LETTER VIII. To the Right Worfhipful the Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and Common council of the city of Corke. I Deanry houfe, Dublin, Aug. 15, 1737. GNNTLEMEN, Received from you fome weeks ago, the honour of my freedom in a filver box, by the hand of Mr. Standard *; but it was not delivered to me in as many weeks more; because I fuppofed he was too full of more important bufinefs. Since that time, I have been wholly confined by fickness, fo that I was not able to return you my acknowledgement; and it is with much difficulty I do it now, my head continuing in great diforder. Mr. Faulkner will be the bearer of my letter, who fets out this morning for Corke. I could have wifhed, as I am a private man, that in the inftrument of my freedom, you had pleated to affign your reasons for making choice of me. I know it is an ufual compliment to bestow the freedom of the city on an Archbishop or Lord Chancellor, and other perfons of great titles, merely upon account of their ftations or power; but a private man, and a perfect ftranger, without power or grandeur, may justly expect to find the motives affigned in the inftrument of his freedom, on what account he is thus distinguished. And yet I cannot discover in the whole parchment fcrip any one Eaton Standard, Efq; then Recorder of Dublin, and afterwards made his Majefty's primè ferjeant at law, in the room of Anthony Malone, Efq; fince promoted to the Chancellorship of the exche quer reafon reafon offered. Next, as to the filver * box, there is not fo much as my name upon it, nor any one fyllable to fhew it was a prefent from your city. Therefore, I have, by the advice of my friends, agreeing with my own opinion, fent back the box, and inftrument of freedom by Mr. Faulkner, to be returned to you; leaving to your choice, whether to infert the reafons for which you were pleafed to give me my freedom, or bestow the box upon some more worthy perfon, whom you may have an intention to honour, because it will equally fit every body. I am, with true esteem And gratitude, gentlemen, Obliged fervant, JON. SWIFT. I SIR, LETTER IX. To Mr. FAULKNER. Deanry-houfe, Dublin, Jan. 6, 1738. Have often mentioned to you an earnest defire I had, and still have, to record the merit and fervices of the Lord Mayor, Humphrey French, whom I often defired, after his mayorality, to give me an account of many paffages that happened in his mayoralty, and which he as often put off on the pretence of his forgetfulness, but in reality, of his modefty: I take him to be a hero in his kind, *In confequence of this letter there was an infcription, and the city arms of Corke engraved on the box, and reafons in the parchment fcrip for presenting him with the freedom of that city. and that he ought to be imitated by all his fucceffors, as far as their genius can reach; I defire you therefore to inquire among all his friends whom you are acquainted with, to prefs them to give you the particulars of what they can remember, not only during the general conduct of his life, whereever he had any power or authority in the city;; but, particularly, from Mr. Maple, who was his intimate friend, who knew him beft, and could give the most juft character of himself and his ac tions. When I fhall have got a fufficient information of all these particulars, I will, although I am oppreff ed with age and infirmities, ftir up all the little fpirit I can raife, to give the public an account of that great patriot; and propofe him as an example: to all future magiftrates, in order to recomend his virtues to this miferable kingdom.. I am, Sir, Your very humble fervant, JON. SWIFT. Mrs. Cæfar, wife of Charles Cæfar, Efq; member of parliament for the borough of Hertford, who was committed to the tower of London, Dec. 19, 1705, for fome reflections in the house of commons, on the Earl of Godolphin, then Lord High Treasurer of England. În 1711, Mr. Cæfar was appointed treasurer of the navy in the room of Robert Walpole, Efq; afterwards a Knight of the Garter, who was created Earl of Oxford in February 9, 1741. This Lady was alfo mother to Julius Cæfar, a brave foldier, now a general in the fervice of his Britannic Majefty Majefty in Germany, April 1762 The Dean correfponded with this lady, who was remark-able for her good fenfe, friendship, and politenefs, and much efteemed by the nobility and gentry, and all people of tafte, genius and learning, and therefore imagine the following letters will be acceptable. MADAM, LETTER X. To Mrs. CASAR. Among a few little vexations, fuch as beggary, flavery, corruption, ignorance, want of friends, faction, oppreffion, and fome other trifles of the like nature, that we philofophers ought to despise; two or three ladies of long acquaintance, and at a great distance, are ftill fo kind as to remember me, and I was always proud and pleafed to a great degree, that you happened to be one, fince conftancy is, I think, at leaft, as feldom found in friendfhip as in love. Mrs. Barber, when I fee her, is always telling me wonders of the continual favours' you have conferred on her, and that without your interpofition, the fuccefs of her errand would have hardly been worth the journey; and I must bear the load of this obligation, without the leaft poffibility of ever returning it, otherwife than by my best wishes for the profperity and health of you and your family: For, in fpight of all your good words, I am the moft infignificant man of this moft infignificant country. I have been tied by the leg (without being married) for ten months past, by an unlucky ftrain, which prevented the honour and happiness I propofed to myfelf of waiting on you onener during this laft fummer: And another year at my period of life is like an inch in a man's nofe; yet, I flatter myself, that next fpring, I may take one voyage more, when you will will fee me altered in every difpofition of body and mind, except in my refpects for you, and all that belong to you. There is one part of Mr. Pope's compliment which I cannot make you, for I could not with the ftricteft fearch find one letter too many in any of your words, although I found a thoufand words too few in your letter; therefore, I accepted and understood it only as a billet juft writ while Mrs. Barber stood by in her hood and scarff just ready to take her leave and begin her journey: And, what is worse, I fufpect that fhe was forced to follicite you long, because fhe wanted a certificate under your hand to convince me that fhe was not an impoftor. I will not fay one word in Mrs. Barber's behalf, for fhe will always continue to deferve your protection; and therefore the may be fure you will always continue to give it her. I hope Mr. Cæfar is in good health, and defire he will accept the offer of my moft humble fervice, with my hearty withes for your whole family. I am, with true refpect, Madam, Your moft obedient, and JONATHAN SWIFT. MADAM, LETTER XI, To Mrs. CESAR. Dublin, July 30, 1733. Could not let Mrs. Barber leave us for good and all without honouring her with the carriage of a letter |