CONTENTS.

N. B. The Summary of the most im rant off. irs in laft feffion of parliament will be continued
in our Magazine for June.

We have received feme mathematical quefiions, a Latin ede, and other pieces of poetry, which
kall be in ear next.

THE

LONDON MAGAZIN E.

MAY,

A Letter from STAFFORDSHIRE, enclosing a genuine One of Dean SWIFT's when be was but Twenty-five, containing fome remarkable Particulars relating to that Gentheman, whofe Life and Writings bave fo much engaged the Publick Attention.

H

A

1752.

which I have fent you is his anfwer; and
this account I think is neceffary to give
you, by way of key to it. Both the let-
ter and the account came to me from a
fon of Mr. Kendall, who was then my
near neighbour, and had the original in
his poffeffion. The lady, without doubt,
is dead, and every one elfe, in all proba-
bility, that were any ways interested in
the affair. Therefore the publication of
the faid letter (which, from the date of it
appears, at the lateft, to have been writ-
ten nine or ten months before that which
lord Orrery has produced, and, I am apt
to think, from the fame place too, viz.
Moore Park) can have no other effect than
to let the world fee Swift's picture drawn
by himself, and how that wonderful man
thought and wrote in his younger days,
and before his appearance in it as an
author. Perhaps no genuine production
of his, earlier than this, can now be met
with. As to his treatment, indeed, of
the lady, and the place the lived in, no
one, I dare fay, will think it odd, or out
of character, in fuch a man as he after-
wards appeared to be ; and who (as
both lord Orrery and Mrs. Pilkington
have obferved, and, as is fufficiently evi-
dent too from a great part of his writings)
was not over-favourable in his fentiments
of the fair-fex, nor over-complaifant in

GAVING lately read the earl of Orrery's letters, concerning the life and writings of Dr. Swift, and obferving his lordfhip's remarks, in his fecond letter, upon one that the doctor wrote to his uncle, foon after his leaving the univerfity (in which his lordihip fays, we fee nothing of that peculiar turn of phrase that is fo vifible in his other writings; and from whence he seems to infer, that Swift's faculties had not then begun to exert and difplay themfelves) I recollected that I had a letter in my poffeffion of a fomewhat earlier date than that which lord Orrery has published, and withal more C perfect; in which his lordship may fee, that Dr. Swift was much the fame man, with regard to the peculiarity of his turn of fentiment and phrafe, at 25, as he was, when his lordfhip converfed with him, bating his improvements in the after part of his life. The letter, I can affure you, Sir, is genuine, and was carefully tran- D fcribed by myself fome years ago, from the original under the dean's own hand. I find, by lord Orrery's account of him, that he fometimes vifited his mother at Leicester. There, it feems, he had talked to a young lady in a ftrain, which, tho' ufual with him, was thought fomewhat particular by herfelf and her friends. Upon which the gentleman, to whom E A LETTER from Dr. SWIFT, to the

this letter was written, who was Dr. Swift's near relation, and had been with him at the university, was applied to, to write an expoftulatory letter to him on

his behaviour to them; and who, either

in his mirth or his anger, would never
fcruple to treat even kingdoms themselves
with as little ceremony as he here does
the town of Leicester.

I am, Sir, Yours, &c.
J. W.

W -1, Staffordsh. March 11.

Rev. Mr. Kendall, Vicar of Thornton,
in Leicestershire.

SIR,

Feb. 11, 1691.

any thing made me wonder at your

his conduct towards her after his depar-letter, it was your almost inviting

ture from Leicester; to which letter this

May, 1752.

Cc a

me

200

A remarkable LETTER of Dr. SWIFT.

