nefs. Donarem Pateras, etc. Till then I'll drink (or Gay fhall drink) daily healths to you, and I'll add to your infcription the old Roman vow for years to come, VOTIS X. VOTIS XX. My Mother's age gives me authority to hope it for yours.

Adieu.

LETTER XVII.

September 3, 1726.

your

Y OURS to Mr. Gay gave me greater fatisfaction than that to me (though that gave me a great deal); for to hear you were fafe at your journey's end, exceeds the account of your fatigues while in the way to it; otherwise, believe me, every tittle of each is important to me, which fets any one thing before my eyes that happens to you. I writ you a long letter, which I guess reached you the day after arrival. Since then I had a conference with Sir who expressed his defire of having feen you again before you left us. He faid he observed a willingness in live among us; which I did not deny; but at the fame time told him you had no fuch design in your coming this time, which was merely to fee a few of those you loved but that indeed all those wished it, and particularly Lord Peterborow and myself, who wished you loved Ireland lefs, had you any reafon to love England more. I faid nothing but what I

F 4

you to

think

think would induce any man to be as fond of you as I, plain Truth, did they know either it or you. I can't help thinking (when I confider the whole fhort Lift of our friends) that none of them except you and I are qualified for the Mountains of Wales. The Dr. goes to Cards, Gay to Court; one lofes Money, one lofes his time: another of our friends labours to be unambitious, but he labours in an unwilling foil, One Lady you like has too much of France to be fit for Wales: another is too much a subject to Princes and Potentates, to relish that wild Taste of liberty and poverty. Mr. Congreve is too fick to bear a thin air; and fhe* that leads him too rich to enjoy any thing. Lord Peterborow can go to any climate, but never stay in any. Lord Bathurst is too great an husbandman to like barren hills, except they are his own to improve. Mr. Bethel indeed is too good and too honest to live in the world, but yet 'tis fit, for its example, he should. We are left to ourselves in my opinion, and may live where we please, in Wales, Dublin, or Bermudas: and for me, I affure you I love the world fo well, and it loves me fo well, that I care not in what part of it I pafs the reft of my days. I fee no funfhine but in the face of a friend.

I had a glimpse of a letter of yours lately, by which I find you are (like the vulgar) apter to think well of people out of power, than of people in power; perhaps

* The Duchefs of Marlborough,

perhaps 'tis a mistake, but however there's fomething in it generous. Mr. ** take its extreme kindly, I can perceive, and he has a great mind to thank you

for that good opinion, for which I believe he is only to thank his ill fortune: for if I am not in an error, he would rather be in power, than out.

To fhew you how fit I am to live in the mountains, I will with great truth apply to myself an old fentence: "Those that are in, may abide in; and thofe that

66

are out, may abide out: yet to me, thofe that are "in fhall be as those that are out, and those that are .cc out fhall be as those that are in."

I am indifferent as to all thofe matters, but I miss you as much as I did the first day, when (with a short figh) I parted. Wherever you are, (or on the mountains of Wales, or on the coast of Dublin,

Tu mihi, feu magni fuperas jam faxa Timavi,
Sive oram Illyrici legis æquoris,

I am, and ever shall be, Yours, etc.

LETTER XVIII.

MR. GAY TO DR. SWIFT.

November 17, 1726.

BOUT ten days ago a Bock was published here of

AB

the Travels of one Gulliver, which hath been the converfation of the whole town ever fince: the whole impreffion fold in a week; and nothing is more diverting than to hear the different opinions people give of it, though all agree in liking it extremely. 'Tis generally faid that you are the Author: but I am told, the Bookfeller declares, he knows not from what hand it came. From the highest to the lowest it is univerfally read, from the Cabinet-council to the Nursery. The Politicians to a man agree, that it is free from particular reflections, but that the Satire on general focieties of men is too fevere. Not but we now and then meet with people of greater perspicuity, who are in fearch for particular applications in every leaf; and 'tis highly probable we shall have keys published to give light into Gulliver's defign. Lord is the perfon who leaft approves it, blaming it as a defign of evil confequence to depreciate human nature, at which it cannot be wondered that he takes most offence, being himself the most accomplished of his fpecies, and fo lofing more than any other of that praise which is due both to the

dignity and virtue of a man". Your friend, my Lord Harcourt, commends it very much, though he thinks in fome places the matter too far carried. The Duchefs Dowager of Marlborough is in raptures at it; fhe fays fhe can dream of nothing else fince the tread it: fhe declares, that fhe hath now found out that her whole life hath been loft in careffing the worft part of mankind, and treating the best as her foes; and that if she knew Gulliver, tho' he had been the worst enemy fhe ever had, she would give up her prefent acquaintance for his friendship. You may fee by this, that you are not much injured by being fuppofed the Author of this piece. If you are, you have difobliged us, and two or three of your best friends, in not giving us the leaft hint of it while you were with us; and in particular Dr. Arbuthnot, who fays it is ten thousand pities he had not known it, he could have added fuch abundance of things upon every fubject. Among Lady-critics, fome have found out that Mr. Gulliver had a particular malice to Maids of honour. Thofe of them who frequent the Church fay, his defign is impious, and that it is depreciating the works of the Creator. Notwithstanding, I am told the Princess hath read it with great pleasure. As to other Critics, they think the flying iflands is the least entertaining; and fo great an opinion

h It is no wonder a man of real merit fhould condemn a fatire on his fpecies; as it injures Virtue and violates Truth: and, as little, that a corrupt or worthless man should approve fuch a satire, because it justifies his principles and tends to excufe his practice. W.