the country these two years, very ill in his health, and has not for many months been out of his chamber; yet what you observe of him is so true, that his sickness is all counted for policy, that he will not come up, till the public distractions force somebody or other (whom God knows,) who will oblige somebody else to send for him in open triumph, and set him in statu quo prius. That, in the meantime, he has foreseen all that has happened; checkmated all the ministry; and to divert himself at his leisure hours, he has laid all those line twigs for his neighbour Coningsby, that keep that precious bird in the cage, out of which himself slipped so cunningly and easily.

Things, and the way of men's judging them, vary so much here, that it is impossible to give you any just account of some of our friends' actions. Roffen* is more than suspected to have given up his party, as Sancho did his subjects, for so much a head, l'un portant l'autre. His cause, therefore, whch is something originally like that of Lutrin, is opposed or neglected by his ancient friends, and openly sustained by the ministry. He cannot be lower in the opinion of most men than he is; and I wish our friend Harcourt were higher than he is.

Our young Harley's vice is no more covetousness, than plainness of speech is that of his cousin Tom. His lordship is really amabilis; and Lady Harriette,

adoranda.

I tell you no news, but that the whole is a com

* Dr Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester. Far from having deserted to the Whigs, as Prior's suspicions would seem to imply, it appeared soon afterwards that he had gone a step beyond To ryism, and espoused the cause of the Pretender.

plication of mistakes in policy, and of knavery in the execution of it: of the ministers I speak, for the most part as well ecclesiastical as civil. This is all the truth I can tell you, except one, which I am sure you receive very kindly, that I am ever

Your friend and your servant,

M. PRIOR.

Friend Shelton, commonly called Dear Dick, is We drink your health. Adieu.

with me.

TO [STELLA] MRS JOHNSON.*

Deanery-House,

Sunday Morning, April 30, 1721.

JACK GRATTAN said nothing to me of it till last night; it is none of my fault: how did I know but you were to dine abroad? You should have sent your messenger sooner; yes, I think the dinner you provided for yourselves may do well enough here, but pray send it soon. I wish you would give a body more early warning; but you must blame yourselves. Delany says he will come in the evening; and, for aught I know, Sheridan may be here at dinner which of you was it that undertook this frolic? Your letter hardly explained your meaning, but at last I found it. Pray do not serve me these tricks often. You may be sure if there be a good bottle you shall have it. I am sure I never refused you, and therefore that reflection might have

* Indorsed by Mrs Johnson, "An answer to no letter."

been spared. Pray be more positive in your answer to this.

Margoose,* and not Mergoose: it is spelt with an. a, simpleton.

No, I am pretty well after my walk. I am glad the archdeacon† got home safe, and I hope you took care of him. It was his own fault; how could I know where he was? and he could have easily overtaken me; for I walked softly on purpose; I told Delany I would.

TO THE REV. MR WALLIS.+

Dublin, May 18, 1721.

SIR, I HAD your letter, and the copy of the bishop's circular enclosed, for which I thank you; and yet I will not pretend to know any thing of it, and hope you have not told any body what you did. I' Ι should be glad enough to be at the visitation, not out of any love to the business of the person, but to do my part in preventing any mischief. But

in truth my health will not suffer it; and you, who are to be my proxy, may safely give it upon your veracity. I am confident the bishop would

Chateau Margoux, a sort of claret so called. The Dean's spelling is not more correct than Stella's.

+ Archdeacon Walls.

This letter and the following respect the right of the Bishop of Meath to enforce the Dean of St Patrick's personal attendance at his visitation. See Swift's letter to that bishop upon the same subject, 22d May 1719.

not be dissatisfied with wanting my company, and yet he may give himself airs when he finds I am not there. I now employ myself in getting you a companion to cure your spleen. I am,

Your faithful humble servant,

J. S.

TO THE BISHOP OF MEATH.

July 5, 1721.

MY LORD, I HAVE received an account of your lordship' refusing to admit my proxy at your visitation,* with several circumstances of personal reflections on myself, although my proxy attested my want of health; to confirm which, and to lay before you the justice and christianity of your proceeding, above a hundred persons of quality and distinction can witness, that since Friday the 26th of May, I have been tormented with an ague, in as violent a manner as possible, which still continues, and forces me to make use of another hand in writing to you. At the same time, I must be plain to tell you, that if this accident had not happened, I should have used all endeavours to avoid your visitation, upon the public promise I made you three years ago, and the motives which occasioned it; because I was unwilling to hear any more very injurious treatment and appellations given to my brethren, or myself; and by the grace of God, I am still determined to absent myself on the like occasion, as far as I can

* See the preceding letter to Mr Wallis.

possibly be dispensed with by any law, while your lordship is in that diocese, and I a member of it: In which resolution I could not conceive but your lordship would be easy; because, although my presence might possibly contribute to your real (at least future) interest, I was sure it could not to your present satisfaction.

If I had had the happiness to have been acquainted with any one clergyman in the diocese, of your lordship's principles, I should have desired him to represent me, with hopes of better success: but I wish you would sometimes think it convenient to distinguish men, as well as principles; and not to look upon every person, who happens to owe you canonical obedience, as if

*

I have the honour to be ordinary over a considerable number of as eminent divines as any in this kingdom, who owe me the same obedience as I owe to your lordship, and are equally bound to attend my visitation; yet neither I, nor any of my predecessors, to my knowledge, did ever refuse a regular proxy.

I am only sorry that you, who are of a country famed for good nature, have found a way to unite the hasty passion of your own countrymen,* with the long, sedate resentment of a Spaniard: but I have an honourable hope, that this proceeding has been more owing to party, than complexion. I am,

My Lord, your lordship's most humble servant.

"He was your lordship's footman," may perhaps be the implied conclusion of the sentence. Swift makes direct use of such an expression in his former letter to the bishop, but here trusts to his apprehension to fill up the blank.

+ The bishop was a Welshman.---D. S.