ferment; and I have reproached myself of ingratitude, when I remembered your kindness in sending me a letter upon the deanery they thought fit to throw me into; to which I am yet a stranger, being forced into the country, in one of my old parishes, to ride about for a little health. I hope to have the honour of asking your lordship's blessing some time in October. In the mean while, I desire your lordship to believe me to be, with very great respect and truth, my lord, your lordship's most dutiful and most humble servant,

J. SWIFT.

Extract from the MS. Diary of Bishop KENNET, in the Library of the Marquis of LANSDOWN.

DR. SWIFT came into the coffeehouse,

"1713. DR.

and had a bow from every body but me.

When I

came to the antichamber to wait before prayers, Dr. Swift was the principal man of talk and business, and acted as a master of requests. He was soliciting the earl of Arran to speak to his brother the duke of Ormond, to get a chaplain's place established in the garrison of Hull for Mr. Fiddes, a clergyman in that neighbourhood, who had lately been in gaol, and published sermons to pay fees. He was promising Mr. Thorold to undertake with my lord treasurer, that, according to his petition, he should obtain a salary of 2001. per annum, as minister of the English + Laracor and Rathbeggin.

See vol. XI, p. 258.

church at Rotterdam. He stopped F. Gwynne, esq., going in with his red bag to the queen, and told him aloud he had something to say to him from my lord treasurer. He talked with the son of Dr. Davenant* to be sent abroad, and took out his pocket book and wrote down several things, as memoranda, to do for him. He turned to the fire, and took out his gold watch, and, telling him the time of the day, complained it was very late. A gentleman said, he was too fast. How can I help it,' says the doctor, if the courtiers give me a watch that won't go ' right?' Then he instructed a young nobleman, that the best poet in England was Mr. Pope (a papist), who had begun a translation of Homer into English verse, for which he must have them all • subscribe;' 'for,' says he, the author shall not begin to print till I have a thousand guineas for him. Lord treasurer, after leaving the queen, came through the room beckoning Dr. Swift to follow him: both went off just before prayers.

"Nov. 3.—I see and hear a great deal to confirm a doubt, that the pretender's interest is much at the bottom of some hearts: a whisper that Mr. N-n (Nelson) had a prime hand in the late book for hereditary right; and that one of them was presented to majesty itself, whom God preserve from the effect of such principles and such intrigues.”

See a letter from Dr. Davenant to Swift, Nov. 3, 1713, vol. XI, p. 292.

TO

TO BISHOP ATTERBURY.

MY LORD,

DUBLIN, MARCH 24, 1715-16.

As much as your lordship's thoughts and time are employed at present, you must give me leave to interrupt them, and, which is worse, for a trifle; though, by the accidents of time and party, of some consequence and great vexation to me. I am here at the head of three and twenty dignitaries and prebendaries, whereof the major part, differing from me in principles, have taken a fancy to oppose me upon all occasions in the chapterhouse; and a ringleader among them has presumed to debate my power of proposing, or my negative, though it is what the deans of this cathedral have possessed for time immemorial, and what has never been once disputed. Our constitution was taken from that of Sarum; and the knowledge of what is practised there in the like case would be of great use to me. I have written this post to Dr. Younger*, to desire he would inform me in this matter; but, having only a slender acquaintance with him, I would beg your lordship to second my request, that the dean would please to let me know the practice of his cathedral, and his power in this point. I would likewise desire your lordship to let me know how it is at Westminster, and the

D. D. of Magdalen College, Oxford. He obtained the deanery of Salisbury in 1705; died Feb. 27, 1727-8, and was buried under the south isle of St. Paul's cathedral, without any

monument.

two other cathedrals with whose customs you may be acquainted.

Pray, my lord, pardon this idle request from one that loves and esteems you, as you know I do. I once thought it would never be my misfortune to entertain you at so scurvy a rate, at least not at so great a distance, or with so much constraint:

"Sis felix, nostrumque leves [I do not like quicunque *] laborem:

66

"Et quo sub cœlo tandem, quibus orbis in oris "Jactemur, doceas†."

The greatest felicity I now have is, that I am utterly ignorant of the most publick events that happen in the world:

"Multa gemens ignominiam plagasque," &c.

I am with the greatest respect and truth, my lord, your lordship's most dutiful and most humble servant,

J. SWIFT §.

* The quæcunque of Virgil was more favourable to the zealous admirers of the memory of queen Anne.

"But tell a stranger, long in tempests toss'd,

"What earth we tread, or who commands the coast." Dryden, Æn. i, 457.

This phrase seems to have been deeply impressed on, the dean's mind. He uses it again, in a letter to Mr. Pope, Oct. 30, 1727; "I forgave sir Robert a thousand pounds, multa gemens." The line above is from Virg. Georg. iii, 226.

Bishop Atterbury's answer to this letter, dated April 6, 1716, is printed in vol. XI, p. 438.

1

ΤΟ

TO BISHOP ATTERBURY.

MY LORD,

APRIL 18, 1716.

I AM extremely obliged to your lordship for the trouble you have given yourself in answering at length a very insignificant letter. I shall entirely follow your lordship's advice, to the best of my skill. Your conjectures from whence my difficulties take their rise are perfectly true. It is all party. But the right is certainly on my side, if there be any thing in constant immemorial custom. Besides, though the first scheme of this cathedral was brought from Sarum, yet, by several subsequent grants, from popes, kings, archbishops, and acts of parliament, the dean has great prerogatives. He visits the chapter as ordinary, and the archbishop only visits by the dean. The dean can suspend and sequester any member, and punishes all crimes except heresy, and one or . two more reserved for the archbishop. No lease can be let without him. He holds a court leet in his dis trict, and is exempt from the lord mayor, &c. No chapter can be called but by him, and he dissolves them at pleasure. He disposes absolutely of the petty canons and vicars choral places. All the dignitaries, &c. swear canonical obedience to him. These circumstances put together, I presume, may alter the case in your lordship's judgment. However, I shall, as your lordship directs me, do my utmost to divert this controversy as much as I can. I must add one thing, that no dignitary can preside

without