I read to the bishop of Derry the paragraph in your letter which concerned him, and his lordship expressed his thankfulness in a manner that became him. He is esteemed here as a person of learning, and conversation, and humanity, but he is beloved by all people.

I have nobody now left but you: pray be so kind as to outlive me, and then die as soon as you please, but without pain, and let us meet in a better place, if my religion will permit, but rather my virtue, although much unequal to yours. Pray let my lord Bathurst know how much I love him; I still insist on his remembering me, although he is too much in the world to honour an absent friend with his letters. My state of health is not to boast of; my giddiness is more or less too constant; I sleep ill, and have a poor appetite. I can as easily write a poem in the Chinese language as my own: I am as fit for matrimony as invention; and yet I have daily schemes for innumerable essays in prose, and proceed sometimes to no less than half a dozen lines, which the next morning become waste paper. What vexes me most is, that my female friends, who could bear me very well a dozen years ago, have now forsaken me, although I am not so old in proportion to them, as I formerly was: which I can prove by arithmetick, for then I was double their age, which now I am not. Pray put me out of fear as soon as you can, about that ugly report of your illness; and let me know who this Cheselden is, that has so lately sprung up in your favour. Give me also some account of your neigh

* The celebrated surgeon and anatomist. BowLES.

bour

bour* who writ to me from Bath: I hear he resolves to be strenuous for taking off the test; which grieves me extremely, from all the unprejudiced reasons I ever was able to form, and against the maxims of all wise christian governments, which always had some established religion, leaving at best a toleration to others.

Farewell my dearest friend; ever, and upon every account that can create friendship and esteem.

JON. SWIFT.

FROM LADY BETTY GERMAIN.

FEB. 10, 1735-6.

I AM sorry to hear your complaints still of gid

diness. I was in hopes you would have mended, like my purblind eyes, with old age. According to the custom of all old women, I must recommend to you a medicine, which is certainly a very innocent one, and they say does great good to that distemper, which is only wearing oilcloth the breadth of your feet, and next to your skin. I have often found it to do me good for the headach.

I do not know what offences the duke of Dorset's club, as you call them, commits in your eyes; but, to my apprehension, the parliament cannot but behave well, since they let him have such a quiet

* Mr. Pulteney. See in p. 289, his Letter to Swift.

session.

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session. And as to all sorts of politicks, they are now my utter aversion, and I will leave them to be discussed by those who have a better skill in them.

Mr. Pope and she one another, so I I will answer for

If my niece has been humbled by being nine years older, her late inherited great fortune will beautify her in the eyes of a great many people;" so she may grow proud again upon that. The countess of Suffolk is your humble servant. appear to have a true value for suppose there is no doubt of it; my friend's sincerity, and I do not question Mr. Pope's. Why, pray, do you fancy I do not desire to cultivate Mr. Pope's acquaintance? But perhaps, if I seek it too much, I might meet with a rebuff, as you say her M. did. However, we do often dine together at third places; and as to my own house, though he would be extremely welcome, he has too numerous friends and acquaintance already to spare me a day, unless you will come to England, and then he might be induced to meet you here. Mrs. Biddy Floyd has passed thus far of the winter in better health than usual, though her cough will not forsake her. She is much your humble servant, and so is most sincerely your old friend,

E. GERMAIN,

TO MRS. WHITEWAY.

MY DEAR MADAM,

FEB. 18, 1735-6..

I PITY you and your family, and I heartily pray for both I pity myself, and my prayers are not wanting: but I pity not him *. I count already that you and I and the world must lose him: but do not lose yourself. I was born to a million of disappointments; I had set my heart very much upon that young man; but I find he has no business in so corrupt a world. Therefore pray take courage from christianity, which will assist you when humanity fails: I wish I were in his condition, with his virtues. I am a little mending, to my shame be it spoken. I shall also lose a sort of a son as well as you; only our cases are different ; for you have more, and it is your duty to preserve yourself for them. I am ever your most affectionate and obedient, &c.

JON. SWIFT.

*Theophilus Harrison, esq. a young gentleman of three-andtwenty, who was then upon his death-bed. D. S.

I

FROM THE BISHOP OF KILMORE *.

REVEREND SIR,

FEBRUARY 23, 1735-6.

SEND you the whole piece, such as it is: I fear you will find the addition, pursuant to your hint, heavy; for I could not get my imagination warmed to the same degree as in the former part. I hope you will supply what shall be wanting of spirit; and when you have pruned the rough feathers, the ands and thats, &c. you will send the Kite to the Faulconer, to set it a flying.

I am your very faithful and

obedient servant,

J. H.

May not I claim three or four copies when printed?

TO MISS HARRISON.

DEAR MISS HARRISON,

FEB. 23, 1735-6.

I AM in all possible concern for your present situation: I heartily wish you could prevail on your mother to remove immediately to some friend or neighbour's house, that she may be out of the sight and hearing of what must be done to day I wish your eldest brother Whiteway would take care to

* Dr. Josiah Hort, afterward archbishop of Tuam. N.

† A satire on Quadrille, for which Mr. Faulkner the printer was sent to Newgate, N.

'carry