; but where one is confined to Truth for to speak more like a human creature, to the appearances of Truth) we foon find the shortnefs of our Tether. Indeed, by the help of a metaphysical chain of Ideas, one may extend the circulation, go round and round for ever, without making any progress beyond the point to which Providence has pinn'd us : But this does not fatisfy me, who would rather say a little to no purpose, than a great deal. Lord B. is voluminous, but he is voluminous only to destroy volumes. I fhall not live, I fear, to fee that work printed; he is so taken up ftill (in fpite of the monitory hint given in the first line of my Effay) with particular Men, that he neglects mankind, and is ftill a creature of this World, not of the Univerfe: This World, which is a name we give to Europe, to England, to Ireland, to London, to Dublin, to the Court, to the Castle, and fo diminishing, till it comes to our own affairs, and our own perfons. When you write

(either to him or to me, for we accept it all as one) rebuke him for it, as a Divine if you like it, or as a Badineur, if you think that more effectual.

What I write will show you that my head is yet weak. I had written to you by that gentleman from the Bath, but I did not know him, and every body that comes from Ireland pretends to be a friend of the Dean's. I am always glad to fee any that are

truly fo, and therefore do not mistake any thing I faid, fo as to difcourage your fending any fuch to me.

LETTER LXXIV.

From Dr SWIFT.

Adieu.

May 12. 1735.

YOUR

YOUR letter was fent me yesterday by Mr Stop. ford, who landed the fame day, but I have not yet feen him. As to my filence, God knows it is my great misfortune. My little domestic affairs are in great confufion, by the villany of agents, and the miferies of this kingdom, where there is no money to be had: nor am I unconcern'd to fee all things tending towards abfolute power, in both nations* (it is here in perfection already) although I shall not live to fee it established. This condition of things, both public and perfonal to myself, hath given me such a kind of despondency, that I am almost unqualified for any company, diverfion, or amusement. The death of Mr Gay and the Doctor, hath been terrible wounds near my heart. Their living would have been a great comfort to me, although I should never have feen them ; like fum of money in a bank, from which I should receive at least annual intereft, as I do from you, and have done from my Lord Bolingbroke.

The Dean was frequently troubled, he tells us, with a giddinefs in his head.

To fhew in how much ignorance I live, it is hardly a fortnight fince I heard of the death of my Lady Mafhain, my conftant friend in all changes of times. God forbid that I fhould expect you to make a voyage that would in the least affect your health: but in the mean time how unhappy am I, that my best friend should have perhaps the only kind of diforder for which a fea-voyage is not in fome degree a remedy? The old Duke of Ormond faid, he would not change his dead fon (Offory) for the best living son in Europe. Neither would I change you my absent friend for the best present friend round the Globe.

I have lately read a book imputed to Lord B. called a Differtation on Parties. I think it very mafterly written.

Pray God reward you for your kind prayers: I believe your prayers will do me more good than those of all the Prelates in both kingdoms, or any Prelates in Europe, except the Bishop of Marseilles *. And God preferve you for contributing more to mend the world, than the whole pack of (modern) Parfons in a lump.

I am ever entirely yours.

❤ Who continued there with his flock all the time a dreadful peftilence defolated that city.

LETTER LXXV.

From Dr SwIFT.

Sept. 3. 1735.

Τ
Tner

HIS letter will be delivered to you by Faulkner the printer, who goes over on his private affairs. This is an answer to yours of two months ago, which complains of that profligate fellow Curl. I heartily with you were what they call difaffected, as I am. I may fay as David did, I have finned greatly, but what have these sheep done? You have given no offence to the Miniftry, nor to the Lords, nor Commons, nor Queen, nor the next in power. For you are a man of Virtue, and therefore must abbor vice and all corruption, although your difcretion holds the reins. "You need not fear any confequence "in the commerce that hath so long paffed between "us; although I never destroy'd one of your letters. "But my Executors are men of honour and virtue, "who have strict orders in my will to burn every letter "left behind me." Neither did our letters contain any Turns of Wit, or Fancy, or Politics, or Satire. but mere innocent Friendship: yet I am loth that any letters, from you and a very few other friends, should die before me; I believe we neither of us ever leaned our head upon our left hand to study what we should write next; yet we have he'd a conftant intercourse from your youth and my middle age, and from your mid

dle

age,

it must be continued till my death, which my bad state of health makes me expect every month. I

have the ambition, and it is very earnest as well as in hafte, to have one Epiftle infcribed to me while I am alive, and you just in the time when wit and wisdom are in the height. I must once more repeat Cicero's defire to a friend; Orna me. A month ago were fent me over by a friend of mine, the works of John Hughes, Efq. They are in verse and profe. I never heard of the man in my life, yet, I find your name as a fubfcriber too. He is too grave a Poet for me, and, I think, among the mediocribus in profe as well as verfe. I have the honour to know Dr Rundle; he is indeed worth all the reft you ever fent us; but that is faying nothing, for he anfwers your character; I have dined thrice in his company. He brought over a worthy clergyman of this kingdom as his chaplain, which was a very wife and popular action. His only fault, is, that he drinks no wine, and I drink nothing else.

This kingdom is now abfolutely starving, by the means of every oppreffion that can be inflicted on mankind-Shall I not vifit for these things? faith the Lord. You advise me right, not to trouble myself about the world: But, oppreffion tortures me, and I cannot live without meat and drink, nor get either without money; and money is not to be had, except they will make me a Bishop, or a Judge, or a Colonel, or a Commiffioner of the Revenues. Adieu.