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I believe we shall be happy, or ruined, before that time.

It is certain that there is something in what people say........ But the court is so luckily constituted at present, that every man thinks the chief trust cannot be any where else so well placed; neither do I know above one man that would take it, and it is a great deal too soon for him to have such thoughts.*

I humbly thank your grace for your concern about my health: I have still the remainder of some pains, which has partly occasioned my removing hither about three weeks ago. I was recommended to country air, and chose this, because I could pass my time more agreeably near my friends at court. think the queen will go to Windsor in three weeks; and, I believe, I shall be there most of the time I stay in England, which I intend until toward the end of summer.

We

My lord-treasurer has often promised he will advance my design of an academy; so have my lord-keeper, and all the ministers; but they are now too busy to think of any thing beside what they have upon the anvil. My lord-treasurer and I have already pitched upon twenty members of both parties; but perhaps it may all come to nothing.

If things continue as they are another session, perhaps your grace may see the bill of resuming the grants carried on with a great deal more rigour than it lately was. It was only desired that the grantees should pay six years purchase, and settle

*This certainly alludes to some possibility even then appear. ing, that Bolingbroke might supplant the lord-treasurer. This bill was thrown out.

the remainder on them by act of parliament, and those grants are now worse than other lands by more years purchase than six; so that, in effect, they would have lost nothing. I am, with the greatest respect,

Your grace's most dutiful

and most humble servant,

JON. SWIFT:

FROM THE COUNTESS OF ORKNEY* AND MRS RAMSAY.

Clifden, Monday. +

I HAVE had great satisfaction in the favour of your letter, though disappointed, since not occasioned by yourself. When one is too quick, misjudging commonly follows. At first I feared Mr Collier was taken with a fit of an apoplexy: the next line I read, I wished he had one. If I did not apprehend, by your knowing me but a little, that I might grow troublesome where I distinguished, you should not want any conveniency to bring you hither to Mrs Ramsay and me, who are both, without compliment, truly mortified, intending ever to be, Sir,

Your sincere humble servants,

E. ORKNEY.
ELIZ. RAMSAY.

Lady Elizabeth Villiers. This lady had been mistress to King William. Swift had a high opinion of her talents, and often mentions her in his Journal.

+ Indorsed 1712, I suppose.' Probably in September. See Journal to Stella, Sept. 18, 1712.

8

We design to be at Windsor on Wednesday, where I hope you will meet with me in the drawingroom, to tell me when you can dine with us.

FROM THE COUNTESS OF ORKNEY.

Monday Morning. *

I AM sure you are very ill-natured (I would not have been so cross to you) to have known Mr Lewis and me so long, and not have made us acquainted sooner, when you know too that I have been in search of a reasonable conversation. I have no way

to excuse you but doubting his to be so agreeable at a second meeting, which I desire you will make when it is most convenient to both. It is not from custom I say I am extremely, Sir,

Your humble servant,

E. ORKNEY.

When you read this, I fancy you will think, what does she write to me? I hate a letter as much as my lord-treasurer does a petition.

TO ARCHBISHOP KING.

MY LORD,

London, Oct. 21, 1712.

SINCE I had the honour of your grace's letter of July 29, which found me at Windsor, I have been

Indorsed 1712, I believe.-N.

extremely out of order with a giddiness in my head, which pursued me until very lately; but, by an uneasy course of physic, I hope I have in some sort. overcome it.

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We are now in very near expectation of a peace; and your grace, I hope, will believe it as good a one as the circumstances of things would allow. I confess I agree with your grace, that the great difficulty was about the danger of France and Spain being united under one king. To my knowledge all possible means have been taken to secure that matter: and yet, after all, the weakest side will be there. Renunciations by France have very justly so little eredit, that I do not wonder so little weight is laid on them. But Spain, we are sure, will, for their own sakes, enter into all securities to prevent that union; and all the allies must be guarantees. If you still object that some danger still remains, what is to be done? Your grace is altogether misinformed, if you think that this is at all the difficulty which so long made the Dutch untractable. It was nothing less: neither have they once mentioned, during all the negotiation at Utrecht, one syllable of getting Spain out of the Bourbon family, or into that of Austria, as the chief men have assured me not three days ago. Buys offered last winter to ease us immediately of the trouble we were in by Lord Nottingham's vote, if we would consent to let them share with us in the advantages we had stipulated with France; which advantages, however, did by no means clash with Holland, and were only conditional, if peace should ensue. But, my lord, we know farther, that the Dutch made offers to treat with France, before we received any from thence; and were refused, upon the ill-usage they gave Mr Torcy at the Hague, and the Abbé de Polignac afterward at Ger

truydenberg: and we know that Torcy would have been forced to apply to them again, if, after several refusals, we had not hearkened to their overtures. What I tell your grace is infallibly true; and care shall be taken very soon to satisfy the world in this, and many other particulars at large, which ought to be known for, the kingdom is very much in the dark, after all the pains hitherto taken to inform it. Your grace's conjectures are very right, that a general peace would not be for our interest, if we had made ours with France. And I remember a certain great man used to say two months ago, "Fight on, fight on, my merry men all." I believe likewise, that such a peace would have happened, if the Dutch had not lately been more compliant: upon which our ministers told those of France, that since the States were disposed to submit to the queen, her majesty must enter into their interests; and I believe they have as good conditions as we ever intended they should. Tournay, I hope, will be yielded to them: and Lisle we never designed they should have. The emperor will be used as he deserves; and having paid nothing for the war, shall get nothing by the peace. We are most concerned (next to our regard to Holland) for Savoy, and France for Bavaria. I believe we shall make them both kings, by the help of Sardinia and Sicily. But I know not how plans may alter every day. The queen's whole design, as your grace conjectures, is to act the part of a mediator; and our advantages, too many to insert here, must be owned very great.

As for an academy to correct and settle our language, lord-treasurer talks of it often very warmly; but I doubt, is yet too busy, until the peace be He goes down to Windsor on Friday, to be chosen of the garter, with five more lords.

over.

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