at least to serve you; and who, whenever he did write any thing, made it sacred to himself never to fling out the least hint against you.

One thing you are pleased to fix on me, as what you are sure of; that the Examiner had talked after me, when he said, "Mr Addison had bridled you in point of party." I do not read one in six of those papers, nor ever knew he had such a passage; and I am so ignorant of this, that I cannot tell what it means: whether, that Mr Addison kept you close to a party, or that he hindered you from writing about party. I never talked or writ to that author in my life; so that he could not have learned it from me. And in short, I solemnly affirm, that with relation to every friend I have, I am as innocent, as it is possible for a human creature to be. And whether you believe me or not, I think, with submission, you ought to act as if you believed me, till you have demonstration to the contrary. I have all the ministry to be my witnesses, that there is hardly a man of wit of the adverse party, whom I have not been so bold as to recommend often and with earnestness to them: for, I think, principles at present are quite out of the case, and that we dispute wholly about persons. In these last you and I differ; but in the other I think, we agree: for I have in print professed myself in politics, to be what we formerly called a whig.

As to the great man whose defence you undertake; though I do not think so well of him as you do, yet I have been the cause of preventing five hundred hard things being said against him.

*The Duke of Marlborough.-D. S.

I am sensible I have talked too much when myself is the subject: therefore 1 conclude with sincere wishes for your health and prosperity, and am, Sir,

Your's, &c.

JON. SWIFT.

You cannot but remember, that in the only thing I ever published with my name, I took care to celebrate you as much as I could, and in as handsome a manner, though it was in a letter to the present lord-treasurer. *

FROM ERASMUS LEWIS, ESQ. †

Whitehall, June 2, 1713.

I HOPE this will meet you at Chester, and that your passage at sea will be favoured with as mild weather as your journey by land has been these two first days. The division yesterday, in the house of lords, was fifty-four against fifty-four. Proxies were called for, and we had seventeen to thirteen. This is the greatest victory we ever had. The Duke of Argyll and the Scotch were against us to a man. Lords Weymouth and Carteret were

66

*Upon correcting, &c. the English tongue, Steele is distin guished as the ingenious gentleman who, for a long time, did thrice a-week divert or instruct the kingdom by his papers," and as an "author who has tried the force and compass of the language with much success." See Vol. IX. p. 358.

+ Secretary to Lord Dartmouth, and member for Lestwithiel.

B.

with them. It was very comical to see the tories, who voted with lord-treasurer against the dissolution of the union, under all the perplexities in the world, lest they should be victorious; and the Scotch, who voted for a bill of dissolution, under agonies lest they themselves should carry the point they pretended to desire. * In all the time I have been conversant in business, I never before observed both sides, at the same time, acting parts which they thought contrary to their interests. Let us hear from you sometimes, and believe there is nobody with more sincerity your's, than, &c.

FROM THE REVEREND MR SHARPE. †

London, June 4, 1713.

REVEREND SIR, I WAS Commanded by his excellency Brigadier Hunter, governor of New-York, to deliver the enclosed with my own hand, had I been so happy, for his service and my own satisfaction, as to have seen you at London. I am persuaded I am persuaded your influ ence here might have contributed to create a better opinion of him, among some leading men in the society for propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, who have been much imposed on by the clamorous memorials of some indiscreet missionaries

* See the introductory notice to "the Public Spirit of the Whigs."

+ Chaplain to Brigadier Hunter, governor of New-York, and mentioned as a very worthy, ingenious, and conscientious clergyman in his letter to Swift, 14th March 1712-13.

abroad. He has the just esteem of two-thirds of the clergy in his government, and the greatest part of the laity, who have either sense, probity, or honour; but his adversaries have made the church's cause a favourable handle for their repeated complaints, which, with the application of their friends here, makes them hopeful of success.

I have been twelve years abroad, in the service of the church in America: the last ten years were in the station of chaplain to her majesty's forces at New-York, where I had the opportunity of being very near to the several governors; and do assure you, that if I had ever observed in him any inclination to weaken the interest of the church there, I could not in conscience offer to excuse him; but he is better known to you, than that I, who am altogether unknown, should presume to give his character.

What I beg leave to entreat of you is, to recommend me in my endeavours for his service, to the advice and assistance of your friends. The perplexity of all his affairs at this time claims the good offices of all that wish him well. If, in favour to his excellency, you are pleased to honour me with the pardon of this, and what return the inclosed may require, direct for me to the care of Mr James Douglas, merchant, in Fen Court, Fenchurch Street, London. I beg leave to subscribe myself, with great respect, reverend Sir,

Your most obedient and most humble servant,

JOHN SHARPE,

TO MISS VANHOMRIGH.*

Laracor, July 8, 1713.

I STAYED but a fortnight in Dublin, very sick; and returned not one visit of a hundred, that were made me; but all to the dean, and none to the doctor. I am riding here for life; and I think I am something better. I hate the thoughts of Dublin, and prefer a field-bed, and an earthen-floor, before the great house there, which they say is mine. I had your last splenetick letter. I told you, when I left England, I would endeavour to forget every thing there, and would write as seldom as I could. I did indeed design one general round of letters to my friends; but my health has not yet suffered me. I design to pass the greatest part of the time I stay in Ireland, here, in the cabin where I am now writing; neither will I leave the kingdom till I am sent for; and if they have no farther service for me, I will never see England again. At my first coming, I thought I should have died with discontent; and was horribly melancholy, while they were installing me, but it begins to wear off, and change to dulness. My river walk is extremely pretty, and my canal in

This is the lady whom the Dean has celebrated by the name of Vanessa. She was the eldest daughter of Bartholomew Vanhomrigh, first a merchant of Amsterdam, and afterward of Dub. lin, who was appointed commissary of the stores by King William, upon. his expedition into Ireland. Her mother was the daughter of Mr Stone, the commissioner, and niece to the ac comptant-general of Ireland.-H.