as I cannot with decency show them, except to a very few, I hope, for both our sakes, others will do it for me. I can only assure you I value your present, as much as either of the others, only you must permit it to be turned into a pen; which office I will perform with my own hand, and never permit any other to use it. I heartily wish you many happy new years; and am, with true esteem, madam, your most obliged friend and servant,

J. SWIFT.

I

FROM MR. ROBERT ARBUTHNOT*.

DEAR SIR,

ROUEN, JAN. 2, 1732-2.

HAVE flattered myself these many years, that vapours or company would have brought you over seas to Spa, or to some such place, and that you would have taken Paris in your way; and so I should have had the pleasure of seeing you in some place of my own, I wonder much that a person of so much good humour can let yourself grow old, or die without seeing some other country than your own. I am not quite so wicked as to wish you any real illness to bring you to us, though I should not be sorry that you thought you had need of change of air. I wish you a happy new year, and many more; and (whatever interest I have against it) good health, and prosperity, and every thing that I can wish to one that I much honour and esteem.

* Mr. Arbuthnot married a widow lady of Suffolk, with 600l. a year. See his character in Mr. Pope's letter to lord Digby, September 1, 1722.

6

I recommend

I recommended to your friendship and acquaintance the bearer, Mr. de la Mar. His brother, now dead, has been with you in Ireland: and this gentleman deserves from me all the kindness my friends can show him. Adieu, dear sir, If I can serve you in any thing, command me always, for I am, with great esteem, your most humble and most obedient servant,

ROB. ARBUTHNOT.

TO LADY BETTY GERMAIN.

MADAM,

JANUARY 8, 1732-3.

ALTHOUGH I have but just received the honour of your ladyship's letter, yet, as things stand, I am determined, against my usual practice, to give you no respite, but to answer it immediately; because you have provoked me with your lady Suffolk. It is six years last spring since I first went to visit my friends in England, after the queen's death. Her present majesty heard of my arrival, and sent at least nine times to command my attendance before I would obey her, for several reasons not hard to guess *; and, among others, because I had heard her character from those who knew her well. and she received me very graciously. I told her the first time, "That I was informed she loved to see "odd persons; and that, having sent for a wild boy "from Germany, she had a curiosity to see a wild

At last I went,

* It should be, "not hard to be guessed."

VOL. XIII.

C

"dean

*

"dean from Ireland." I was not much struck with the honour of being sent for, because I knew the same distinction had been offered to others, with whom it would not give me much pride to be compared. I never went once but upon command; and Mrs. Howard, now lady Suffolk, was usually the person who sent for me, both at Leicester-house and Richmond. Mr. Pope (with whom I lived) and Mr. Gay were then great favourites of Mrs. Howard, especially the latter, who was then one of her ledcaptains. He had wrote a very ingenious book of fables, for the use of her younger son, and she often promised to provide for him. But some time before, there came out a libel against Mr. Walpole, who was informed it was written by Mr. Gay; and although Mr. Walpole owned he was convinced that it was not written by Gay, yet he never would pardon him, but did him a hundred ill offices to the princess. Walpole was at that time very civil to me, and so were all the people in power. He invited me and some of my friends to dine with him at Chelsea. After dinner, I took an occasion to say, what I had observed of princes and great ministers, "That if they heard

an ill thing of a private person, who expected "some favour, although they were afterward con"vinced that the person was innocent, yet they "would never be reconciled." Mr. Walpole knew well enough that I meant Mr. Gay. I afterward said the same thing to the princess, with the same intention and she confessed it a great injustice. But Mr. Walpole gave it another turn: for, he said to some of his friends, and particularly to a lord a

:

* It should be," he had written.”

near

near relation of yours,' "That I had dined with him, "and had been making apologies for myself:" it seems, for my conduct in her late majesty's reign, in which no man was more innocent; and particularly more officious to do good offices to many of that party which was then out of power, as it is well known. Mrs. Howard was then in great favour, and openly protected Mr. Gay; at least, she saw him often, and professed herself his friend: but Mr. Walpole could hardly be persuaded to let him hold a poor little office for a second year, of commissioner to a lottery. When I took my leave of her high, ness, on coming hither, she was very gracious; told me, "The medals she had promised me were not "ready, but she would send them to me." However, by her commands, I sent her some plaids for herself and the princesses, and was too gallant to hear of any offers of payment. Next spring, I came again to England; was received the same way; and as I had many hints given me that the court at Leicester-fields would endeavour to settle me in England (which I did not much regard) the late king died, I went, by Mrs. Howard's orders, to kiss their new majesties hands, and was particularly distinguished by the queen. In a few weeks, the queen said to Mrs. Howard (alluding to one of Mr. Gay's fables) "that she would take up the Hare ;" and bad her to put her in mind, in settling the family, to find some employment for Mr. Gay: but, in the event, it proved only an offer to be a gentlemanusher to a girl of two years old, which all his friends (and I among the rest) advised him not to accept ; and accordingly he excused himself with the utmost

my

respect. This I, and every body else were sure must have been a management of Mr. Walpole. As to myself, in a few weeks after the king's death, I found myself not well; and was resolved to take a step to Paris for my health, having an opportunity of doing it with some advantages and recommendations. But friends advised me first to consult Mrs. Howard; because, as they knew less of courts than I, they were strongly possessed that the promise made me might succeed, since a change was all I desired. I writ to her for her opinion; and particularly conjured her," since I had long done with courts, not to use " me like a courtier, but give me her sincere ad"vice;" which she did, both in a letter, and to some friends. It was, 66 by all means not to go: it "would look singular, and perhaps disaffected;" and, to my friends, enlarged upon the good intentions of the court toward me. I staid; my health grew worse: I left Mr. Pope's house; went to a private lodging near Hammersmith: and, continuing ill, I writ to Mrs. Howard, with my duty to the queen, took coach for Chester, recovered in my journey, and came over hither: where although I have ever since lived in obscurity, yet I have the misfortune, without any grounds, except misinformation, to lie under her majesty's displeasure, as I have been assured by more than two honourable persons of both sexes; and Mr. Gay is in the same condition. For these reasons, as I did always, so I do still think Mrs. Howard, now my lady Suffolk, to be an absolute courtier. Let her show you the character I writ of her, and whereof no one else has a copy; and I take Mr. Pope and Mr. Gay, whọ judge