CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SWIFT AND MISS VANHOMRIGH. DR SWIFT TO MRS ESTHER VANHOMRIGH, JUNIOR, [At her lodgings over against Park-Place, in St James's Street, London. *] Windsor Castle, Aug. 15, 1712. I THOUGHT to have written to little Miss-essy by the colonel, but at last I did not approve of him as a messenger. Mr Ford began your health last night under the name of the Jilt, for which I desire you will reproach him. I do neither study nor exercise so much here as I do in town. The colonel † will intercept all the news I have to tell you, of my fine * This fatal correspondence seems to have commenced with Swift's residence in Windsor, in autumn 1712, while drawing together materials for his History of the Peace of Utrecht. It is not therefore wonderful that, about the same time, we find him apologizing to Stella for the slackness of his correspondence. Vol. III. p. 101. + Vanessa's brother, who seems to have been in the army; he is sometimes called the Captain. snuff-box, and my being at a ball, and my losing my money at ombre with the Duke and Duchess of Shrewsbury. I cannot imagine how you pass your time in our absence, unless by lying a-bed till twelve, and then having your followers about you till dinner. We have dispatches to-day from Lord Bolingbroke; † all is admirably well, and a cessation of arms will be declared with France in London, on Tuesday next. I dined with the Duke of Shrewsbury to-day, and sat an hour by Mrs Warburton, teaching her when she played wrong at ombre, and I cannot see her defects; either my eyes fail me, or they are partial, But Mrs Touchet is an ugly awkward slut. What do you do all the afternoon? How come you to make it a secret to me, that you all design to come to Windsor? If you were never here, I think you all cannot do better than come for three or four days; five pounds will maintain you, and pay for your coach backwards and forwards. I suppose the Captain will go down with you now, for want of better company. I will steal to town one of these days and catch you napping. I desire you and Moll will walk as often as you can in the Park, and do not sit moping at home, you that can neither work, nor read, nor play, nor care for company. I long to drink a dish of coffee in the sluttery, and hear you dun me for Socrete, and "Drink * Presented to Swift by General Hill, Governor of Dunkirk, See Vol. III. p. 105, for his celebrated repartee to Lord Oxford, upon the subject of the snail and the goose, which were enchased on this snuff-box. Mr Theophilus Swift describes this cele brated box as being of agate, richly mounted with gold. The goose and snail are still visible upon the lid. + Then at Paris. Miss Mary Vauhomrigh, whom he afterwards calls Molkin, your coffee. Why don't you drink your coffee?" My humble service to your mother, and Moll, and the Colonel.-Adieu ! TO THE SAME, [Whom he calls Messheshinage.] Friday, at Mr Lewis's Office, [no date.] MISS Hessy is not to believe a word Mr Lewis says in his letter. I would have writ to you sooner, if I had not been busy, and idle, and out of humour, and did not know how to send to you, without the help of Mr Lewis, my mortal enemy. I am so weary of this place, that I am resolved to leave it in two days, and not return in three weeks. I will come as early on Monday as I can find opportunity, and will take a little Grub-street lodging, pretty near where I did before, and dine with you thrice a-week, and will tell you a thousand secrets, provided you will have no quarrels to me. Adieu! Don't remember me to Moll, but humble service to your mother. TO THE SAME, [Whom he calls Missessy.] Sunday, nine, [no date.] I DID not forget the coffee, for I thought you should not be robbed of it. John does not go to Oxford, so I send back the book as you desire. I would not see you for a thousand pounds if I could; but I am now in my night-gown, writing a dozen letters, and packing up papers. Why, then, you should not have come; and I know that as well as you. My service to your mother. I doubt you do wrong to go to Oxford, but now that is past, since you cannot be in London to-night; and if I do not inquire for acquaintance, but let somebody in the inn go about with you among the colleges, perhaps you will not be known. Adieu. John presents his humble service to you. FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME, I HAVE writ three or four lies in as many lines. Pray seal up the letter to Mrs L. †, and let nobody read it but yourself. I suppose this packet will lie two or three hours till you awake. And pray let * This probably should be read, "if you do not inquire," &c. It does not seem that Swift was to meet them at Oxford. Mrs Vanhomrigh, whose affairs were embarrassed, might have creditors at Oxford. + Perhaps to Mrs Long, who was an intimate of the Vanhomrigh family. See a letter of hers to Swift, Vol. XV. p. 458, in which Miss Hessy is particularly mentioned. But if this conjecture be accurate, the letter should have been placed first of the series, for Mrs Long died December 1711. Ibid. p. 464. She was then retired to Lynne for fear of her creditors, which may be a reason for the precaution observed in addressing her. you the outside starched letter to you be seen, seen, after have sealed that to Mrs L. See what arts people must [use,] though they mean ever so well. Now are you and Puppy lying at your ease, without dreaming any thing of all this. Adieu, till we meet over a pot of coffee, or an orange and sugar, in the sluttery, which I have so often found to be the most agreeable chamber in the world. FROM MISS ESTHER VANHOMRIGH TO DR SWIFT. London, Sept. the 1st, 1712. HAD I a correspondent in China, I might have had an answer by this time. I never could think till now, that London was so far off in your thoughts, and that twenty miles were, by your computation, equal to some thousands. I thought it a piece of charity to undeceive you in this point, and to let you know, if you give yourself the trouble to write, I may probably receive your letter in a day: 'twas that made me venture to take pen in hand the third time. Sure you'll not let it be to no purpose. You must needs be extremely happy where you are, to forget your absent friends; and I believe you have formed a new system, and think there is no more of this world, passing your sensible horizon. If this be your notion, I must excuse you; if not, you can plead no other excuse; and, if it be, Sir, I must reckon myself of another world; but I shall have much ado to be persuaded, till you send me some convincing arguments of it. Don't dally in a thing |