Pray let me know what answer I fhall make to Mr. Pope: Write it down and fend it by any meffenger, the fooner the better, for I am an ill writer at night.

I am, yours, &c.

Jan. 8, 1735-6.

J. SWIFT.

I think you may fend your answer by

the bearer, for it need not take above two lines.

LETTER VII.

To Mr. Benjamin Motte, Bookfeller, in

SIR,

London.

Dublin, May 25, 1736.

I Lately received a long letter from Mr.

Faulkner, grievously complaining upon feveral articles of the ill* treatment he hath met with from you, and of the many advantageous offers he hath made you, with none of which you thought fit to

*Motte filed a bill in Chancery in England, against Faulkner for printing Swift's works, to ftop

the fale of them there, which made the author write this letter.

comply?

comply. I am not qualified to judge in the fact, having heard but one fide; only one thing I know, that the cruel oppreffions of this kingdom by England are not to be borne. You fend what books you please hither, and the bookfellers here can fend nothing to you that is written here. As this is abfolute oppreffion, if I were a bookfeller in this town, I would ufe all the fame means to reprint London books, and run them to any town in England that I could, becaufe, whoever neither offends the laws of God, or the country he liveth in, committeth no fin. It was the fault of you and other bookfellers, who printed any thing fuppofed to be mine, that you did not agree with each other to print them together, if you thought they would fell to any advantage. I believe I told you long ago, that Mr. Faulkner came to me, and told me his intention to print every thing that my friends told him they thought to be mine, and that I was difcontented at it, but when he urged, that fome other bookfeller would do it, and that he would take the advice of my friends, and leave out what

what I pleased to order him, I faid no more, but that I was forry it fhould be done here.- -But, I am fo incenfed against the oppreflions from England, and have fo little regard to the laws they make, that I do, as a clergyman, encourage the merchants both to export wool and woolen manufactures to any country in Europe, or any or any where else; and conceal it from the cuftom-houfe officers, as I would hide my purfe from a highwayman, if he came to rob me on the road, although England hath made a law to the contrary*: And fo I would encourage our bookfellers here to fell your authors books printed here, and fend them to all the towns in England, if I could do it with fafety, and profit; because (I repeat it) it is no offence against God or the laws of the country I live in. Mr. Faulkner hath dealt fo fairly with me, that I have a great opinion of his honesty, although I never dealt with him as a printer or a

This, we apprehend, is better patriotism, that good cafuiftry: But perhaps we too are prejudiced

in our turns, by the dean's own principle. The English bookfellers.

bookfeller,

bookfeller, but fince my friends told me, those things, called mine, would certainly be printed by fome hedge bookfeller, I was forced to be paffive in the matter. I have fome * things which I fhall leave my executors to publifh after my decease, and have directed that they fhall be printed in London. For, except small papers, and fome treatifes writ for the use of this kingdom, I always had thofe of importance to be published in London, as you well know. For my own part, although, I have no power any where, I will do the beft offices I can to countenance Mr. Faulkner. For, although I was not at all pleased to have that collection printed here, yet none of my friends advised me to be angry with him, although if they had been printed in London by you and your partners, perhaps I might have pretended to fome little profit. Whoever may have the hazard or advantage of what I fhall leave to be printed in London after my decease, I will

* Directions to Servants; and the hiftory of the laft feffion of Queen

Anne, and the peace of Utrecht, both fince printed by G. Faulkner.

leave no other copies of them here, but if Mr. Faulkner fhould get the first printed copy, and reprint it here, and fend his copies to England, I think he would do as right as your London booksellers who load us with yours. If I live but a few years, I believe I fhall publish some things that I think are important; but, they shall be printed in London, although Mr. Faulkner were my brother. I have been very tedious in telling you my thoughts on this matter, and so I remain,

Şir,

Your most humble fervant,

JON. SWIFT.

LET