B

me to do fo in the beginning, which in-
deed grew lefs upon knowing the occafi-
on, fince 'tis what I have heard from
more than one in and about Leicester.
And for the friendship between us, as I
fuppofe yours to be real, fo I think it
would be proper to imagine mine, until
you find any caufe to believe it pretended; A
tho' I might have fome quarrel at you in
three or four lines, which are very ill be-
ftowed in complimenting me. And as to
that of my great profpects of making my
fortune, on which, as your kindness on-
ly looks on the beft fide, fo my own cold
temper and unconfined humour is a much
greater hindrance than any fear of that
which is the fubject of your letter. I
fhall fpeak plainly to you, that the very
ordinary obfervations I made, with going
half a mile beyond the university, have
taught me experience enough, not to think
of marriage, till I fettle my fortune in the
world, which I am fure will not be in
fome years. And even then itself, I am
fo hard to pleafe, that I fuppofe I thall C
put it off to the other world. How all
this fuits with my behaviour to the wo-
man in hand you may eafily imagine,
when you know that there is fomething
in me which must be employed; and,
when I am alone, turns all, for want of
practice, into fpeculation and thought;
infomuch that in thefe feven weeks I have
been here, I have writ and burnt, and
writ again, upon almost all manner of
fubjects, more than perhaps any man in
England. And this is it, which a perfon
of great honour in Ireland (who was
pleafed to stoop fo low as to look into
my mind) ufed to tell me, that my mind
was like a conjured fpirit, that would do
mifchief if I would not give it employ- E
nient. 'Tis this humour that makes me
fo bufy when I am in company, to turn
all that way: And fince it commonly
ends in talk, whether it be love or com-
mon converfation, it is all alike. This is
fo common that I could remember 20
women in my life, to whom I behaved
myfclf just the fame way, and, I profefs,
without any other defign, than of enter-
taining myself when I am very idle, or
when fomething goes amifs in my affairs.
This I always have done, as a man of the
world, when I had no design for any thing
grave in it, and what I thought (at worst)
a harmless impertinence. But whenever
I began to take fober refolutions, or (as
now) to think of entering into the church, G
I never found it would be hard to put
off this kind of folly at the porch. Be-
fides, perhaps in fo general a converfati-
on among the fex, I might pretend a
little to understand where am, when I

D

May

go to choose for a wife, and think that
tho' the cunningeft fharper of the town
may have a cheat put upon him, yet it
must be cleanlier carried than this, which
you think I am going to top upon myself.
And truly if you know how metaphyfical
I am that way, you would little fear I
fhould venture on one, who has given fo
much occafion to tongues. For tho' the
people is a lying fort of beaft (and, I
think, in Leicester above all parts that I
ever was in) yet they feldom talk with-
out fome glimpse of a reason; which I
declare (fo unpardonably jealous I am)
to be a fufficient caufe for me to hate any
woman, any farther than a bare acquain-
tance, except all things elfe were agreea-
ble, and that I had mathematical demon-
ftrations for the falfehood of the first,
which if it be not impoflible, I am fure
is very like it. Among all the young
gentlemen that I have known, who have
ruined themselves by marrying, (which,
I affure you, is a great number) I have
made this general rule; that they are ei-
ther young, raw, and ignorant scholars,
who, for want of knowing company, be-
lieve every filk petticoat includes an an-
gel; or elfe they have been a fort of ho-
neft young men, who perhaps are too li-
teral, in rather marrying than burning,
and fo entail miferies on themfelves and
pofterity, by an over-acting modefty. I
think I am very far excluded from light-
ing under either of thefe heads. I confefs
I have known one or two men of fenfe
enough, who, inclined to frolicks, have
married and ruined themselves out of a
maggot. But a thousand houshold thoughts,
which always drive matrimony out of my
mind, whenever it chances to come there,
will, I am fure, fright me from that.
Befides, I am naturally temperate, and
never engaged in the contrary, which u-
fually produces thofe effects. Your hints
at particular ftories I do not understand,
having never heard them, but just fo hint-
ed. I thought it proper to give you this,
to fhew you how I thank you for your
regard of me; and I hope my carriage
will be fo, as my friends need not be
afhamed of the name. I should not have
behaved myself after that manner I did
in Leicester, if I had not valued my own
entertainment beyond the obloquy of a
parcel of very wretched fools, which I
folemnly pronounce the inhabitants of
Leicester to be; and fo I content myself
with retaliation. I hope you will for-
give this trouble; and fo, with my fer-
vice to your good wife,

I am, good coufin,
Your very friend and fervant.
JON. SWIFT
COVENT

*There feems to have been a word omitted bere through hafte.

1752. Importance of Health, and Dignity of Medicine. 201

COVENT-GARDEN JOURNAL, May 12.
Scire poteftates berbarum, wfumque medendi.

