where your health is never omitted, both as dean and drapier-I forgot to tell you that there is a drapier's club fixed in Cavan of about thirty good fighting fellows; from whence I remark you have the heart of Ireland. Vid. Grierson's new map.There is another Cavan Bayl for you.

I have no more to trouble you with, but my good wishes for your long health and happiness. I am, dear sir, your most obedient humble servant,

key of

THOMAS SHERIDAN.

If you go out of town before I return, leave the your strong box with Jane *, that I may put my money among yours.

FROM AN UNKNOWN GENTLEMAN †.

REV. SIR,

JAN. 21, 1734-5.

THIS letter is not to return you country thanks for your royal bounty to the army of Parnassus. Every body knows that Lewis the 14th built and endowed the noblest foundation in the world for his invalides; we in imitation have our Greenwich, Chelsea, and Killmainham; and it was but fit that the king of poets should provide for his jingling subjects, that are so maimed and wounded in reputation, they have

* Dr. Swift's cookmaid.

This letter is endorsed, "whimsical, and little in it."

no

The occasion of

no other way of subsistence *. this is as follows: This evening two learned gentlemen (for aught I know) laid a wager on the matter following, and referred it to you to decide; viz. Whether Homer or Tacitus deserves most praise on the following account; Homer makes Helen give a character of the men of gallantry and courage upon the wall; but, as if it were not a fine lady's province to describe wisdom in Ulysses, the hero of his second poem, he makes Antenor, the wisest of all Troy, interrupt her. The passage in Tacitus is as follows, viz. On this year died Junia, being the sixtieth after the Philippi battle, wife to Cassius, sister to Brutus, niece to Cato, the images of twenty' houses were carried before her, &c. Sed præfulge bant Brutus & Cassius, eo ipso quod imagines eorum non visebantur. These gentlemen beg they may not have apartments assigned them in your observatory. Your most obedient humble servant.

T. L. P.

Be pleased to direct to the reverend Mr. Birch at Roscrea.

* The writer seems to allude to Swift's then designed hospital for idiots and lunaticks.

FROM DR. SHERIDAN.

DEAR SIR,

APRIL 5, 1735.

MRS. Perott has this instant invited my two eldest daughters to her house till such time as I may be settled at Cavan, She is a lady the best housewife in Ireland, and of the best temper I ever knew. Here daughters are formed by her example, so that it is impossible to place them where they will have a better opportunity of learning what may be hereafter of real advantage to them. Dear sir, I shall impatiently wait your advice; for my affairs here require a longer attendance than I expected. You will be so good as to let me know from Mr. Lingen whether the duke of Dorset's letter be come in answer to the lords justices, that I may hurry to Dublin; for people are here impatient at having their children so long idle. I am apt to believe that if you put this matter in what light you think proper to the lord chancellor, he will not insist upon a punctilio, which may prove a great loss to me. The bishop of Killmore can produce a letter I think sufficient to justify their excellencies the lords justices in granting us patents.

A

I wish you long health and happiness, and shall, dear sir, ever have a grateful sense of your friendship, and be with all respect, your most obedient and very humble servant,

THOMAS SHERIDAN.

One of the secretaries to the lords justices.

FROM

FROM LORD OXFORD.

GOOD MR. DEAN,

DOVER STREET, JUNE 19, 1735.

I COULD not suffer Mr. Jebb to pass into Ireland without giving you the trouble of reading a few lines from your humble servant, to inquire how you do, and to return you many thanks for your kind remembrances of me in your letters to my good friend Mr. Pope. I am much concerned for the account you' give in your late letter to him of the state of your own health. I should think that the change of air, and seeing some of your remaining friends you have left in this island, would be of service to you at least to entertain and amuse you: as for any other agreeable view I cannot pretend to flatter you so far as that you must expect any; that is over, as I believe you know very well; but as I know you to be a truly good natured man, I hope you will come over; for I assure you it will be an infinite satisfaction and pleasure to your friends to embrace you here. If this motive will not do, I do not know what argument to make use of.

I troubled you last year with an account of the disposal of my daughter: it has in every point answered our expectations and wishes. I was in hopes I should have been able to have given you an account that my daughter was safely brought to bed: we expect it every day. My wife is pretty well; desires your acceptance of her humble service: she,

among others, would be very glad to see you here. My uncle, the auditor, is in a very ill state of health : I am afraid he cannot last very long: his son has, this spring, put to Westminster school two sons; he has three more and a daughter. Mr. Thomas Harley has had the gout; but he is better, and is at his seat in Herefordshire. The duke of Leeds is returned from his travels a fine gentleman, and has imported none of the fopperies and fooleries of the countries he has passed through. My nephew Robert Hay travelled with the duke, and is come home untainted, but much improved: he is returned to Oxford to follow his studies: he designs for holy orders. My two youngest nephews are still at Westminster school. Lord Dupplin has not yet got an employment; but lives upon hopes and promises. My sister lives in Yorkshire with her daughters, as well as she can, considering the times, &c. &c. Now I ask your pardon, dear sir, for saying so much of family affairs; but as you are a good man, and have always wished my family well, I have ventured to be thus impertinent to give you the state of it. Master Pope is pretty well he is under persecution from Curll, who has by some means, (wicked ones most certainly) got hold of some of Pope's private letters, which he has printed, and threatens more, We are in so free a state, that there is no remedy against these evils.

It is now time to release you from this dull paper: but I must assure you, what I hope you know already, that I am, with true respect and esteem, sir, your most obliged and most faithful humble servant,

OXFORD.

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