added too, more understanding and good sense. You see my fortune (as I hope my virtue will) increases by oppression. I go to no courts; I drink no wine; and am calumniated even by ministers of state, and yet am in good spirits. Most of the courtiers, though otherwise my friends, refused to contribute to my undertaking. But the city and the people of England take my part very warmly; and, I am told, the best of the citizens will give me proofs of it by their contributions.

you,

I could talk to you a great deal more, but I am afraid I should write too much for and for myself. I have not writ so much together since my sickness. I cannot omit telling you, that Dr. Arbuthnot's attendance and care of me showed him the

best of friends. Dr. Hollings, though entirely a stranger to me, was joined with him, and used me in the kindest and most handsome manner. Mr. and Mrs. Pulteney were greatly concerned for me, visited me, and showed me the strongest proofs of friendship. When I see you I will tell you of others, as of Mr. Pope, Mrs. Blount, Mr. and Mrs. Rollinson, lord and lady Bolingbroke, &c. I think they are all your friends and well wishers. I hope you will love them the better upon my account; but do not forget Mr. Lewis, nor lord Bathurst, sir William Wyndham, and lord Gower, and lord Oxford among the

number,

X 2

FROM

FROM DR. SWIFT TO MR. GAY *.

DUBLIN, MARCH 19, 1728-9.

I DENY it. I do write to you according to the old stipulation, for, when you kept your old company, when I writ to one, I writ to all. But I am ready to enter into a new bargain since you are got into a new world, and will answer all your letters. You are first to present my most humble respects to the duchess of Queensberry, and let her know that I never dine without thinking of her, although it be with some difficulty that I can obey her when I dine with forks that have but two prongs, and when the sauce is not very consistent. You must likewise tell her grace that she is a general toast among all honest folks here, and particularly at the deanery, even in the face of my whig subjects.-I will leave my money in lord Bathurst's hands, and the management of it (for want of better) in yours and pray keep the interest money in a bag wrapped up by itself, for fear of your own fingers under your carelessness. Mr. Pope talks of you as a perfect stranger; but the different pursuits and manners and interests of life, as fortune has pleased to dispose them, will never suffer those to live together, who, by their inclinations ought never to part. I hope when you are rich enough, you will have some little economy of your own in town

* Found among Mr. Gay's papers, and returned to Dr. Swift by the duke of Queensberry and Mr. Pope.

and country, and be able to give your friend a pint of port; for the domestick season of life will come

I had never much hopes of your vamped play, although Mr. Pope seemed to have, and although it were ever so good: but you should have done like the parsons, and changed your text, I mean your title, and the names of the persons. After all, it was an effect of idleness, for you are in the prime of life, when invention and judgment go together. I wish you had 1001. a year more for horses-I ride and walk whenever good weather invites, and am reputed the best walker in this town and five miles round. I writ lately to Mr. Pope. I wish you had a little village in his neighbourhood; but you are yet too volatile, and any lady with a coach and six horses would carry you to Japan.

FROM DR. ARBUTHNOT.

LONDON, MARCH 19, 1728-9.

THIS is the second or third time, dear sir, that I have writ to you without hearing a word of you, or from you; only, in general, that you are very much out of order; sometimes of your two old complaints, the vertigo and deafness, which I am very sorry for. The gentleman who carries this has come better off than I did imagine: I used my little interest as far as it would go, in his affair. He will be able to give you some account of your friends, many of whom have been in great distress this win

ter. For John Gay, I may say without vanity, owes his life, under God, to the unwearied endeavours and care of your humble servant: for a physician, who had not been passionately his friend, could not have saved him. I had beside my personal concern for him, other motives of my care. He is now become a publick person, a little Sacheverell; and I took the same pleasure in saving him as Radcliffe did in preserving my lord chief justice. Holt's wife, whom he attended out of spite to the husband who wished her dead.

The inoffensive John Gay is now become one of the obstructions to the peace of Europe, the terrour of ministers, the chief author of the Craftsman, and all the seditious pamphlets which have been published against the government. He has got several turned out of their places; the greatest ornament of the court banished from it for his sake; another great lady in danger of being chassée likewise; about seven or eight duchesses pushing forward, like the ancient circumcelliones in the church, who shall suffer martydom upon his account first. He is the darling of the city. If he should travel about the country, he would have hecatombs of roasted oxen sacrificed to him: since he became so conspicuous Will Pulteney hangs his head, to see himself so much outdone in the career of glory. I hope he will get a good deal of money by printing his play; but, I really believe, he would get more by showing his person: and I can assure you, this is the very identical John Gay, whom you formerly knew, and lodged with in Whitehall two years ago. I have been diverting myself with making an extract out of a history, which will be printed in the year 1948.

I

wish I had your assistance to go through with it; for I can assure you, it rises to a very solemn piece of burlesque.

As to the condition of your little club, it is not, quite so desperate as you might imagine; for Mr. Pope is as high in favour, as I am afraid the rest are out of it. The king, upon the perusal of the last edition of his Dunciad, declared he was a very honest man. I did not know till this moment that I had so good an opportunity to send you a letter; and now I know it, I am called away, and am obliged to end with my best wishes and respects, being most sincerely yours, &c.

FROM LADY JOHNSON*..

[MARCH 30, 1729.]

TO THE REV". THE DEAN OF ST. PATRICKS.

HOND SR

I AM a Huckster and Lives in Strand Street & has Dealings with Several familys, a saterday Night a Case of Instruments was sent me in pawn by a Certain person in Marys Street, for two Rowls a print of Butter four Herrings and three Nagins of strong Watters, My foster brother who ply's about that End of the town tells Me, he wanst saw it in your hand, fearing. Hawkins's+ whip I send it to

• Thus endorsed by Dr. Swift; "The best letter I ever read." + It is not unlikely this was a present of a case of instruments from lady Johnson to the doctor.

Hawkins was keeper of Newgate.