VIRG.
To Sir ALEXANDER DRAWCANSIR, Knt.

SIR,

HE defire of health was fo early A Timplanted in man, and fo originally interwove with his very nature, that it may be faid to be the genuine child of that all-ruling principle, felf-prefervation. We fee the impulfe for continuing the fearch, not only diffufed thro' the human race, but the brutes, from amidst an exuberance of vegetable variety, can select B

with the niceft skill, their peculiar phyfick

from the fields and woods.

It is faid, that in fome inftances, mankind have been their pupils, and indebted to them for inftruction; that they have not only led us to the knowledge of fome ufeful difcoveries and operations, but whilft their lords, boafting of fuperior reafon, have been employed in the labo- C rious task of diftinguishing the outward characteristick of plants, and ranging them as matter of curiofity, with no little parade, the humble beafts have taught us better leffons; have fhewn a fhorter way to the virtues of feveral fimples, by making them at once the fubject of their cure, and thereby evincing their proper-D

ties.

No doubt, the ftill lower claffes of the creation, reptiles, as well as infects, have the power given them to exercise this medicinal art.

That the practice of the brutes hath fuffered lefs mutations than that of erring. man, is a circumftance I fhall not here enlarge upon, but could have wished, that E in the fyftems of the latter, their changes had always been attended with more fubstantial views of real foundation.

Whatever tendency to evil this has produced, whatever neglect and indignity have been offered to fimple remedies, and what attachment we have given to a uselefs farrago of drugs, the imputation however cannot fairly be charged upon the profeffion, but the profeffors. The fcience itfelf is highly worthy the pursuit of the moft rational enquirer, tho', perhaps, not altogether of thofe great liberalities and diftinctions, which from the remotest antiquity have been paid it. Kings, as well as peasants, have at all times from choice or neceffity become its votaries: But this is feeble evidence of its ufe, when compared to the fanction given it by the facred writings of the fon of Syrac, or the divine authority of apoftolick function. Proofs, which confpire to own its

F

noble origin, tho' it must be confeffed, that nations amongst the wifer heathens were guilty of the most extravagant excefs. We read, that amongst phyficians, crowns and apotheofes, were the attendant honours of their life and death; and Macrobius fpeaks of Hippocrates in fuch applauding ftrains, as can only be applied

to infallible wifdom.

qui tam fallere quam falli nefcit.

This univerfal perfuafion, this general acknowledgment of the excellency of the healing art (which was then, and indeed till late, in all its branches, jointly exercifed) will ferve to demonftrate how natural, how effential it is for every individual, the leaft folicitous for its prefervation, to apply to thofe reftoring remedies, which God in his infinite munificence has fo plenteously created and ordained for the use of man: And that focieties employed for the advancement of medical learning, fhould at all times be encouraged by the publick fuffrage. The various feminaries of the medical kind, both here and abroad, muft neceffarily give a liberal mind very affecting pleasure.

G

Those who have already availed themfelves by the powers of fuch skill, may feelingly difplay its ufe and importance; and those who by unfkilful treatment, or empirick ignorance, have too unhappily fuffered, will have the greater reafon to approve any inftitution, calculated for avoiding error, and promoting the good of their fellow-creatures. A good, no lefs than that of recovering health, that ineftimable gem, always the most valued when the leaft poffeffed, and which no temporal bleffing can be put in competition with; for without that comfort, no enjoyment can have its relifh. Our fummer's funfhine would be Zembla's winter, and terreftrial paradife a dreary defert.

That phyfick has yet its perplexities and defects, its rocks and fhoals, is a truth I believe the warmest advocate for its perfection will not venture to deny. To explore thofe tracks, to make difcoveries, and point out dangers in the regions of that fcience, is a tafk, however formidable, yet meritorious in those who attempt it, and of confequence to our own fpecies. It is with no fmall fatisfaction that I view the laudable endeavours of the medical fociety of furgeons of the royal navy, directed to this falutary end. A fet of gentlemen, from whofe peculiar fi-. tuations, and from thofe perfonal vifits which its members are conftantly paying to various and diftant climates, the publick may reasonably expect improvement,

I

as

202

Medical SociETY of the Navy SURGEONS.

as they must be more immediately enabled
to investigate difeafes, and to obferve na-
ture and her laws, not only in the animal.
œconomy, but in her manifold producti-
ons, under the varied influence of con-
trafted foils and feafons, from fartheft In-
dia to the utmost boundaries of the North.
Tho' they are not apprized of these re- A
flections, much lefs have I their confent
for them, I fhall take the liberty to in-
fert here the feconti article of their plan,
which, as it is but in the hands of few,
tho' intended for publick view, by its be-
ing printed and advertised to be called for,
I hope on that account the members of
that fociety will not be offended at this
proceeding.

