not. But indeed I was engaged with my old friend Rollinson.* You never heard of him before.

4. I sometimes look a line or two back, and see plaguy mistakes of the pen; how do you get over them? you are puzzled sometimes. Why, I think what I said to Mr. Secretary was right. Don't you remember how I used to be in pain when Sir William Temple would look cold and out of humour for three or four days, and I used to suspect a hundred reasons? I have plucked up my spirit since then, faith; he spoiled a fine gentleman. I dined with my neighbour Vanhomrigh, and MD, poor MD, at home on a loin of mutton and half a pint of wine, and the mutton was raw, poor Stella could not eat, poor dear rogue, and Dingley was so vexed: but we'll dine at Stoyte's to morrow. Mr. Harley promis ed to see me in a day or two, so I called this evening; but his son and others were abroad, and he asleep, so I came away, and found out Mrs. Vedeau. She drew out a letter from Dingley, and said "she would get a friend to receive the money." I told her, "I would employ Mr. Tooke in it henceforward." Her husband bought a lieutenancy of foot, and is gone to Portugal. He sold his share of the shop to his brother, and put out the mo ney to maintain her, all but what bought the commission. She lodges within two doors of her brother. She told me, "it made her very melancholy to change her manner of life thus, but trade was dead," &c.. She says, she will write to you soon. I design to engage Ben Tooke, and then receive the parchment from her.-1 gave Mr. Dopping a copy of Prior's verses on Mr. Harley, he sent them yesterday to Ireland, so go look for

* William Rollinson, Esq. formerly a wine merchant, settled af terward in Oxfordshire, where he died at a great age, a genteel agreeable man, an old acquaintance of Lord Bolingbroke, and a favourite of Mr. Pope's, who left him five pounds for a ring. N.

them, for I won't be at the trouble to transcribe them here. They will be printed in a day or two. Give my hearty service to Stoyte and Catherine; upon my word I love them dearly, and desire you will tell them so: pray desire goody Stoyte not to let Mrs. Walls and Mrs. Johnson cheat her of her money at ombre, but assure her from me, that she is a bungler. Dine with her to day, and tell her so, and drink my health, and good-voyage, and speedy return, and so you're a rogue.

5. Morning. Now let us proceed to examine a saucy letter from one madam MD.-God Almighty bless poor dear Stella, and send her a great many birthdays, all happy, and healthy, and wealthy, and with me evertogether, and never asunder again, unless by chance. When I find you are happy or merry there, it makes me so here, and I can hardly imagine you absent when I am reading your letter, or writing to you. No faith, you are just here upon this little paper, and therefore I see and talk with you every evening constantly, and sometimes in the morning, but not always in the morning, because that is not so modest to young ladies.— What, you would fain palm a letter upon me more than you sent; and I, like a fool, must look over all yours, to see whether this was really No. 12, or more. Patrick has this moment brought me letters from the bishop of Clogher and Parvisol; my heart was at my mouth for fear of one from MD; what a disgrace would it be to have two of yours to answer together? but faith this shall go to night, for fear, and then come when it will; I defy it. No, you are not naughty at all, write when you are disposed. And so the dean told you the story of Mr. Harley from the archbishop; I warrant it never spoiled your supper, or broke off your game. Nor yet, have not you the box; I wish Mrs. Edgworth had the

