which will prevent my coming at present; but I am in hopes of having that happiness before I die. I thank God I hold out to a miracle almost; for I am better in my health now than I was many years ago. Lord Bolingbroke is in France, writing, I am told, the History of his own Time: he is well. You will please to make my compliments to lord Orrery and Dr. Delany. I have many things to say, which in prudence I must defer. I shall conclude with my hearty prayers to Almighty God, to preserve your most valuable life for many years, as you are a publick blessing to your country, and a friend to all mankind; and to assure you that I am, with sincerity, dear sir, your most affectionate and most faithful humble servant, JOHN BARBER. SIR, FROM DR. KING *. ST. MARY HALL, OXFORD, I DO not know for what reason the worthy gentlemen of the postoffice intercepted a letter, which I Dr. King was a considerable writer in "Common Sense;" and lord Chesterfield still more so; but the ostensible author was Mr. Charles Molloy. Dr. King had large offers made him, to write in favour of sir Robert Walpole, which he declined. He died, at a very advanced age, July 16, 1767. did myself the honour to write to you about two months ago. I cannot remember I said any thing that could give them the least offence. I did not mention the new halfpence; I did not praise the royal family; I did not blame the prime minister; I only returned you my thanks for a very kind letter I had just then received from you. It is true I enclosed in that letter a printed paper called Common Sense, in which the author proposes a new scheme of government for the people of Corsica, advising to make their king of the same stuff of which the Indians make their gods*. I thought to afford you some diversion but perhaps it was this made the whole packet criminal. I have this day received a letter from Mrs. Whiteway, in which she tells me that I am to expect the manuscript by lord Orrery. I will have the pleasure to wait on him as soon as I can do it without crossing the Irish channel: and as soon as I receive the papers, you shall hear from me again. I shall have an opportunity of writing fully to you by Mr. Deane Swift, who proposes to set out for Ireland the next vacation. In making mention of this gentleman, I cannot help recommending him to your favour. I have very narrowly observed his conduct ever since I have been here; and I can, with great truth, give him the character of a modest, sober, ingenious young man. He is a hard student, and will do an honour to the society of which he is now a member. Mrs. Whiteway says, that notwithstanding all your complaints, you are in good health and good self. * This paper of Common Sense was written by Dr. King him. spirits. spirits. What think you of making a trip to England this fine season, and visiting our Alma Mater ? I can offer you an airy cool room during the summer, and a warm bedchamber in the winter; and I will take care that your mutton commons shall be kept long enough to be tender. If you will accept of this invitation, I promise to meet you at Chester, and to conduct you to king Edward's lodgings: and then St. Mary Hall may boast of a triumvirate, that is not to be matched in any part of the learned world, sir Thomas More, Erasmus, and the Drapier. Believe me to be with the greatest esteem, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, WILLIAM KING. DR. KING TO MRS. WHITEWAY. MADAM, ST. MARY HALL, OXON, I HAVE this day the favour of your letter of the 14th, which hath given me great pleasure: however, I could not help bestowing some maledictions on those gentlemen at the postoffice, who have been so impertinent as to intercept our correspondence; for you ought to have received another letter from me with one enclosed for our friend in some few days after you had the packet from Hartley. This was in answer to the letter you mention, which I got the very next day (as well as I remember) after Hartley went from London. As soon as I hear of my lord Orrery's arrival on this side the water, I will wait on him to receive the papers. papers. The moment they are put into my hands I will write to you again. I do not know why the dean's friends should think . it derogatory, either to his station, or character, to print the history by subscription, considering how the money arising by the sale of it is to be applied. I am not for selling the copy to a bookseller: for, unless a sufficient caution be taken, the bookseller, when he is master of the copy, will certainly print it by subscription, and so have all the benefit which the dean refuses. But I shall be better able to send you my thoughts of this matter, when I have talked with some of my friends, who have had more dealings in this way than I have. And have you at last got store of copper halfpence, and are content to give us gold and silver in exchange for this new coin? This serves to verify an observation I have frequently made, that the grossest imposition on the publick will go down, if the managers have but patience to try it twice, and art enough to give it a new name. The excise scheme, which made such a noise here a few years ago, passed here last winter with little opposition, under a new shape and title. How would the ghost of Wood triumph over the Drapier, and rattle his copper chains, if the spectre were permitted to meet him in his walks? But I am unawares running into politicks, without considering that these reflections may occasion the loss of my letter. I have therefore done with your copper You *With great respect to Dr. King, he is somewhat mistaken in his politicks; for the great force of Dr. Swift's reasoning, in the character of an Irish drapier, was not so much levelled against a moderate You cannot imagine how greatly I am vexed and disappointed, that I have been so long obliged to keep back my conversation piece *. I have, in this respect, wholly complied with the reasoning, or rather with the humours, of some of my friends. They were willing to try their skill in accommodating my Irish affairs; in which, after all, I believe they will be disappointed as much as I have been: for the adversaries I have to deal with, proceed on a principle that will hear no reason, and do no good, not even to themselves, if others are at the same time to receive any benefit by the bargain. However, since you seem so earnestly to desire a second view of this work, I will send you a book by Mr. Swift, who intends to go from hence about ten days or a moderate quantity of halfpence in general (which, it is certain, were much wanted in Ireland in the year 1724) as against Wood's adulterate copper in particular, which was not worth three pence in a shilling, and which might have been poured in upon the nation from Wood's mint to eternity; as he had neither given security for his honesty, nor obliged himself, like other patentees, to give either gold or filver in exchange for his copper, when it began to grow troublesome. Whereas the halfpence, sent over to Ireland in the year 1737, were coined in the Tower, by the express order of the crown, for the conveniency of the kingdom, and were not calculated to do any mischief; or, in fact, could they have done any, as all people were at that time sufficiently and thoroughly apprised, that halfpence were not sterling money, or could legally be tendered in any payment whatsoever; the only use of them being a sort of change in the small crafts and traffick of the world. However, it is certain that an advertisement of three lines, by order of Dr. Swift, had there been occasion for it, as there was not, would instantly have stopt their currency. Meaning The Toast. + Dr. King had a chancery suit in Ireland with the countess of Newburgh; the particulars of which are developed in the observations which accompany his celebrated satire, VOL. XIII. A A fortnight |