ter would enable you to lay up fo much money as to buy a Bishoprick in England. As to the return of his health and vigour, were you here, you might enquire of his Hay-makers; but as to his temperance, I can answer that (for one whole day) we have had nothing for dinner but mutton-broth, beans and bacon, and a Barn-door fowl.

Now his Lordship is run after his Cart, I have a moment left to myself to tell you, that I over-heard him yesterday agree with a Painter for 200 1. to paint his country-hall with Trophies of Rakes, spades, prongs, &c. and other ornaments merely to countenance his calling this place a Farm---now turn over a new leaf--

He bids me affure you, he should be forry not to have more schemes of kindness for his friends, than of ambition for himself: There, tho' his ichemes may be weak, the motives at least are strong; and he says further, if you could bear as great a fall, and decrease of your revenues, as he knows by experience he can, you wou'd not live in Ireland an hour.

The Dunciad is going to be printed in all pomp, with the inscription, which makes me proudest. It will be attended with Proeme, Prolegomena, Testimonia Scriptorum, Index Autharum, and Notes Variorum. As to the latter, I defire

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I defire you to read over the Text, and make a few in any way you like best', whether dry raillery, upon the style and way of commenting of trivial critics; or humourous, upon the authors in the poem; or historical, of perfons, places, times; or explanatory; or collecting the parallel passages of the Ancients. Adieu. I am pretty well, my Mother not ill, Dr. Arbuthnot vex'd with his fever by intervals; I am afraid he declines, and we shall lose a worthy man: I am troubled about him very much.

I am, &c.

LETTER XXXIII.

From Dr. SWIFT.

July 16, 1728.

Have often run over the Dunciad in an Irish edition (I suppose full of faults) which a gentleman fent me. The notes I could wish to be very large, in what relates to the perfons concerned; for I have long observ'd that twenty miles from London no-body understands hints, initial letters, or town-facts and pafsages; and in a few years not even those who

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live in London. I would have the names of those scriblers printed indexically at the beginning or end of the Poem, with an account of their works, for the reader to refer to. I would have all the Parodies (as they are call'd) re ferred to the author they imitate---When I began this long paper, I thought I should have fill'd it with setting down the several passages I had mark'd in the edition I had; but I find it unnecessary, so many of them falling under the same rule. After twenty times reading the whole, I never in my opinion faw so much good fatire, or more good sense, in so many lines. How it passes in Dublin I know not yet; but I am fure it will be a great disadvantage to the poem, that the perfons and facts will not be understood, till an explanation comes out, and a very full one. I imagine it is not to be published till towards winter, when folks begin to gather in town. Again I insist, you must have your Afterisks filled up with some real names of real Dunces.

I am now reading your preceding letter, of June 28, and find that all I have advis'd above is mention'd there. I would be glad to know whether the quarto edition is to come out anonymously, as published by the Commentator, with all his pomp of prefaces, &c. and among many complaints of spurious editions ? I am thinking thinking whether the Editor should not follow the old style of, This excellent author, &c. and refine in many places when you meant no refinement; and into the bargain take all the load of naming the dunces, their qualities, hiftories, and performances ?

As to your felf, I doubt you want a spurreron to exercise and to amusements; but to talk of decay at your season of life is a jest. But you are not so regular as I. You are the most temperate man Godward, and the most intemperate your self-ward, of most I have known. I suppose Mr. Gay will return from the Bath with twenty pounds more flesh, and two hundred less in money: Providence never designed him to be above two and twenty, by his thoughtlesiness and Cullibility. He hath as little forefight of age, sickness, poverty, or loss of admirers, as a girl at fifteen. By the way, I must observe, that my Lord Bolingbroke (from the effects of his kindness to me) argues most sophistically: The fall from a million to a hundred-thoufand pounds is not so great, as from eight hundred pounds a year to one: Befides, he is a controller of Fortune, and Poverty dares not look a great Minister in the face, under his lowest declenfion. I never knew him live so great and expensively as he hath done fince his return from Exile; such mortals have resources that

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that others are not able to comprehend. But God bless You, whose great genius has not fo transported you as to leave you to the courtesy of mankind; for wealth is liberty, and liberty is a blessing fittest for a Philosopher---and Gay is a Slave just by two thousand pounds too little. ---And Horace was of my mind, and let my Lord contradict him, if he dares.--

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LETTER XXXIV.

Bath, Nov. 12, 1728.

Have past fix weeks in quest of health, and found it not; but I found the folly of follicitude about it in a hundred instances; the contrariety of opinions and practices, the inability of physicians, the blind obedience of fome patients, and as blind rebellion of others. I believe at a certain time of life, men are either fools, or physicians for themselves, and zealots, or divines for themselves.

It was much in my hopes that you intended us a winter's visit, but last week I repented that wish, having been alarmed with a report of your lying ill on the road from Ireland; from which I am just relieved by an assurance that you are still at Sir A---'s planting and building; two things that I envy you for, besides a third,