But you have it now, I suppose and is the

chocolate good, or has the tobacco spoiled it? Leigh stays till Sterne has done his business, no longer; and when that will be, God knows: I befriend him as much as I can, but Mr. Harley's accident stops that as well as all things else. You guess, madam Dingley, that I shall stay a round twelvemonth; as hope saved, I would come over, if I could, this minute; but we will talk of that by and by. Your affair of Vedeau I have told you of already; now to the next, turn over the leaf. Mrs. Dobbins lies; I have no more provision here or in Ireland than I had. I am pleased that Stella the conjuror approves what I did with Mr. Harley ;* but your generosity makes me mad; I know you repine inwardly at Presto's absence; you think he has broken his word of coming in three months, and that this is always his trick: and now Stella says, she does not see possibly how I can come away in haste, and that MD is satisfied, &c. An't you a rogue to overpower me thus? I did not expect to find such friends as I have done. They may indeed deceive me too. But there are important reasons [Pox on this grease, this candle tallow!] why they should not. I have been used barbarously by the late minis try; I am a little piqued in honour to let people see I am not to be despised. The assurances they give me, without any scruple or provocation, are such as are usually believed in the world; they may come to nothing, but the first opportunity that offers, and is neglected, 1 shall depend no more, but come away. I could say a thousand things on this head, if I were with you. I am thinking why Stella should not go to the Bath, if she be told it will do her good; I will make Parvisol get up

* In relation to the bank-bill; see p. 163. D. S.

Swift was, at that time, their great support and champion. N. And so at last he threatened; or perhaps he never would have got that trifling deanery of St. Patrick's. D. S.

fifty pounds, and pay it you; and you may be good housewives and live cheap there some months, and return in autumn, or visit London, as you please: pray think of it. I writ to Bernage, directed to Curry's; I wish he had the letter. I will send the bohea tea, if I can. The bishop of Kilmore, I don't keep such company; an old dying fool whom I was never with in my life. So I am no godfather; all the better. Pray, Stel la, explain those two words of yours to me, what you mean by Villian and Dainger,* and you, madam Dingley, what is Christianing ?—Lay your letters this way, this way, and the devil a bit of difference between this way and t'other way. No; I'll show you, lay them this way, this way, and not that way, that way.t

You shall have your aprons; and I'll put all your commissions as they come, in a paper together, and don't think I'll forget MD's orders, because they are friends; I'll be as careful as if they were strangers. I know not what to do about this Clements. Walls will not let me say any thing, as if Mr. Pratt was against him; and now the bishop of Clogher has written to me in his behalf. This thing does not rightly fall in my way, and that people never consider: I always give my good offices where they are proper, and that I am judge of; however, I will do what I can. a whig, it will be hard, considering my Lord Anglesea and Hyde are very much otherwise, and you know they have the employment of deputy treasurer. If the frolick should take you of going to the Bath, I here send

But if he has the name of

* It may be somewhat amazing to declare; but Stella, with all her wit and good sense, spelled very ill. And Dr. Swift insisted greatly upon women's spelling well. D. S.

+ The slope of the letters in the words this way, this way, is to the left hand, but the slope of the words that way, that way, is to the right hand. D. S.

you a note on Parvisol; if not, you may tear it, and there's an end. Farewell.

If you have an imagination that the Bath will do you good, I say again, I would have you go; if not, or it be inconvenient, burn this note. Or, if you would go, and not take so much money, take thirty pounds, and I will return you twenty from hence. Do as you please, sirrahs. I suppose it will not be too late for the first season; if it be, I would have you resolve however to go the second season, if the doctors say it will do you good, and you fancy so..

LETTER XX.

London, April 5, 1711.

I PUT my nineteenth in the post-office just now my self, as I came out of the city, where I dined. This rain ruins me in coach hire; I walked away sixpenny worth, and came within a shilling length, and then took a coach, and got a lift back for nothing; and am now busy.

6. Mr. Secretary desired I would see him this morniing, said he had several things to say to me, and said not one: and the duke of Ormond sent to desire I would meet him at Mr. Southwell's by ten this morning too, which I think it was some particular matter. All the Irish in town were there, to consult upon preventing å bill for laying a duty on Irish yarn; so we talked awhile, and then all went to the lobby of the house of commons, to solicit our friends, and the duke came among the rest; and Lord Anglesea* solicited admirably, and I did wonders. But after all the matter was

* Arthur Annesley, who succeeded his brother in title, and in the office of joint treasurer, Sept. 19, 1710. He died in 1737. N.