shall never more be in a strange land, but a diligent, I hope useful, investigation of my own Territories **. I mean no more Tranflations, but fomething do meftic, fit for my own country, and for my own time.

If you come to us, I'll find you elderly Ladies enough that can halloo, and two that can nurfe, and they are too old and feeble to make too much noife; 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, tho' not fo old, as yourself; you'll be pleased with one another, I'll engage, tho' you don't hear one another; you'll converfe like fpirits by intuition. What you'll most wonder at is, fhe is confiderable at Court, yet no party-woman, and lives in Court, yet would be eafy, and make you eafy.

One of those you mention (and I dare fay always will remember) Dr. Arbuthnot, is at this time ill of a very dangerous diftemper, an impofthume 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 defire a little longer life, is the wish to see you once more.

The Effay on Man.

W.

He

* This is the first notice he gives Swift of his great work; and is fo obfcure an hint that Swift certainly could not guess at the fubject, written 1725.

if

He is gay enough in this circumftance to tell you, he wou'd give you (if he could) fuch advice as might cure your deafnefs, but he would not advise you, you were cured, to quit the pretence of it; because you may by that means hear as and answer as little as you please.

much as you will, Believe me

LETTER XI.

FROM DR. SWIFT.

Yours, etc.

September 29, 1725.

AM now returning to the noble scene of Dublin, into the grand Monde, for fear of burying my parts: to fignalize 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 (befides ditching) in finishing, correcting, amending, and tranfcribing my Travels*, in four parts complete, newly augmentéd,

b

b Gulliver's Travels.

W.

* Thefe Travels and the Tale of a Tub are indifputably the two most capital works of Swift. It is remarkable that he never would 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 cenfure and contempt of burlefque writings; and was much hurt at the laft paragraph of Sir

William's

augmented, and intended for the prefs when the world fhall deferve them, or rather when a Printer fhall be found brave enough to venture his ears. I like the scheme of our meeting after diftreffes and difperfions; but the chief end I propose to myself in all my labours, is to vex the world, rather than divert it; and if I could compass that design without hurting my own perfon 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 rafcally world fhould lay you under a neceffity of mifemploying your genius for so long a time. But fince you will now be fo much better employed, when you think of the world, give it one lash the more at my request. I have ever hated all Nations, Profeffions, and Communities; and all my love is towards Individuals: for inftance, I hate the. Tribe of Lawyers, but I love Counsellor Such-a-one, and Judge Such-a-one: 'tis fo with Phyficians, (I will not speak of my own Trade,) Soldiers, English,

Scotch,

William's firft Effay in his Mifcellanea; where he fays, "I wifh the vein of ridiculing all that is ferious and good, all Honour and Virtue, as well as Learning and Piety, may have no worfe effect on any State; 'tis the itch of our age and climate; and has over-run both the Court and the Stage, enters the House of the Lords and Commons, as boldly as a Coffee-houfe; debates of Council as well as private conversation; and I have known in my life, more than one or two minifters of State, that would rather have faid a witty thing, than have done a wife one; and made the Company laugh, rather than the Kingdom rejoice."

Scotch, French, and the reft. But principally I hate and detest that animal called Man*, although I hearti ly love John, Peter, Thomas, and fo forth. This is the fyftem upon which I have governed myself many years, (but do not tell,) and fo I fhall go on till I have done with them. I have got materials towards a Treatife, proving the falfity of that definition Animal rationale, and to fhew it fhould be only rationis capax. Upon this great foundation of Mifanthropy (tho' not in Timon's manner) the whole building of my Travels is erected; and I never will have peace of mind, till all honeft men are of my opinion: by confequence you are to embrace it immediately, and procure that all who deferve my esteem may do fo too. The matter is fo clear, that it will admit of no difpute; nay, I will hold a hundred pounds that you and I agree in the point.

I did not know your Odyffey was finifhed, being yet in the country, which I fhall leave in three days, I thank you kindly for the prefent, but shall like it three-fourths the lefs for the mixture you mention of other hands; however, I am glad you faved yourself fo much drudgery.-I have been long told by Mr. Ford of your great atchievements in building and planting, and especially of your fubterranean paffage

tq

* A fentiment that difhonours him, as a Man, a Chriftian, and a Philofopher! as indeed did his conduct towards Mifs Vanhomrigh, and his cruelty to Mrs. Johnfon: which cannot be paliated nor pardoned.

to your garden, whereby you turned a Blunder into a Beauty, which is a piece of Ars Poetica.

I have almost done with Harridans, and fhall foon become old enough to fall in love with girls of fourteen. The Lady whom you describe to live at Court, to be deaf, and no party-woman, I take to be Mythology, but know not how to moralize it. She cannot be Mercy, for Mercy is neither deaf, nor lives at Court: Justice is blind, and perhaps deaf, but nei ther is fhe a Court-lady: Fortune is both blind and deaf, and a Court-lady, but then fhe is a moft damnable Party-woman, and will never make me eafy, as you promise. It must be Riches, which anfwers all your description: I am glad fhe vifits you, but my voice is fo weak, that I doubt fhe will never hear

me.

Mr. Lewis fent me an account of Dr. Arbuthnot's illness, which is a very fenfible Affliction to me, who by living fo long out of the world, have loft that hardness of heart contracted by years and general conversation. I am daily losing friends, and neither seeking nor getting others. Oh if the world had but a dozen of Arbuthnots in it, I would burn my Travels! But, however, he is not without fault. There is a paffage in Bede, highly commending the piety and learning of the Irish in that age, where after abundance of praises he overthrows them all, by lamenting that, alas! they kept Easter at a wrong time of the year. So our Doctor has every quality and virtue