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generally so bad, that she often frightens me for the consequences. My saucy niece* presents her service to Parson Swift. The Duchess of Dorset is gone to Bath with Lady Lambert, for her health; she has not been long enough there yet to find the good effects of the waters: but as they always did agree with her, I have great hopes they will now quite cure her colic.

In all likelihood, you are weary by this time of reading, and I am of writing such a long letter; so adieu, my dear Dean.

FROM DR. SHERIDAN.

DEAR SIR,

April 5, 1755.

MRS. PEROTT has this instant invited my two eldest daughters to her house till such time as I may be settled at Cavan. She is a lady the best housewife in Ireland, and of the best temper I ever knew. Her daughters are formed by her example, so that it is impossible to place them where they will have a better opportunity of learning what may be hereafter of real advantage to them. Dear sir, I shall impatiently wait your advice: for my affairs here require a longer attendance than I expected. You will be so good as to let me know from Mr.

* Mary, eldest daughter, and one of the coheirs of Thomas Chambers, of Hanworth, in Middlesex, Esq., by Lady Mary Berkeley, sister to Earl Berkeley and to Lady Betty Germain. She married, April 1736, Lord Vere Beauclerc, afterwards Lord

Vere.-B.

Lingen whether the Duke of Dorset's letter be come in answer to the lords justices, that I may hurry to Dublin; for people are here impatient at having their children so long idle. I am apt to believe that if you put this matter in what light you think proper to the lord chancellor, he will not insist upon a punctilio, which may prove a great loss to me. The Bishop of Killmore can produce a letter I think sufficient to justify their excellencies the lords justices in granting us patents.

I wish you long health and happiness, and shall, dear Sir, ever have a grateful sense of your friendship, and be, with all respect,

Your most obedient and very humble servant,

THOMAS SHERIDAN.

FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF

CASHELL.t

DEAR SIR,

Cashell, April 7, 1735.

I SUPPOSE by this time you have been informed, that Mr. Dunkin† was ordained here last Thurs

* One of the secretaries to the lords justices.-D. S.

† Dr. Theophilus Bolton. He was Rector of St. Werburgh's, and Chancellor of the Cathedral of St. Patrick's; Bishop of Clonfert, Sept. 12, 1723; translated to Elphin, April 16, 1724; to Cashell, Jan. 6, 1729, and died in 1744. This prelate appears to have been highly respected by the Dean, as being one of the four bishops who voted against the two bills, which, in the opinion of Swift, went to establish a tyranny in the persons of the spiritual lords over the inferior clergy. See the Poem on the Irish Bishops, vol. XII. p. 409, and the Considerations on the two Bills, &c., vol. VIII. p. 307.

The Reverend Mr. Dunkin, author of several poetical pieces,

day, and that the recommendations got the better of my prejudices to his unhappy genius; which, I hope, will, in some degree convince you, that your power over me is not yet quite worn out.

It is one of the greatest evils that attends those whom fortune has forsaken, that their friends forsake them too; and let me tell you, that your not seeing me the whole winter I was last in Dublin, was not a less mortification to me, than all the hard sayings of the great parliament orators. However, I must own your taking any occasion to write to me at all, has made some amends; for though you seem designedly to cover it, I think I perceive some little marks of that former kindness, which I once pleased

published in two volumes. He took a warm interest in the dispute between Bettesworth and the Dean, and was author of a poem, entitled "Bettesworth's Exultations," levelled against the unlucky serjeant. For this interference, he was assailed by the author of "The Case truly stated between Swift and Bettesworth," who says that Swift

-kiss'd him,

And stroked his head and cheek, and bless'd him;
Then made a deed and left the chit,

In full reversion to his wit;

And said, "Look sharp, thou shalt inherit

A double portion of my spirit;

But squander not this last donation,

'Tis fittest to divide the nation,

That all the world may know what I know,

Thou art my son, and not a bye-blow."

So did Elijah on that day,

When from his man he stole away,

When carried in the fire and smoke,

He threw him down his thread-bare cloak.

Under such attacks, Mr. Dunkin was consoled by the author of a poetical epistle, addressed to him, entitled, a "Libel on the Dublin Dunces;" printed in 1734.

Let this thy motto serve to raise
An ample monument to praise ;
Abused by rascals dull and mean,
Esteem'd and honour'd by the Dean.

Mr. Dunkin was one of the witnesses to the Dean's will.

myself to have had a share in with your lawyer friends. When I conversed with politicians, I learned, that it was not prudent to seem fond of what one most desires: for which reason, I would not tell you, that if this accident of your poetical friend should open a way to our frequent meeting together again, and being put upon the old foot, as when I was your subject at St. Patrick's, I should think myself the happiest man in the world; but this I will say, that if it falls out so, this last heavy period of my life will be much more tolerable than it is at present.

I am now wholly employed in digging up rocks, and making the way easier to the church; which if I can succeed in, I design to repair a very venerable old fabric, that was built here in the time of our ignorant (as we are pleased to call them) ancestors. I wish this age had a little of their piety, though we gave up, instead of it, some of our immense erudition. What if you spent a fortnight here this summer? I have laid aside all my country politics, sheriffs' elections, feasts, &c. And I fancy it would not be disagreeable to you to see King Cormack's chapel, his bed-chamber, &c., all built, beyond controversy, above eight hundred years ago, when he was king, as well as archbishop. I really intend to lay out a thousand pounds to preserve this old church; and I am sure you would be of service to posterity, if you assisted me in the doing of it; at least, if you approved the design, you would give the greatest pleasure, I assure you, to

Your most affectionate and

faithful humble servant,

THEO. CASHELL.

TO MR. THOMAS BEACH,*

MERCHANT IN WREXHAM, DENBIGHSHIRE.

To be left at the Customhouse Warehouse in Chester, and given to Stephen Lovel, Esq., Collector of the Customs in Chester.

SIR,

Dublin, April 12, 1735.

AFTER the fate of all poets, you are no favourite of fortune; for your letter of March 31st did not come to my hands till two days after Sir William Fownes's death; who, having been so long afflicted with the stone and other disorders, besides great old age, died about nine days ago. If he had recovered, I should certainly have waited on him with your poem, and recommended it and the author very heartily to his favour. I have seen fewer good panegyrics than any other sort of writing, especially in verse, and therefore I much approve the method you have taken; I mean that of describing a person who possesseth every virtue, and rather waiving that Sir William Fownes was in your thoughts, than that your picture was like in every part. He had indeed a very good natural understanding, nor wanted a talent for poetry; but his education denied him learning, for he knew no other language except his own; yet he was a man of taste and humour, as well as a wise and useful citizen, as appeared by some little treatise for regu

* Mr. Thomas Beach, author of a poem, entitled "Eugenio, or a Virtuous and Happy Life," to which this letter alludes. It is dedicated to Mr. Pope. The unfortunate author committed suicide a few weeks after publication of his poem, in 1737.

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