of pleasures and delights that one is over-run with in those places, I wonder how any body had health and spirit enough to support them: I am heartily glad she has, and whenever I hear so, I find it contributes to mine. You see I am not free from dependance, though I have less attendance than I had formerly; for a great deal of my own welfare still depends upon hers. Is the widow's house to be disposed of yet? I have not given up my pretensions to the Dean: if it was to be parted with, I wish one of us had it; I hope you wish so too, and that Mrs. Blount and Mrs. Howard wish the same, and for the very same reason that I wish it. All I could hear of you of late hath been by advertisements in newspapers, by which one would think the race of Curlls was multiplied; and by the indignation such fellows show against you, that you have more merit than any body alive could have. Homer himself hath not been worse used by the French. I am to tell you that the duchess makes you her compliments, and is always inclined to like any thing you do; that Mr. Congreve admires, with me, your fortitude, and loves, not envies, your performance; for we are not dunces. Adieu.

LETTER LXXVIII.

MR. POPE TO DR. SWIFT.

Bath, Nov. 12, 1728.

I HAVE past six weeks in quest of health, and found it not; but I found the folly of solicitude about it in a hundred instances; the contrariety of opinions and practices, the inability of physicians, the blind obedience of some patients, and as blind rebellion of others. I believe, at a certain time of life, men are either fools or physicians for themselves, and zealots or divines for themselves.

It was much in my hopes that you intended us a winter's visit, but last week I repented that wish, having been alarmed with a report of your lying ill on the road from Ireland; from which I am just relieved by an assurance that you are still at Sir A--'s* planting and building; two things that

I

envy you for, besides a third, which is the society of a valuable lady. I conclude (though I know nothing of it) that you quarrel with her, and abuse her every day, if she is so. I wonder I hear of no lampoons upon her, either made by yourself, or by others, because you esteem her. I think it a vast pleasure, that whenever two people of merit regard one another, so many scoundrels envy and are angry at them; it is bearing testimony to a

Sir Arthur Acheson's. Swift spent a great part of his time very pleasantly there, and amused the family with idle verses, the most celebrated of which is Hamilton's Bawn. Bowles.

*

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merit they cannot reach; and if you knew the infinite content I have received of late, at the finding yours and my name constantly united in any silly scandal, I think you would go near to sing Io Triumphe! and celebrate my happiness in verse; and, I believe, if you will not, I shall. The inscription to the Dunciad is now printed, and inserted in the poem. Do you care I should say any thing further how much that poem is yours? since certainly without you it had never been.* Would to God we were together for the rest of our lives! The whole weight of scribblers would just serve to find us amusement, and not more. hope you are too well employed to mind them; every stick you plant, and every stone you lay is to some purpose; but the business of such lives as theirs is but to die daily, to labour, and raise nothing. I only wish we could comfort each other under our bodily infirmities, and let those who have so great a mind to have more wit than we, win it and wear it. Give us but ease, health, peace, and fair weather! I think it is the best wish in the world, and you know whose it was. If I lived in Ireland, I fear the wet climate would endanger more than my life; my humour, and health; I am so atmospherical a creature.

I must not omit acquainting you, that what you heard of the words spoken of you in the Drawing

This seems to confirm the story that Swift rescued the Dunciad when Pope had thrown it into the fire, on Swift's last visit to Twickenham.

room, was not true. The sayings of princes are generally as ill related as the sayings of wits. To such reports little of our regard should be given, and less of our conduct influenced by them.

LETTER LXXIX.

DR. SWIFT TO MR. POPE.

Dublin, Feb. 13, 1728-9.

I LIVED very easily in the country: Sir A. is a man of sense, and a scholar, has a good voice, and my lady a better;* she is perfectly well bred, and desirous to improve her understanding, which is very good, but cultivated too much like a fine lady. She was my pupil there, and severely chid when she read wrong: with that, and walking, and making twenty little amusing improvements, and writing family verses of mirth by way of libels on my lady, my time passed very well, and in very great order; infinitely better than here, where I see no creature but my servants and my old Presbyterian housekeeper, denying myself to every body, till I shall recover my ears.

The account of another Lord Lieutenant was only in a common newspaper, when I was in the country; and if it should have happened to be true, I would have desired to have had access to him, as the situation I am in requires. But this

VOL. X.

* Sir Arthur and Lady Acheson.

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renews the grief for the death of our friend Mr. Congreve,* whom I loved from my youth, and who surely, besides his other talents, was a very agreeable companion. He had the misfortune to squander away a very good constitution in his younger days; and I think a man of sense and merit like him, is bound in conscience to preserve his health for the sake of his friends, as well as of him

* He was certainly one of the most polite, pleasing, and wellbred men of all his contemporaries. And it might have been said of him, as of Cowley, "You would not, from his conversation, have known him to be a wit and a poet, it was so unassuming and courteous." Swift had always a great regard and affection for him; and introduced him, though a strenuous Whig, to the favour of Lord Oxford. It is remarkable that, on its first publication, Congreve thought the Tale of a Tub gross and insipid. Swift, in a copy of Verses to Dr. Delany, speaks thus of Congreve's fortune and situation:

"Thus, Congreve spent in writing plays,

And one poor office, half his days:
While Montague, who claim'd his station
To be Mecænas of the nation,

For poets open tables kept,

But ne'er consider'd where they slept:
Himself, as rich as fifty Jews,
Was easy tho' they wanted shoes;
And crazy Congreve scarce could spare
A shilling to discharge his chair;
Till prudence taught him to appeal
From Pæan's fire to party zeal;
Not owing to his happy vein
The fortunes of his latter scene;
Took proper principles to thrive ;

And so might every dunce alive."

This picture is unfair and over-charged; for the honour of Government, Congreve had several good places conferred on him, and enjoyed an affluent income.

Congreve died in January, 1728-9.

Warton.