our common friend Mr Cusack, whom, in an acquaintance of many years, I never found otherwise than a gentleman of honour, sincerity, candour, and every other good quality that can recommend a man to the friendship and esteem of all worthy persons. He is a great example of the uncertainty of life, for except an aptness he complained of to take cold in his head, I have known few persons likelier to live long. I am but too sensible of his unhappy family's loss in him, and particularly of the condition of his lady, who I hope will not live under the tyranny of that odious old woman. To her, poor Mr Cusack owed that he never passed one happy day at home, while she was under his roof. I must needs condole with you particularly for your loss in so worthy a friend: a thing so scarce in the country of Ireland, where the neighbouring squires are usually the most disagreeable of all human creatures. You know, Sir, that last year he let me have a little mare, which I have rode ever since. I have often desired him to let me know the value he put on her. He answered, it was a present to him, and should be so to me. I protested I would suffer no such thing; he likewise sent me another young mare, which he was breeding up for me. I hope lected it was fast-day, and therefore purchased a leg of mutton, to secure his own commons. The son of Mr Metye, (grandfather of the Baron,) at whose house the mutton had been left while the Dean attended prayers, plunged it by way of jest into a pot which was boiling in the kitchen fire. When the Dean returned and discovered what had happened, his passion was outrageous. He redeemed the half-boiled leg of mutton, however, and carried it with him to Mr Cusack's. Such an anecdote is not worth mentioning, were it not to shew the consequence which the Irish have gratefully and justly attached to the minutest particulars of Swift's life. she will be good when she is cured of her starting; and in the mean time is very proper for a servant. I desire you will give your judgment what they both are worth: and I will pay the money immediately to the unfortunate widow's order, who may perhaps have occasion for it under her present circumstances. I shall continue for some weeks in town, and then, if my health permits, wander for a month or two in the country to preserve it. I am much obliged to our poor friend for bringing me acquainted with you, and he was a good judge of men, as I find by the character he often gave me of you; and I hope you will never come to this town while I am in it, without doing me the favour of calling on me. I am Sir, with true esteem, Your most faithful humble servant, A CASE SUBMITTED BY DEAN SWIFT TO MR LINDSAY, COUNSELLOR AT LAW. [From the original in the Dean's hand-writing, indorsed, "Queries for Mr Lindsay ;" and "21st Nov. 1730, Mr Lindsay's opinion concerning Mr Gorman, in answer to my queries."] A. B. agent for J. S. comes to desire J. S. to sign an assignment of a lease in order to be registered for the security of L. $8. J. S. asks A. B. to shew him the lease. A. B. says he left it at home. J. S. asks the said A. B. how many years of the lease are unexpired? what rent the tenant pays, and how much below the rack value? and what number of acres there are upon the farm? To each of which questions the agent A. B. answers categoricall, that he cannot tell, and that he did not think J. would ask him such questions. The said A. B. was asked how he came two years after the lease was assigned, and not sooner, to have it registered. A. B. answers, that he could not sue till the assignment. Query, Whether the said agent A. B. made any one answer like a man of business? [ANSWER.] I have carefully perused and considered this case, and am clearly of opinion, that the agent has not made any one answer like a man of business, but has answered very much like a true agent. Nov. 21, 1730. ROBERT LINDSAY. [This document is from Dr Lyon's papers, and forms a curious instance of the Dean's strongly characteristic turn of humour.] SIR, TO MR TICKELL. Deanery-House, July 20, 1731. AFTER frequent reading with as much care as I could, I found but the three remarks above mentioned that I could possibly make. Only I would * The remarks are in this edition subjoined. 1 sink nine of the ten thousand fathom, and call it a thousand. I desire you will please to finish it. I have been riding out to-day, as well as yesterday, for my health, but find myself much disordered. If I grow better, I will wait on you to-morrow, if not, I will send the paper by a safe hand. * I am, Sir, your, &c. I have marked the figures 1, 2, 3, in your original. 1. For when, I would advise where. 2. I do not well understand this line. 3. I see what this and that refer to. But in the line just before, there are two words, present and past, and in the next line above viscus, and leach, which will make some difficulty to a common reader. TO THE REV. THE DEAN OF ARMAGH, AT KNOCHTOGHER, in the county of Kilkennyt. SIR, Dublin, June 30, 1732. IF you are not an excellent philosopher, I allow you personate one perfectly well; and if you believe yourself, I heartily envy you, for I never yet saw in * From this letter it would seem that the Dean had been engaged in revising some of Tickell's poetry. + This remarkable letter is copied from the original in the hands of the Rev. Edward Maugin, translator of the Life of Malesherbes. It differs in some slight particulars from the copy inserted in Dr Barrett's Life of Swift, where Dr Brandreth, the clergyman to whom it is addressed, is called dean of Emly, to which benefice he was not promoted until three or four years afterwards. Ireland a spot of earth two feet wide, that had not in it something to displease. I think I once saw in that county of Tipperary, which is, like the rest of the whole kingdom, a bare face of nature, without houses or plantations,-filthy cabins, miserable, tattered, half-starved creatures, scarce in human shape; one insolent ignorant oppressive squire to be found in twenty miles riding; a parish church to be only found in a summer's day's journey, in comparison of which, an English farmer's barn is a cathedral; a bog fifteen miles round; every meadow a slough, and every hill a mixture of rock, heath, marsh; and every male and female, from the farmer, inclusive to the day labourer, infallibly a thief, and consequently a beggar, which in this island are terms convertible. The Shannon is rather a lake than a river, and has not the sixth part of the stream that runs under London bridge. There is not an acre of land in Ireland turned at to half its advantage, yet it is better improved than the people; and all these evils are effects of English tyranny, so your sons and grandchildren will find it to their sorrow. Cork indeed was a place of trade, but for some years past is gone to decay, and instead of being merchants, the wretched dealers are dwindled to pedlars and cheats. I desire you will not write such accounts of your friends in England. Did you ever see one cheerful countenance among our country vulgar?-unless once a-year at a fair, or on a holiday, where some poor rogue happened to get drunk, and starved the whole week after. You will give a very different account of your winter campaign, when you cannot walk five yards from your door without being mired to your knees, nor ride half a mile without being in slough to your saddle skirts; where your landlord must send twenty miles for yeast before he can brew or bake, and the neighbours five miles |