to your lordship; but I think she will better shew her prudence by omitting them all. And yet, my lord, I cannot disapprove of her ambition, so justly placed in the choice of a patron; and at the same time declare my opinion, that she deserves your protection on account of her wit and good sense, as well as of her humility, her gratitude, and many other virtues. I have read most of her poems; and believe your lordship will observe, that they generally contain something new and useful, tending to the reproof of some vice or folly, or recommending some virtue. She never writes on a subject with general unconnected topics, but always with a scheme and method driving to some particular end; wherein many writers in verse, and of some distinction, are so often known to fail. In short, she seems to have a true poetical genius, better cultivated than could well be expected, either from her sex, or the scene she has acted in, as the wife of a citizen: yet I am assured, that no woman was ever more useful to her husband in the way of his business.* Poetry has only been her favourite amusement; for which she has one qualification, that I wish all good poets possessed a share of, I mean, that she is ready to take advice, and submit to have her verses corrected by those who are generally allowed to be the best judges.

I have, at her entreaty, suffered her to take a copy of this letter, and given her the liberty to make it public for which I ought to desire your lordship's pardon but she was of opinion it might do her some

* Her husband was a woollen-draper, and apparently needed such an helpmate, if we may judge from the character bestowed on him as a tradesman, by Lady Betty Germain, Vol. XVII. p. 386.

service, and therefore I complied. I am, my Lord, with the truest esteem and respect,

Your lordship's most obedient servant,

JON. SWIFT.

TO MRS. DINGLEY.*

Wednesday, August 29, 1733.

IF you are disposed to be easy and cheerful, I will send something for dinner to your lodgings, and eat it with you and Mrs. Ridgeway; † with a

* The Dean used constantly to visit Mrs. Dingley; but in such a manner, as to prevent her being at any expense in providing entertainments.-F.

† Mrs. Dingley's lodgings were in Grafton Street, Dublin, at the house of a daughter of his old housekeeper, Mrs. Brent, wife to an idle spendthrift, one Ridgeway, a cabinet-maker; for the relief of whose necessities she was once about selling an annuity of £20 a-year, that had been bequeathed to her for life by her late mistress, Lady Newtown. The Dean, upon hearing of such a design, commiserated her case, and paid down the sum agreed for as the purchase, retaining it in his own power; then paid the annuity to her every year, as if it had been received from Lady Newtown's executors; and afterwards bequeathed it to her, which she enjoyed till her death, which happened Oct. 16, 1774. For her better encouragement to take more than ordinary care of him in that illness which he always dreaded, and foresaw as plainly as he would a coming shower, he left her £100 more. But, to bind her more strongly to her duty still, after he had settled all his affairs by a last will, he signed a bond and warrant for a farther sum of £300; observing, at the same time, "It may be, the jade will hereafter demand interest upon this bond, though only intended as an additional legacy." Upon which she declared, she never would do so, and wondered that the Dean could suspect her of it. However, his conjecture proved true in the end: for she afterward intermarried with an avaricious man, one Henry Land, (whom the

bottle of wine, and bread. Speak Speak freely, and send me word. But Mrs. Ridgeway shall take all the care upon her. If you do like this proposal, send word. I would dine a little after two.

FROM MR. POPE.

Sept. 1, 1733

I HAVE every day wished to write to you, to say a thousand things; and yet I think I should not have writ to you now, if I was not sick of writing anything, sick of myself, and (what is worse) sick of my friends too. The world is become too busy for me; everybody is so concerned for the public, that all private enjoyments are lost, or disrelished. I write more to shew you I am tired of this life, than to tell you anything relating to it. I live as I did, I think as I did, I love you as I did: but all these are to no purpose: the world will not live, think, or love, as I do. I am troubled for, and vexed at, all my friends by turns. Here are some whom you love, and who love you; yet they receive no proofs of that affection from you, and they give none of it to you. There is a great gulf between. In earnest, I would go a thousand miles by land to see you, but the sea I dread. My ailments are such, that

Dean had formerly appointed sexton of his cathedral, in which office he had acquired some wealth,) who persuaded her, in 1748, to join him in demanding £144 for eight years' interest due on the said bond, which was paid along with the principal by the executors: but she generously remitted a small part, by way of benefaction to the Dean's hospital.

I really believe a sea-sickness (considering the oppression of colical pains, and the great weakness of my breast) would kill me: and if I did not die of that, I must of the excessive eating and drinking of your hospitable town, and the excessive flattery of your most poetical country. I hate to be crammed either way. Let your hungry poets and your rhyming peers digest it, I cannot. I like much better to be abused and half-starved, than to be so overpraised and overfed. Drown Ireland! for having caught you, and for having kept you: I only reserve a little charity for her knowing your value, and esteeming you: you are the only patriot I know, who is not hated for serving his country. The man who drew your character, and printed it here, was not much in the wrong in many things he said of you yet he was a very impertinent fellow, for saying them in words quite different from those you had yourself employed before on the same subject for surely to alter your words is to prejudice them and I have been told, that a man himself can hardly say the same thing twice over with equal happiness nature is so much a better thing than artifice.

I have written nothing this year: it is no affectation to tell you, my mother's loss has turned my frame of thinking. The habit of a whole life is a stronger thing than all the reason in the world. I know I ought to be easy, and to be free; but I am dejected, I am confined: my whole amusement is in reviewing my past life, not in laying plans for my future. I wish you cared as little for popular applause as I :* as little for any nation in contradis

* "The rest of his life," says Johnson, "was spent in Ireland, in a country to which not even power almost despotic, nor flattery almost idolatrous, could reconcile him."

tinction to others, as I; and then I fancy, you that are not afraid of the sea, you that are a stronger man at sixty than ever I was at twenty, would come and see several people who are (at last) like the primitive Christians, of one soul and of one mind. The day is come, which I have often wished, but never thought to see; when every mortal that I esteem is of the same sentiment in politics and in religion.

Adieu. All you love are yours, but all are busy, except (dear Sir) your sincere friend.

FROM MRS. DONELLAN.

London, Sept. 22, 1733.

SIR, KNOWING your great esteem and tenderness for Miss Kelly, and that there is no one whom she has so high an opinion of, or whose advice would sway so much with her, I cannot forbear letting you know my thoughts about her at this time; that I think she wants the assistance and counsel of her best and wisest friend. As she has been so good to distinguish me among her female acquaintance, and to shew more confidence than in any other, I think I can better tell her mind: but, as she has a natural closeness, I judged chiefly by hints; for I believe she does not open herself entirely to any one. health I think in a much worse way than when she came to London: she has still a slow fever, a violent cough, great and almost continual sickness in her stomach, and added to all these, a very great de

*

Her

* Miss Kelly died the last week in October, 1733. See a letter from Mr. Ford, on 6th November.