I was told a week or two ago a confused story of the anatomy lecturer at the college turned out by the provost, and another put in his place. I know not the particulars; but am assured he is blamed for it both by the prince and your grace. I take the provost to be a very honest gentleman, perfectly good-natured, and the least inclined to speak ill of others of almost any person I have known. He has very good intentions; but the defect seems to be, that his views are short, various, and sudden; and I have reason to think, he hardly ever makes use of any other counsellor than himself. I talked to him of this matter since it was done, and I think his answers satisfied me; but I am an ill retainer of facts wherein I have no concern: my humble opinion is, that it would be much to his own ease, and of theirs who dislike him, if he were put into another station; and if you will not afford him a bishoprick, that you will let him succeed some rich country dean. I dare be confident that the provost had no other end in changing that lecturer, than a design of improving anatomy as far as he could; for he would never have made such a step as choosing the prince † chancellor, but from a resolution of keeping as fair as he possibly could with the present powers, in regard both to his ease and his interest; and in hopes of changing a post, wherein, to say the truth, he has been used by judges and governors like any dog, and has suffered more by it in his health and honour, than I, with his patrimonial estate, would think it were worth. Here has been one Whittingham, in an ordination * Dr Pratt, afterwards Dean of Down.-F. + George, Prince of Wales, afterwards King George II.-F. sermon, calling the clergy a thousand dumb dogs, and treating episcopacy as bad as Boyse; * yet no notice at all shall be taken of this, unless to his advantage upon the next vacant bishoprick; and wagers are laid already, whether he or one Monk will be the man. But I forget myself; and therefore shall only add, that I am, with the greatest respect and truth, my Lord, Your grace's most dutiful and most humble servant, &c. SIR, FROM ARCHBISHOP KING. London, Suffolk Street, Nov. 22, 1716. I READ your's of the thirteenth instant with great satisfaction. It is not only an advantage to you and me, that there should be a good correspondence between us, but also the public; and I assure you I had much ado to persuade people here, that we kept any tolerable measures with one another; much less, that there was any thing of a good intelligence and therefore you judged right, that it ought not to be said, that in so many months I nad not received any letter from you. I do a little admire, that those that should be your fastest friends, should be so opposite to acknowledge the service you did in procuring the twentieth parts and first-fruits: I know no reason * An eminent dissenting teacher, minister of Wood Street meeting-house in Dublin, who wrote several tracts in favour of the dissenters. for it, except the zeal I showed to do you justice in that particular from the beginning. But since I only did it, as obliged to bear testimony to the truth, in a matter which I certainly knew, and would have done the same for the worst enemy I had in the world, I see no reason why you should suffer because I, among others, was your witness. But be not concerned, ingratitude is warranted by modern and antient custom: and it is more honour for a man to have it asked, why he had not a suitable return to his merits, than why he was overpaid? Benefacere et malé audire is the lot of the best men. If calumny or ingratitude could have put me out of my way, God knows where I should have wandered by this time. I am glad the business of St Nicholas* is over any way my inclination was Mr Wall; that I might have joined the vicarage of Castleknock to the prebend of Malahidart; which would have made a good provision for one man, served the cures better, and yielded more then to the incumbent, than it can do now when in different hands. But I could not compass it without using more power over my clergy, than I am willing to exert. But as I am thankful to you for your condescension in that affair, so I will expect that those, with whom you have complied, should show their sense of it by a mutual return of the like compliance, when there shall be occasion. Such reciprocal kind offices are the ground of mutual confidence and friendship, and the fuel that keeps them alive and I think no *The-dean and chapter of St Patrick's are the appropriators of that church, and have the right of bestowing the cure on whom they please.-H. thing can contribute more to our common ease, and the public good, than maintaining these between you and me, and with the clergy. We have a strong report, that my Lord Bolingbroke will return here, and be pardoned; certainly it must not be for nothing. I hope he can tell no ill story of you.* I add only my prayers for you, and am, Sir, Your most humble servant, and brother, TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN. MY LORD, Trim, Dec. 16. 1716. I SHOULD be sorry to see my Lord Bolingbroke following the trade of an informer: because he is a person for whom I always had, and still continue, a very great love and esteem. For I think, as the rest of mankind do, that informers are a detestable race of people, although they may be sometimes necessary. Besides, I do not see whom his lordship can inform against, except himself: he was three or four days at the court of France, while he was secretary; and it is barely possible, he might then have entered into some deep negociation with the pretender: although I would not believe him, if he should swear it: because he protested to me, that he never saw him but once: and that was at a great distance, in public, at an opera. As to any * This unbecoming insinuation, the Dean repels with becoming spirit in his answer. others of the ministry at that time, I am confident he cannot accuse them: and that they will appear as innocent with relation to the pretender as any who are now at the helm. And as to myself, if I were of any importance, I should be very easy under such an accusation; much easier, than I am to think your grace imagines me in any danger, or that Lord Bolingbroke should have any ill story to tell of me. He knows, and loves, and thinks too well of me, to be capable of such an action. But I am surprised to think your grace could talk, or act, or correspond with me for some years past: while you must needs believe me 'a most false and vile man; declaring to you on all occasions my abhorrence of the pretender, and yet privately engaged with a ministry to bring him in; and therefore warning me to look to myself, and prepare my defence against a false brother, coming over to discover such secrets as would hang me. Had there been ever the least overture or intent of bringing in the pretender, during my acquaintance with the ministry, I think I must have been very stupid not to have picked out some discoveries or suspicions. And although I am not sure I should have turned informer, yet I am certain I should have dropped some general cautions, and immediately have retired. When people say things were not ripe at the queen's death; they say they know not what. Things were rotten: and had the ministers any such thoughts, they should have begun three years before; and they who say otherwise, understand nothing of the state of the kingdom at that time. But whether I am mistaken or not in other men, I beg your grace to believe, that I am not mistaken in myself. I always professed to be against the pretender; and am so still. and am so still. And this is not to |