B

veniently procure. But to prevent the multiplicity of volumes, without adding to the stock of ufeful knowledge, it is agreed, that no other cafes or obfervations in phyfick or furgery fhall be publifhed, but fuch as may be inftructive in their own nature, or rendered fo, by judicious and extenfive reflexions deduced from them, in order to the establishment or confirmation of general axioms."

Such is one article, of feven, of which their plan at prefent confifts. A plan, which as ufefulness first formed, so propriety feemingly continues to direct. In conformity to this, they have laid a foundation, on which an ample fuperftructure is to be raifed; and as they have diftinguished a good judgment in the affortment of fome materials for their building, it is not to be queftioned but the fociety will proceed in the fame method towards its farther completion.

"I. That as one confiderable purpose of this undertaking is to pursue, particularly, fuch branches of medical knowledge, as fall more immediately under the obfervation of the navy-furgeons, who may be reasonably prefumed to have advantages, for fome particular difquifitions, peculiar to their fituation; fuch as C -an opportunity of enquiring into the nature of fea difeafes, and any specifick or material difference between them and those at land;-of obferving any particular effects of medicines at fea ;-the common effects of the principal operations of furgery on that element; efpecially where any remarkable diversity occurs from their general events on thore; and any diffe. Dy may retain and still advance in know

rent fuccefs of the fame operations in dif-
ferent climates, at fea and land ;-the ef-
fects of fea-air and diet in general, in va-
rious diseases, and the particular changes
of the conftitution, produced by them,
under the co-operation of different feafons.
and climates;-the various diftempers en-
demick on their different stations; and any E
remarkable diverfity in the fymptoms, and
the general event of the difeafe, between
natives and strangers; with the ufual me-
thod of treating fuch disease, or its ordi-
nary fupervening fymptoms, by practitio-
ners of the best note and greatest experi-
ence, in thofe countries, and the most
frequent confequence of it.-It is there-
fore ftrongly recommended to them to be
carefully attentive to thofe very material
articles: And further to improve every
opportunity of informing themfelves of
the popular methods of treating different
diftempers in thofe places, where phyfick
is little cultivated ;-of attaining the na-
tural history of the country ;-the wea-
ther; the animals ;-plants (especially G
all indigenous phyfical ones) and foffils;
-to endeavour to difcover the process and
manufacture of any drugs in it ;-and to

F

In order to render it as worthy their defign as poffible, I am very credibly informed that no expence within their fphere is fpared, that can contribute to its advancement. Anatomy and Materia Medica, the two eyes of phyfick, are encouraged and publickly professed amongst them, by perfons defervedly of the firft character in their refpective claffes. So that the more ingenious part of that bo

ledge; and the lefs qualified may refort to it as to a school or nursery, whenever convenience and the defire of improvement prompt them.

Great advantage and luftre might be derived to the fociety, from the mention of fome honorary members and encouragers of it. Perfons whofe candour, ingenuity, and learning, do honour not only to this, but to fociety in general. Indeed it may fuffice at once to fay, that of whatever is praiseworthy and of real eftimation, thofe perfons are the true and rightful patrons.

Sordid partiality, and narrow intereftedness, may feek shelter and protection, but feek it too in vain; for names in this age, however dignified, tho' they may greatly cherish the tender shoots of defert, yet they do not, neither can they, fupport the offspring of superficial knowledge.

BENEVOLUS.

To the AUTHOR of the LONDON
MAGAZINE.

SIR,

furnish themselves with the beft collectinfequence of what is faid in your

on of fuch productions, as they can con

laft, I fend you what occurs to me on the heads of the poors bill, which you fay