FROM THE EARL OF PETERBOROW.

March 5, 1713-14.

QUERIES FOR DR SWIFT, NEXT SATURDAY, AT DINNER.

*

WHETHER any great man, or minister, has favoured the Earl of Peterborow with one single line since he left England; for, as yet, he has not received one word from any of them, nor his friend of St Patrick's?

Whether, if they do not write till they know what to write, he shall ever hear from them?

Whether any thing can be more unfortunate, than to be overcome when strongest, outwitted having more wit, and baffled having most money

Whether betwixt two stools the bottom goes to the ground (reverend dean) be not a good old proverb, which may give subject for daily meditation and mortification?

I send the lazy scribbler a letter from the extremities of the earth, where I pass my time, admiring the humility and patience of that power heretofore so terrible; and the new scene which we see, to wit, the most Christian king waiting with so much resignation and respect, to know the emperor's pleasure as to peace or war.

Where I reflect with admiration upon the politics of those, who, breaking with the old allies, dare not make use of the new ones; who, pulling down the old rubbish and structure, do not erect a

Endorsed, "Lord Peterborow, abroad on embassies."

new fabric on solid foundations. But this is not so much to the purpose; for, in the world of the moon, provided toasting continue, the church and state can be in no danger.

But, alas! in this unmerry country, where we have time to think, and are under the necessity of thinking, where impiously we make use of reason, without a blind resignation to Providence, the bottle, or chance, what opinion think you we have of the present management in the refined parts of the world, where there are just motives of fear? When neither steadiness nor conduct appears, and when the evil seems to come on apace, can it be believed, that extraordinary remedies are not thought of?

Heavens! what is our fate? What might have been our portion, and what do we see in the age we live in? France and England, the kings of Spain and Sicily, perplexed and confounded by a headstrong youth; * one, who has lost so many kingdoms by pride and folly; and all these powerful nations at a gaze, ignorant of their destiny; not capable of forming a scheme, which they can maintain, against a prince, who has neither ships, money, nor conduct. Some of the ministers assisted and supported with absolute power, others with a parliament at their disposal, and the most inconsiderable of them with the Indies at their tail.

And what do I see in the centre, as it were, of ignorance and bigotry? The first request of a parliament to their king is to employ effectual means against the increase of priests; the idle devourers of the fat of the land. We see churches, shut up

* Charles the Twelfth of Sweden.-H.

by the order of the pope, set open by dragoons, to the general content of the people. To conclude, it fell out, that one of our acquaintance * found himself, at a great table, the only unexcommunicated person by his holiness; the rest of the company eating and toasting, under anathemas, with the courage of a hardened heretic.

Look upon the prose I send you. See, nevertheless, what a sneaking figure he makes at the foot of the parson. Who could expect this from him? But he thinks, resolves, and executes.

If you can guess from whence this comes, address your letter to him, "à Messieurs Raffnel et Fretti Sacerdotti, Genoa."

I HAVE heard, that some honest men, who are very innocent, are under trouble, touching a printed pamphlet. A friend of mine, an obscure person, but charitable, puts the inclosed bill in your hands, to answer such exigencies as their case may immediately require. And I find he will do more, this

*Probably the Rev. Mr George Berkeley, fellow of Dublin college, who went chaplain and secretary to the Earl of Peterborow to Sicily, at the recommendation of Dr Swift.-B.

+ Endorsed, "Lord-Treasurer Oxford's letter to me in a counterfeit hand, with the bill when the printers were prosecuted by the house of lords for a pamphlet. Letter with bill of L. 100, Received March 14, 1713-14."—N.

being only for the present. If this comes safe to your hands, it is enough.

*

TO LORD TREASURER OXFORD. †

March 18, 1713-14.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,

PURSUANT to her majesty's proclamation of the fifteenth of this instant March, for discovering the author of a false, malicious, and factious libel, entitled, "The Public Spirit of the Whigs;" wherein her majesty is graciously pleased to promise a reward of three hundred pounds, to be paid by your lordship, which said discovery I can make. But your lordship, or some persons under your lordship, have got such an ill name in paying such rewards: Instance two poor men, viz. John Greenwood and John Bouch, who took and brought to justice six persons, vulgarly Mohocks; which the said two poor men never received but twenty pounds, and the latter thirty; and they had no partners

* This letter was sent to Dr Swift, when the printer Barber was prosecuted by the house of lords, for "The Public Spirit of the Whigs" a pamphlet written in answer to a tract of Sir Richard Steele's, called the Crisis, and published on the second of March 1713-14. All the Scots lords then in London went to the queen, and complained of the affront put on them and their nation by the author; upon which a proclamation was published by her majesty, offering a reward of L. 300 to discover him.---See p. 382.---H.

+ Endorsed, "A letter to lord-treasurer, offering to discover the author of the pamphlet, called, The Public Spirit of the Whigs'."

concerned with them, as appears by the attorneygeneral's reports to your Lordship; which if I should be so served, to cause any persons to be punished, and be no better rewarded, will be no encouragement for me to do it; for these two poor men being so plain a precedent for me to go by. Your lordship's most humble and most obedient servant, L. M.

HUMOROUS LINES

BY LORD-TREASURER OXFORD,

SENT TO DR SWIFT, DR ARBUTHNOT, MR pope, and MR GAY.

April 14, 1714. Back Stairs, past Eight.

GAY.

In a summons so large, which all clergy contains, I must turn Dismal's * convert, or part with my brains,

Should I scruple to quit the Back-stairs for your blind

ones,

Or refuse your true juncto † for one of-

* Dismal was Lord Nottingham.-H.

+ Dr Swift, Dr Arbuthnot, Mr Pope, and Mr Gay, were writing the history of Martinus Scriblerus; and these four wits in conjunction, are styled by lord-treasurer a juncto.-H.