curates, for thirty years; which has been a great discouragement to others, who have no other means left to provide for their children. Your grace will not want opportunities, while you continue in this government, and by your most deserved favour with his majesty, to make Dr. Whetcombe easier in his preferment, by some addition that no person or society can have the least pretence to complain of. And I humbly beg your grace, out of the high veneration I bear to your person and virtues, that you will please to let Dr. Whetcombe content himself for a while with that rich preferment, (one of the best in the kingdom,) until it shall lie in your way farther to promote him to his own content. If, upon his admittance to his fellowship, he took an oath never to accept a church living thus circumstantiated, and hold it with his fellowship, it will be thought hardly reconcilable to conscience to receive a dispensation.* I humbly entreat your grace to forgive this long trouble I have given you; wherein I have no sort of interest, except that which proceeds from an earnest desire that your grace may continue, as you have begun from your youth, without incurring the least censure from the world, or giving the least cause of discontent to any deserving person. I am, &c. JON. SWIFT. * It appears from a subsequent letter of the Dean, that this dissuasive had its effect upon the Duke of Dorset, and that the dispensation was not granted. Neither did Dr. Whetcombe long lack farther preferment, being created Bishop of Clonfert, 23d December, 1735, and translated to the Archbishopric of Cashel in 1752. He died 1754. FROM MRS. DONNELLAN. London, Jan. 19, 1734-5. SIR, My brother tells me you are so good to inquire after me and to speak in a very kind manner of me, which as it gives me the greatest pleasure, so it raises in me the highest gratitude. I find I have a great advantage in being very inconsiderable; I dare believe people sincere when they profess themselves my friends; I consider I am not a wit, a beauty, nor a fortune; then why should I be flattered? I have but two or three qualities that I value myself upon, and those are so much out of fashion, that I make no parade of them: I am very sincere, I endeavour to be grateful, and I have just sense enough to discern superior merit, and to be delighted with the least approbation from it. My brother, some time ago, gave me hopes of receiving a letter from you, but he now tells me your ill state of health has made writing uneasy to you. I grieve much at my loss, but more at the occasion of it; and I write now only to return my best thanks for your good opinion and designs, not to solicit new favours or give you the trouble of answering this. I hope next summer to be in Ireland, where I shall expect to receive your answer in person, when the sun, with its usual blessings, shall give us this additional one of restoring you to that state of health, that all those who have the happiness of knowing you, either as a friend and companion, or lover of your country, must with the greatest earnestness desire. You will laugh perhaps, sir, at my saying I hope to see Ireland this year; indeed, the generality of our country folks who spend a little time here, and get into any tolerable acquaintance, seem to forget they have any other country, till a knavish receiver, or their breaking tenants, put them in mind of it; but I assure you I have so little of the fine lady in me, that I prefer a sociable evening in Dublin, to all the diversions of London, and the conversation of an ingenious friend, though in a black gown, to all the powdered toupets at St. James's. What has kept me seven years in London, is the duty I owe a very good mother, of giving her my company since she desires it, and the conveniency I enjoy with her of a house, coach, and servants, at my command. I suppose, sir, you know Mrs. Pendarves has been for some time at Gloucester: she has preferred a pious visit to a sick mother, in a dull country town, to London in its gayest dress; she tells me she designs next month to return to us; the only uneasiness I shall have in leaving London is the parting with so valuable and tender a friend; but as she promises me, that if I stay in Ireland she will make it another visit, I think, for the good of my country I must leave her. But while I am indulging myself in telling you my thoughts and designs, I should consider I am perhaps making you a troublesome or unseasonable visit; if so, use me as all impertinent things should be used; take no notice of me all I designed in writing to you, was to let you know the high sense I have of all your favours, and that I am, with the greatest gratitude and esteem, Sir, Your most obliged obedient humble servant, I beg you will be so good to give my best wishes and services to Dr. Delany and Dr. Helsham. FROM AN UNKNOWN GENTLEMAN.* REV. SIR, Jan. 21, 1734-5 THIS letter is not to return you country thanks for your royal bounty to the army of Parnassus. Everybody knows that Lewis the Fourteenth built and endowed the noblest foundation in the world for his invalids; we in imitation have our Greenwich, Chelsea, and Kilmainham; and it was but fit that the king of poets should provide for his jingling subjects, that are so maimed and wounded in reputation, they have no other way of subsistence.t The occasion of this is as follows: This evening two learned gentleman (for aught I know) laid a wager on the matter following, and referred it to you to decide; viz., whether Homer or Tacitus deserves most praise on the following account: Homer makes Helen give a character of the men of gallantry and courage upon the wall; but, as if it were not a fine lady's province to describe wisdom in Ulysses, the hero of his second poem, he makes Antenor, the wisest of all Troy, interrupt her. The passage in Tacitus is as follows, viz., On this year died Junia, being the sixtieth after the Philippi battle, wife to Cassius, sister to Brutus, niece to Cato; the images of twenty houses were carried before her, &c. Sed præfulgebant Brutus et Cassius, eo ipso, quod imagines eorum non visebantur. These gentlemen * This letter is indorsed, "Whimsical, and little in it.”—D. S. †The writer seems to allude to Swift's then designed hospital for idiots and lunatics.-D. S. beg they may not have apartments assigned them in your observatory. Your most obedient humble servant, T. L. P. Be pleased to direct to the Reverend Mr. Birch at Roscrea. FROM LADY BETTY GERMAIN. February 13, 1734-5. You are a fine gentleman indeed, to teach his grace of Dorset such saucy words; and we have quarrelled so much about it, that I do not know but I shall oblige him to meet me behind Montaguehouse. He says it is some time ago that he commanded me to write to you, to assure you he thought himself very much obliged to you for your letter, and that he takes it as a proof of your friendship and good-will to him. So far I own is true; he did humbly beg the favour of me to write you this a great while ago; but I understood he had something else more to say, so delayed writing; and though I cannot but own I have seen him pretty often since, yet (at the times I could speak to him) my addle head constantly forgot to ask him what he had to say. So now he says he will do his own business, and write to you soon himself. The countess has quitted the court, because, after a long illness at Bath, she did not meet with * The Countess of Suffolk.-H. |