reports we had of you; for you remember that our newspapers take the privilege of killing all persons they do not like as often as they please. I have had the honour to be decently interred about six times in their weekly memoirs, which I have always read with great satisfaction. I am very well satisfied with your character of Mr. Dunkin, and desire that he would immediately draw up a petition in form, directed to the governor, &c. which petition I desire that you only would underwrite, with your recommendation, and a character of him; which you will please to send to me, to be made use of at my discretion. He need not come over, but inform me, as soon as possible, of Dr. Squire's death. I have made your compliments to lord and lady Oxford, who are both well, and rejoiced to hear of your health. They give you their thanks for your remembrance, and are your faithful friends. His lordship is very well pleased with your present of the medals*, and desires you would send them by the first safe hand that comes over. Is it not shocking that that noble lord, who has no vices (except buying manuscripts and curiosities may be called so) has not a guinea in his pocket, and is selling a great part of his estate to pay his debts? and that estate of his produces near 20000l. a year. I Alluding to sonie medals and other curiosities which had been purchased at Rome by captain Bernage, and sent to the dean as a present. This gentleman, who had been educated in the university of Dublin, obtained, at Dr. Swift's recommendation, an ensign's commission from the earl of Pembroke when lord lieutenant. He was afterward made a captain; but was disbanded at the peace of Utrecht. See also the Journal to Stella, February 10, 1710-11; and April 19, 1711. say, is it not shocking! But indeed most of our nobility with great estates are in the same way. My lord Burlington is now selling, in one article, 9000l. a year in Ireland, for 2000001. which wont pay his debts. Dr. Mead is proud of your compliments*, and returns his thanks and service. Mr. Lewis I have not seen, but hear he is pretty well. Mr. Ford, I am told, is the most regular man living; for from his lodgings to the Mall-to the Cocoa-to the tavern-to bed, is his constant course. These cold winds of late have affected me; but as the warm weather is coming on, I hope to be better than I am, though, I thank God, I am now in better health than I have been in for many years. Among the other blessings I enjoy, I am of a cheerful disposition, and I laugh, and am laughed at in my turn, which helps off the tedious hours. I hope the spring will have a good effect upon you, and will help your hearing and other infirmities, and that I shall have the pleasure to hear so from your own hand. You will please to observe that I am proud of every occasion of showing my gratitude to you, sir, to whom I must ever own the greatest obligations. Pray God bless you and preserve you, and believe me always, dear sir, your most faithful and most obedient humble servant, JOHN BARBER. * The dean had made Dr. Mead a present of his works. FROM DR. KING TO DEANE SWIFT, ESQ.* SIR, ST. MARY HALL, OXON, I DID not receive your letter of the 4th till yesterday. It was sent after me to London, and from thence returned to Oxford. I am much concerned that I cannot see you before you go to Ireland, because I intended to have sent by you a packet for the dean. It has been no fault of mine that he has not heard from me. I have written two letters for him (both enclosed to Mrs. Whiteway) since I received the manuscript from lord Orrery. I wrote again to Mrs. Whiteway, when I was last week in London, to acquaint her, that I would write to the dean by a friend of mine, who is going for Ireland in a few days. I do not wonder my letters by the post have been intercepted, since they wholly related to the publication of†, which, I am assured, is a matter by no means agreeable to some of our great men, nor indeed to some of the dean's particular friends in London. In short, I have been obliged to defer this publication till I can have the dean's answer to satisfy the objections which have been made by some of his friends. I had likewise a particular reason of my own for deferring this work a few months, which I have acquainted the dean with. * Then at Monmouth. Dr. Swift's History of the Four Last Years of Q. Anne. you I must beg the favour of you to leave behind the copy of The Toast, at least to show it to nobody in Ireland: for as I am upon the point of accommodating my suit, the publication of the book would greatly prejudice my affairs at this juncture. But this is a caution I believe I needed not have given you. Your friends in the Hall are all well. We are full. now very Believe me to be, sir, your most affectionate and most humble servant, WILLIAM KING. Notwithstanding your letter, I am still in some hopes of seeing you before you go for Ireland. FROM MR.POPE TO THE EARLOFORRERY. APRIL 2, 1738. I WRITE by the same post that I received your very obliging letter. The consideration you show toward me, in the just apprehension that any news of the dean's condition might alarm me, is most kind and generous. The very last post I writ to him a long letter, little suspecting him in that dangerous circumstance. I was so far from fearing his health, that I was proposing schemes, and hoping possibilities for our meeting once more in this world. I am weary of it; and shall have one reason more, and one of the strongest that nature can give me (even when she is shaking my weak frame to pieces) to be willing to leave this world, when our dear friend is on the edge of the other. Yet I hope, I would fain hope, he may yet hover a while on the brink of it, to preserve to this wretched age a relick and example of the last. DR. KING TO DEANE SWIFT, ESQ. DEAR SIR, ST. MARY HALL, OXON, I HAVE just received your letter by Mr. Birt, for which I thank you. It is now more than a month since I wrote to Mrs. Whiteway, to acquaint the dean with the difficulties I met with in regard to the publication of his history, and to desire his advice and directions in what manner I should proceed. I have not yet had any answer; and till I receive one, I can do nothing more. may probably hear from Ireland before you leave Monmouth; in which case I may trouble a packet. I you with I am pretty much of your opinion about the old poets, and perhaps may confirm you in your whimsies (as you call them) when I have the pleasure of seeing you here again. I heartily wish you a good journey and voyage: but methinks I can hardly excuse you for having been so long absent from us. I wish you had returned to this place, though for one week; because I might have talked over with you all |