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 to be in any danger, or that Lord Bolingbroke should have an 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 even 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 that 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.

And this

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. is not to make my court (which I know is vain), for I own myself full of doubts, fears, and dissatisfactions, which I think on as seldom as I can; yet, if I were of any value, the public may safely rely on my loyalty, because I look upon the coming of the Pretender as a greater evil than any we are likely to suffer under the worst Whig Ministry than can be found.

I have not spoke or thought so much of Party these two

HIS FRIENDSHIP FOR ADDISON.

167

years, nor could anything have tempted me to it, but the grief I have in standing so ill in your Grace's opinion. I beg your Grace's blessing, and am, &c.

TO MR. ADDISON.1

Dublin, July 9, 1717.

I should be much concerned, if I did not think you were a little angry with me for not congratulating you upon being Secretary [of State]. But I choose my time, as I would to visit you, when all your company is gone. I am confident you have given ease of mind to many thousand people, who will never believe any ill can be intended to the Constitution in Church or State, while you are in so high a trust; and I should have been of the same opinion, though I had not the happiness to know you.

I am extremely obliged for your kind remembrance some months ago, by the Bishop of Derry, and for your generous intentions, if you had come to Ireland, to have made party give way to friendship by continuing your acquaintance. I examine my heart, and can find no other reason why I write to you now, besides that great love and esteem I have always had for you. I have nothing to ask you either for any friend or for myself. When I conversed among Ministers, I boasted of your acquaintance, but I feel no vanity from being known to a Secretary of State. I am only a little concerned to see you stand single; for it is a prodigious singularity in any Court to

1 This curious and valuable letter was found among the papers of Mr. Tickell, the poet. There is a very kind letter from Addison, dated March 20, 1717-18.-S.

owe one's rise entirely to merit. I will venture to tell you a secret-that three or four more such choices would gain more hearts in three weeks than all the methods hitherto practised have been able to do in as many years.

It is now time for me to recollect that I am writing to a Secretary of State, who has little time allowed him for trifles. I therefore take my leave, with assurances of being ever, with the truest respect, &c.

To MISS VANHOMRIGH.

May 12, 1719.

On vous a trompé en vous disant que je suis parti pour trois jours. Des affaires assez impertinentes m'ont tirée sitost, et je viens de quitter cette place pour aller voir quelques amis plus loin, purement pour le retablissement de ma santé.

Croyez-moi, s'il y a chose croyable au monde, que je pense tout ce que vous pouvez souhaiter de moy, et que tous vos desirs seront obéi, comme de commandemens qu'il sera impossible de violer. Je prétends de mettre cette lettre dans une ville de poste où je passerai. J'iray en peu de tems visiter un seigneur; mais je ne sçay encore le nom de sa maison, ni du pais où il demeure. Je vous conjure de prendre garde de votre santé. J'espère que vous passerez quelque part de cet été dans votre maison de campagne, et que vous promenerez à cheval autant que vous pouvez. Vous aurez vos vers à revoir quand j'aurai mes pensées et mon tems libre: la Muse viendra. Faites mes complimens à la méchante votre compagnone, qui aime les

EULOGISES MISS VANHOMRIGH.

169 contes et le Latin. J'espère que vos affaires de chicane sont en un bon train.

Je vous fais des complimens sur votre perfection dans la langue Françoise. Il fait vous connoître long-tems de connoître toutes vos perfections. Toujours en vous voyant et entendant, il en paroissent des nouvelles, qui estoient auparavant cachées. Il est honteux pour moy de ne savoir que le Gascon et la patois, au prix de vous. Il n'y rien à redire dans l'orthographie, la propriété, l'élégance, le douceur, et l'esprit, et que je suis sot moi de vous répondre en même langage, vous qui estes incapable d'aucune sottise, si ce n'est l'estime qu'il vous plaît d'avoir pour moy. Car il n'y a point de mérite, ni aucune preuve de mon bon goût, de trouver en vous tout ce que la nature a donnée à un mortel-je veux dire l'honneur, la vertu, le bons sens, l'esprit, la douceur, l'agrémen, et la fermeté d'âme. Mais en Vous cachant, comme vous faites, le monde ne vous connoit pas, et vous perdez l'éloge des millions de gens. Depuis que j'avois l'honneur de vous connoître, j'ay tonjours remarqué que, ni en conversation particulière ni générale, aucun mot a échappé de votre bouche, qui pouvoit être mieux exprimé; et je vous jure, qu'en faisant souvent le plus sevère critique, je ne pouvois jamais trouver aucun defaut en vos actions ni en vos parolles. Le coquetrie, l'affectation, la pruderie sont des imperfections que vous n'avois jamais connu.

Et avec tout cela, croyez-vous qu'il est possible de ne vous estimer au dessus du reste du genre humain? Quelles bestes en jûppes sont les plus excellentes de celles, que je vois semées dans le monde, au prix de vous. En les voyant, en les entendant, je dis cent fois le jour-ne parlez, ne regardez, ne pensez, ne faites rien comme ces misérables.-Sont-ce du même sexe-de même espèce de créatures? Quelle cruauté! de faire mepriser autant de gens qui, sans songer de vous, séroient assez supportables. Mais il est tems de vous délasser, et de vous dire Adieu!

Avec tout le respect, la sincerité, et l'estime de monde, je suis, et seray toujours [à vous].1

TO MISS VANHOMRIGH.

August 7, 1722. 1 am this moment leaving my present residence, and, if I fix anywhere, shall let you know it, for I would fain wait till I got a little good weather for riding and walking, there never having been such a season as this remembered; though I doubt you know nothing of it, but what you learn by sometimes looking out at your back window to call your people.

I had your last, with a splendid account of your law affairs. You were once a better solicitor, when you could contrive to make others desire your consent to an Act of Parliament against their own interest, to advance yours. Yet, at present, you neither want power nor skill; but disdain to exercise either. When you are melancholy, read diverting or amusing books; it is my receipt and seldom fails. Health, good humour, and fortune, are all that is valuable in this life, and the last contributes to the two former. I have not rode, in all, above a poor 400 miles since I saw you, nor do I believe I shall ride above 200

1 Addressed, "For Madame Hester Vanhomri." The style of this French letter ("after the School of Stratford-atte-Bowe") is so hyperbolical, and so different from the somewhat cavalier-manner of his English letters, that we must suppose that the politeness of the language inspired the extravagance of the compliments. If Vanessa were at all accessible to flattery, this letter may have, in some measure, repaid her for some of the vexations which she had to endure.

2 It is worth while to note Swift's use of the two synonyms. Not more than twelve years previously (in the Tatler) he had contemptuously condemned the latter as one of the "new-fangled" words, which were just then being im ported into the language. Diverting and diversion, however, continued to be the usual and fashionable words down to the end of the century.