It will be impossible for me to carry any point against that great majority of the chapter, who are sure to oppose me whenever party interferes: and in those cases I shall be very ready to change my nomination, only choosing those I least dislike among such as they will consent to: wherein I hope I shall have your grace's approbation. About a week ago, I wrote to your grace in relation to the provost. My Lord Bishop of Dromore, Dr Coghill, and I, were yesterday using our rhetoric to no purpose. The topic he perpetually adheres to is, that the court offers him a deanery, because they look upon him as a man they cannot trust; which, he says, affects his reputation: that he professes to be as true to the present king, as any person in employment: that he has always shown himself so that he was sacrificed by the tories in the late reign, on account of the dispute in the college, and other matters: that he publickly argues and appears against the same party now, upon all occasions; and expects as little favour from them, if ever they should come into power, as any man now in employment. As to any hints dropped to him of any danger or uneasiness from parliament or visitation, he declares himself perfectly safe and easy: and if it might not affect the society, he should be glad of such inquiries, in order to vindicate himself: that he should like the deanery of Down full as well, and perhaps better, than the bishoprick of Dromore, provided the deanery was given him in such a manner, and with some mark of favour and approbation, that the world would not think he was driven into it as a man whom the king could not trust; and if any such method could be thought on, he would readily accept it: that he is very sensible he should be much happier in the other station, and much richer, and which weighs with him more, that it would be much for the present interest of the college to be under another head: but that the sense of his own loss of credit prevails with him above all considerations: and that he hopes in some time to convince the world, and the court too, that he has been altogether misrepresented. This is the sum of his reasoning, by all I could gather after several conversations with him, both alone and with some of his best friends who all differ from him, as, he allows, most of his acquaintance do. I am no judge of what consequence his removal may be to the service of the college, or of any favours to be shewn it. But, I believe, it would be no difficult matter to find a temper in this affair for instance (I speak purely my own thoughts), if the prince would graciously please to send a favourable message by his secretary, to offer him the deanery, in such a manner as might answer the provost's difficulty. I cannot but think your grace might bring such a thing about; but that I humbly leave to your grace. My Lord Bishop of Dromore received letters yes terday from your grace, and the Bishop of Derry, with an account of his succeeding to Clogher, of which I am sure all parties will be exceeding glad. I wish your grace a good journey to the Bath, and a firm establishment of your health there. am, with the greatest respect, my Lord, Your grace's most dutiful and most humble servant, Not knowing but your grace might be gone to the Bath, I have mentioned something, of the pro vost's affair, in a letter this post, to my Lord Bishop of Derry. MY LORD, TO THE SAME. A Dublin, March 22, 1716-17. YOUR grace's letter was a long time before it reached me; for I was several weeks in the country, dispatching the affair of the glebe, which, however, is not yet quite finished. Your grace does rightly conceive the nature of my purchase, and that I am likely to be L. 200 poorer for it: only I shall endeavour to lose by degrees, which is all I have for it. I shall endeavour, as much as I can, to prevent the evil you foresee of my successors neglecting my improvements, and letting them all go to ruin. I shall take the best advice I can, and leave them to be fools, as well as knaves, if they do so; for I shall make so many plantations and hedges, that the land will let for double the value; and, after all, T must leave something to fortune. As to what your grace mentions of a practice in the late reign, of engaging people to come into the queen's measures, I have a great deal to say on that subject, not worth troubling you with at present; farther than that I am confident those who pretend to say most of it, are conscious their accusation is wrong: but I never love myself so little as when I differ from your grace; nor do I believe I ever shall do it, but where I am master of the fact, and your grace has it only by report. I have been speaking much to the provost about the deanery of Derry, or whatever other employ * ment, under a bishoprick, may be designed him upon these promotions. I find Dr Coghill has been upon the subject with him, but he is absolutely positive to take nothing less at present; and his argument is, that whatever shall be given him now, beneath the station his predecessors were called to, will be a mark of his lying under the displeasure of the court, and that he is not to be trusted; whereas he looks upon himself to have acted with principles as loyal to the present government, as any the king employs. He does not seem to dislike either of the deaneries of Derry or Down, but is persuaded it will reflect upon his reputation : and unless it could be contrived that he might have some mark of favour and approbation along with such a preferment, I believe your grace may be assured he will not accept it. I only repeat what he says to me, and what I believe he will adhere to. For my own part, who am not so refined, I gave my opinion that he should take what was given him but his other friends differ from me, and for aught I know, they may be in the right; and if the court thinks it of consequence that the present provost should be removed, I am not sure but a way may be found out of saving his credit, which is all he seems to require; although I am confident, that if he were a bishop, the government might be very secure of him, since he seems wholly fallen out with the tories, and the tories with him; and I do not know any man, who, in common conversation, talks with more zeal for the present establish * Marmaduke Coghill, LL. D. judge of the prerogative court; afterwards a privy-councillor, chancellor of the exchequer, and commissioner of the revenue.-F. ment, and against all opposers of it, than he. The only thing he desires at present in his discourse with me, is, that no proposal of a deanery* should be at all made to him, but that he may go on as he is, until farther judgment shall be made of him by his future conduct. I thought it proper to say thus much to your grace, because I did not know whether you and he perfectly understood each other. I hear your grace intends this spring for the Bath. I shall pray, for the good of the church, that you may then establish your health. I am, with the greatest respect, Your grace's most dutiful and most humble servant, JON. SWIFT. Among other things, the provost argued, that Dr Foster was promoted to a bishoprick from being a fellow; and therefore he must conclude, that offering him a less preferment is a mark of displeasure; with which circumstance he is determined not to leave his present station. TO THE SAME. Magherlyn, May 1, 1717. MY LORD, YOUR grace's letter of March 23d was brought to me at Trim, where I went a month ago to finish * Dr Pratt soon after accepted the deanery of Down. |