Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

humour of scribbling, to make my letter at least as long as one of your sermons; and, if you do not mend, my next shall be as long as one of Dr. Manton's*, who taught my youth to yawn, and prepared me to be a high churchman, that I might never hear him read, nor read him more.

You must know, that I am as busy about my hermitage, which is between the Chateau and the Maison Bourgeoise, as if I was to pass my life in it: and if I could see you now and then, I should be willing enough to do so. I have in my wood the biggest and the clearest spring perhaps in Europe, which forms, before it leaves the park, a more beautiful river than any which flows in Greck or Latin verse. I have a thousand projects about this spring, and among others, one, which will employ some marble. Now marble, you know, makes one think of inscriptions: and if you will correct this, which I have not yet committed to paper, it shall be graved, and help to fill the tablebooks of Spons and Missons + yet to come. "Propter fidem adversus Reginam, et Partes, Intemeratè servatam,

Propter operam in pace generali conciliandâ
Strenuè saltem navatam,

Impotentiâ vesanæ factionis

Solum vertere coactus,

Hic ad aquæ lene caput sacræ
Injuste exulat,

Dulce vivit,

H. De B. An. &c."

Ob were better than propter, but ob operam would

Thomas Manton, D. D, who had been ejected from the rectory of Covent Garden, for nonconformity, after the Restoration. He was a voluminous writer in divinity, and published a large folio volume of sern.ons on the 119th psalm. B.

+ James Spon, M. D., and Maximilian Misson, were two eminent travellers, who have published their travels; in which are inserted many inscriptions. B.

1

never please the ear. In a proper place, before the
front of the house, which I have new built, I have a
mind to inscribe this piece of patchwork :
"Si resipiscat patria, in patriam rediturus ;
Si non resipiscat, ubivis melius quam inter
Tales civis futurus,

Hanc villam instauro et exorno :
Hinc, velut ex portu, alienos casus
Et fortunæ ludum insolentem
Cernere suave est.

Hic, mortem nec appetens nec timens
Innocuis deliciis,

Doctâ quiete,

et

Felicis animi immotâ tranquillitate,
Fruiscor.

Hic mihi vivam quod superest aut exilii,
Aut ævi."

If in a year's time you should find leisure to write to me, send me some mottoes for groves, and streams, aud fine prospects, and retreat, and contempt of grandeur, &c. I have one for my greenhouse, and one for an alley, which leads to my apartment, which are happy enough. The first is Hic ver assiduum, atque alienis mensibus estas. The other is, - fallentis

semita vita.

You see I amuse myself de la bagatelle as much as you; but here lies the difference; your bagatelle leads to something better; as fiddlers flourish carelesly, before they play a fine air. But mine begins, proceeds, and ends in bagatelle. Adieu: it is happy tired.

for you that my hand is

I will take care that you shall have my picture, and I am simple enough to be obliged to you for asking for it. If you do not write to me soon, I hope it will fall down as soon as you have it, and break your head.

FROM THE DUCHESS OF ORMOND.

SIR,

Sept. 1, 1721. I DO not know how to account for your long silence, unless your time has been taken up in making an interest with those in power here, for one of the two archbishopricks, that we heard were void, but I am very glad are not so. Set your heart at rest, for they are promised; and therefore you may as well write to a sister, when next you honour this kingdom with any dispatches, as to any greater people. It is a shame to think how you have neglected those of your own house. I had once determined to write to you no more, since no answer was to be expected; but then revenge came into my head, and I was resolved to tease you, till at last, to be quiet, you will send me some plausible excuse at least, for never inquiring after brother or sister. I wonder when you will be good natured enough to come and see how we do; but Ireland has such powerful charms, that I question whether you would leave it to be one of our archbishops. I was at your brother Arran's a good while this summer, and have been much upon the ramble, or else you would have sooner had these just reproaches from me; whom you have no way of appeasing, but by a letter of at least four sides of paper: though I am so good a Christian, upon this occasion, as to be, notwithstanding all this ill treatment, sir,

*

Your most sincere friend, and humble servant,
M. ORMOND.

* A member of the club of sixteen, H.

[blocks in formation]

DEAR JACK,

Galistown, Sept. 14, 1721. I ANSWERED your letter long ago, and have little to say at present. I shall be in town by the beginning of next month, although a fit of good weather would tempt me a week longer; for I never saw or heard of so long a continuance of bad, which has hindered me from several little rambles I intended; but I row or ride every day, in spite of the rain, in spite of a broken shin, or falling into the lakes, and several other trifling accidents. Pray what have you done with the Litchfield man? Has he mended his voice, or is he content to sit down with his Christchurch * preferment? I doubt Mrs. Brent will be at a loss about her industry book †, for want of a new leaf, with a list drawn of the debtors. I know you are such a bungler you cannot do it, and therefore I desire that you would, in a loose sheet of paper, make a survey list, in your bungling manner, as soon as she wants it, and let that serve till I come. service to Mrs, Worrall. I wonder how you, and she, and your heir, have spent the summer, and how often you have been at Dunleary, and whether you have got her another horse, and whether she hates dying in the country as much as ever. Desire Mrs. Brent, if a messenger goes from hence, to give him my fustian waistcoat, because the mornings grow cold. I havenow and then some threatnings with my head; but have never been absolutely giddy above a minute, and

Present my

* One of the cathedrals in Dublin. F.

The book wherein Mrs. Brent kept the account of the money lent by Dr. Swift to poor industrious tradesmen, in small sums, without interest. F.

Mr. Fairbrother. F.

A village at the seaside near Dublin. F.

cannot complain of my health, I thank God. Pray send them inclosed to the post office. I hear you have let your house to Mrs. Dopping, who will be a good tenant, if she lives. I suppose your new house is finished, and if Mrs. Worral does not air it well, it may get you a new wife, which I would not have you tell her, because it will do the business better than a boat at Dalky *. I hope you have ordered an account of absent vicars, and that their behaviour has not been so bad as usual during my sickness in town; if so, I have but an ill subdean.

I am, sir, your's, &c. P. S. Tell Mrs. Brent, that if Lloyd agrees, I shall be glad one of his hogsheads was left unracked.

MY LORD,

TO ARCHBISHOP KING.

Gallstown, near Kinnegad,
Sept. 28, 1721.

I HAD the honour of your grace's letter of the first instant; and although I thought it my duty to be the last writer in corresponding with your grace, yet I know you are so punctual, that if I should write sooner it would only be the occasion of giving you a new trouble, before it ought in conscience to be put upon you. Besides, I was in some pain that your letter of September 1, was not the first you had writ, because, about ten days after, a friend sent me word, that your grace said you had writ to me six weeks before, and had no answer; whereas I can assure your grace that I received but one from you; nor had I reason to expect it, having not done myself the honour to write to you

*A most delightful island, within six or seven miles of Dublin.

F.

« ZurückWeiter »