employ myself in getting you a companion to cure your spleen.

I am your faithful humble fervant,

J. S.

refusing to admit this proxy at the vifitation, though he attefted the dean's want of health, &c. he being then tormented with an ague. "At the fame time (Swift proceeds) "I must be plain to tell you, that "if this accident had not happened, I should have

ufed all endeavours to avoid your vifitation, upon "the public promife I made you three years ago, "and the motives which occafioned it; becaufe I

was unwilling to hear any more very injurious "treatment and appellations given to my brethren "or myfelf; and, by the grace of God, I am still "determined to abfent myfelf on the like occafions, "as far as I can poffibly be difpenfed with by any "law, while your lordship is in that diocefe, and I "a member of it."

LETTER

LXXXVII.

Dean SWIFT to Mr. WALLIS.

SIR,

Dublin, Nov. 3, 1722.

You ftole in and out of town without

feeing either the ladies or me, which was very ungratefully done, confidering the obligations you have to us, for lodging and dieting with you fo long. Why did you not call in a morning at the deanry? Befides, we reckoned for certain that you came to stay a month or two, as you told us you intended. I hear you were fo kind

*Mrs. Johnfon (or Stella) and Mrs. Dingley. Thefe ladies went to Ireland, by Swift's invitation, in 1701. The former was his concealed but undoubted wife, being married to him in the year 1710 by Dr. Afhe, bifhop of Clogher, who had been his tutor. She died January 27, 1727-8, aged 44, abfolutely deftroyed," as lord Orrery fays, " by "the peculiarity of her fate."

"And" in the original, no doubt by mistake.

as

as to be at Laracor*, where I hope you planted fomething; and I intend to be down after Chriftmas, where you must continue a week. As for your plan, it is very pretty, too pretty for the ufe I intend to make of Laracor. All I would defire is, what I mention in the paper I left you, except a walk down to the canal.. I fuppose your project would coft me ten pounds and a conftant gardener. Pray come to town and stay some time, and repay yourfelf fome of your dinners. I wonder how a mifchief you came to mifs us. Why did you not fet out a Monday, like a true country parfon? Befide, you lay a load on us, in faying one chief end of your journey was to fee us; but I fuppofe there might be another motive, and you are like

The dean's vicarage-houfe there, where he intended to make feveral improvements, is now totally ruined, though one of his biographers fays, "he left it a convenient and agreeable retreat to his fucceffor, at a confiderable expence."

The dean, it may be fuppofed, rather meant "when."

the

the man that died of love and the cholic. Let us know whether you are more or lefs monkifh, how long you found yourself better by our company, and how long before you recovered the charges we put The ladies affure you of their hearty fervices, and I am, with great truth and fincerity,

you to.

Your most faithful humble fervant,

JONATHI. SWIFT.

LETTER LXXXVIII.

Dean SWIFT to Mr. WALLIS.

SIR,

I wou

Dublin, February 12, 1722-3.

WOULD have been at Laracor and Athboy before now, if an ugly depend

*

* Mr. Wallis's living, near Laracor.

ing chapter-bufinefs had not tied me here. There is a lay difficulty that concerns the government, the archbishop +, the chapter, the dean, Dr. Howard §, and Robin Grattan, and I know not whether it will be determined in a month. All my defign is to do a job for Robin Grattan, but the reft have their different fchemes and poli

Probably the difpofal of the curacy of St. Bridget's, Dublin, in which the dean efpoufed the intereft of Mr. Robert Grattan.

Dr. King, then archbishop of Dublin.

Dr. Swift himself.

§ Afterwards bishop of Elphin.

Afterwards curate of St. Bridget's, prebendary of St. Audeon's, and one of the dean's ten executors. To this Mr. Grattan, (who was one of the feven fons of Dr. Grattan, a venerable and hofpitable clergyman) Swift whimfically bequeathed his "bot"tle-fcrew, his fecond best beaver, and his ftreng "box, on condition of his giving the fole ufe of "the faid box to his brother, Dr. James Grattan, "[a physician] during the life of the faid doctor, "who hath more occafion for it."