I am pleas'd with the nature and quality of your Present to the Princess. The Irish stuff you fent to Mrs. H. her R. H. laid hold of, and has made up for her own use. Are you determin'd to be National in every thing, even in your civilities? you are the greatest 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 pleased me, was what you say to Mr. P. by which it seems to me that you value no man's civility above your own dignity, or your own reafon. Surely, without flattery, you are now above all parties of men, and it is high time to be so, after twenty or thirty years obfervation of the great world.

Nullius addictus jurare in verba magiftri.

I question not, many men would be of your intimacy, that you might be of their interest: But God forbid an honest or witty man should be of any, but that of his country. They have scoundrels enough to write for their passions and their defigns; let us write for truth, for honour, and for posterity. 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 so as to preferve the dignity VOL. IX. and

G

and integrity of your character with those timeş to come, which will most 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 am wholly so. 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 such 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 fecond volume observe several passages, which appear to be patch'd and altered, and the style of a different fort (unless I am much mif

C

This was the fact, which fed in the Dublin Edition of

is complained of and redres- | the Dean's works.

taken) 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 persons are most to be blam'd: so that in these cafes, I think the best method is to let censure and opinion take their course. 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 shame you do not perfuade your Ministers 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 same time I must tell you, that such journeys very much shorten my life, for a month here is longer than fix at Twickenham.

How comes friend Gay to be so 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 afsist with the Archbishop, in degrading a Parfon who couples all our beggars, by which I shall make one happy man: and

Because he understood it to be intended as a fatire on

the Royal Society.

G2

decide

decide the great question of an indelible character in favour of the principles in fashion; this I hope you will represent to the Ministry in my favour, as a point of merit; so 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 Scotch-man. This 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 acquaintance to give out that his copy was basely mangled, and abufed, and added to, and blotted out by the Printer; for fo to me it feems, in the second volume particularly.

Adieu.

LETTER XΧΙ.

From Dr. SWIFT.

December 5, 1726.

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 a causeway, and get home fafe.

I am very much pleas'd that you approve what was fent, because I remember to have heard a great man say, that nothing required more judgment than making a present; 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 observe as to Mr. P. Befides, it is too late in life for me to act otherwife, 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 dependance a state of flavery? We care not three pence whether a Prince or Minister 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 last in acquiring them.

Since you have receiv'd the verses, I most earnestly intreat you to burn those which you