use of that water to so great a degree, that he can ride, walk, or do any thing as formerly. I leave this to your consideration. Your friends here wish to see you, and none more than myself; but I really do not advise you to such a journey to gratify them or myself; but I am almost confident, it would do you a great deal of good. The dragon is just the old man, when he is roused. He is a little deaf, but has all his other good and bad qualities just as of old. Lord B is much improved in knowledge, manner, and every thing else. The shaver* is an honest friendly man as before; he has a good deal to do to smother his Welsh fire, which, you know, he has in a greater degree than some would imagine. He posts himself a good part of the year in some warm house, wins the ladies money at ombre, and convinces them that they are highly obliged to him. Lord and Lady Masham, Mr. Hill, and Mrs. Hill, often remember you with affection.

As for your humble servant, with a great stone in his right kidney, and a family of men and women to provide for, he is as cheerful as ever. In public affairs, he has kept, as Tacitus says, Medium iter inter vile servitium, et abruptam contumaciam. He never rails at a great man, but to his face; which, I can assure you, he has had both the op

* Erasmus Lewis, Esq. who in Dr. Swift's imitation of Horace, Ep. VII. b. 1. is so called:

"This Lewis is an arrant shaver."

Sir W. Scott.

portunity and license to do. He has some few weak friends, and fewer enemies: if any, he is low enough to be rather despised than pushed at by them. I am faithfully, dear Sir,

Your affectionate humble servant,

J. ARBUTHNOT.

LETTER XLVI.

MR. POPE TO DR. SWIFT.

September 14, 1725.

I NEED not tell you, with what real delight I should have done any thing you desired, and in particular any good offices in my power towards the bearer of your letter, who is this day gone for France. Perhaps it is with poets as with prophets, they are so much better liked in another country than their own, that your gentleman, upon arriving in England, lost his curiosity concerning me. However, had he tried, he had found me his friend; I mean he had found me yours. I am disappointed at not knowing better a man whom you esteem, and comfort myself only with having got a letter from you, with which (after all) I sit down a gainer; since to my great pleasure it confirms my hope of once more seeing you. After so many dispersions and so many divisions, two or three of us may yet be gathered together: not to plot, not

* Dr. James Stopford, an intimate friend and correspondent of Swift; afterwards Bishop of Cloyne.

to contrive silly schemes of ambition, or to vex our own or others' hearts with busy vanities, (such as perhaps at one time of life or other take their tour in every man,) but to divert ourselves, and the world too, if it pleases; or, at worst, to laugh at others as innocently and as unhurtfully as at ourselves. Your Travels* I hear much of; my own, I promise you, shall never more be in a strange land, but a diligent, I hope useful investigation of my own territories. I mean no more translations, but something domestic, fit for my own country, and for my own time.

If you come to us, I will find you elderly ladies enough that can halloo, and two that can nurse, and they are too old and feeble to make too much noise; as you will guess, when I tell you they are my own mother, and my own nurse. I can also help you to a lady who is as deaf, though not so old as yourself; you will be pleased with one another, I will engage, though you do not hear one another; you will converse like spirits, by intuition. What you will most wonder at is, she is considerable at court, yet no party-woman, and lives in court, yet would be easy, and make you easy.†

One of those you mention (and I dare say al

This is the first notice he gives Swift of his great work; and is so obscure a hint, that Swift certainly could not guess at the subject; written 1725.

Warton.

Mrs. Howard.

ways will remember), Dr. Arbuthnot, is at this time ill of a very dangerous distemper, an imposthume in the bowels; which is broke, but the event is very uncertain. Whatever that be (he bids me tell you, and I write this by him) he lives or dies your faithful friend; and one reason he has to desire a little longer life, is the wish to see you once more.

He is gay enough in this circumstance to tell you, he would give you (if he could) such advice as might cure your deafness, but he would not advise you, if you were cured, to quit the pretence of it; because you may by that means hear as much as you will, and answer as little as you please. Believe me Yours, &c.

LETTER XLVII.

DR. SWIFT TO MR. POPE.

September 29, 1725.

I

AM now returning to the noble scene of Dublin, into the grand monde, for fear of burying my parts to signalize myself among curates and vicars, and correct all corruptions crept in relating to the weight of bread and butter, through those dominions where I govern. I have employed my time (besides ditching) in finishing, correcting, amending, and transcribing my Travels,* in four parts com

These Travels and the Tale of a Tub are indisputably the two most capital works of Swift. It is remarkable that he never

plete, newly augmented, and intended for the press when the world shall deserve them, or rather when a printer shall be found brave enough to venture his ears. I like the scheme of our meeting after distresses and dispersions; but the chief end I propose to myself in all my labours, is to vex thé world, rather than divert it; and if I could compass that design without hurting my own person or fortune, I would be the most indefatigable writer you have ever seen, without reading. I am exceedingly pleased that you have done with translations; Lord Treasurer Oxford often lamented that a rascally world should lay you under a necessity of misemploying your genius for so long a time. But since you will now be so much better employed, when you think of the world, give it one lash the more at my request. I have ever hated all nations, professions, and communities; and all my love is towards individuals: for inwould own himself to be the author of the latter; nor is the slightest hint of it to be found in any of his writings. I have very lately been authentically informed, that Swift used to be mortified at Sir William Temple's frequent censure and contempt of burlesque writings; and was much hurt at the last paragraph of Sir William's first Essay in his Miscellanea; where he says: "I wish the vein of ridiculing all that is serious and good, all honour and virtue, as well as learning and piety, may have no worse effect on any state; it is the itch of our age and climate, and has overrun both the court and the stage; enters the House of the Lords and Commons, as boldly as a coffee-house; debates of Council as well as private conversation; and I have known in my life, more than one or two ministers of state, that would rather have said a witty thing, than have done a wise one; and made the company laugh rather than the kingdom rejoice." Warton.