interest with my lord treasurer, whenever it is brought before him; or to hint it to some other persons of power and credit; and likewise to endeavour to take off that scandal the clergy of Ireland lie under, of being the reverse of what they really are, with respect to the révolution, loyalty to the queen, and settlement of the crown; which is here the construction of the word Tory.

I design to tell my lord treasurer, that, this being a matter my lord lieutenant has undertaken, he does not think proper I should trouble his lordship; after which, recommending it to his goodness, I shall forbear any farther mention. I am sensible how lame and tedious an account this is, and humbly beg your grace's pardon; but I still insist, that if it had been solicited four years ago by no abler hand than my own, while the duke of Ormond was in Ireland,`it might have been done in a month: and I believe it may be so still, if his excellency lays any weight of his credit upon it; otherwise, God knows when. For myself, I have nothing to do here but to attend my lord lieutenant's motions, of whose return we are very uncertain, and to manage some personal affairs of my own. I beg the continuance of your grace's favour, and your blessing; and am, with all respect,

Your grace's most obedient, &c.

FROM ANTHONY HENLEY *, ESQ.

GRANGE, SEPT. 16, 1708.

YESTERDAY the weatherglass was at 28 inches,

which is lower than ever I saw it; the wind was at East, a very dull quarter; the garden so wet, there was no looking into it; and I myself, by consequence, in the spleen. Before night, the glass rose, the wind changed, the garden dried, I received your letter, and was as well as ever I was in my life, to my thinking, though perhaps you may think otherwise. The reason why your letter was so long a coming to my hands, was, its being directed to me near Winchester; and Alresford is the post town nearest to me. If the officers should come to you, doctor, if you want a security, that your children shan't be troublesome to the parish, pray make use of me. I'll stand 'em all, though you were to have as many as the Holland countess. We have had a tedious expectation of the success of the siege of Lisle: the country people begin to think there is no such thing, and say the newspapers talk of it to make people bear paying taxes a year longer. I don't know how Steele will get off of it: his veracity is at stake in Hantshire. Pray desire him to take the town, though he should

* Of the Grange, in the County of Southampton, member of parliament for Melcombe Regis. He was a person of great abilities and learning; who mixed humour in the most serious debates. He was father of the lord chancellor, Robert Earl of Northington. B.

Then writer of the Gazette. B.

leave the citadel for a nest-egg. I ha'nt the honour to know colonel Hunter: but I never saw him in so good company as you have put him in, lord Halifax, Mr. Addison, Mr. Congreve, and the Gazetteer *. Since he is there, let him stay there. Pray, doctor, let me know whether writing letters be talking to one's self, or talking to other folks: for I think the world has settled it, that talking to one's self, which offends nobody, is madness; and talking to other people, which generally is not quite so harmless, is wit, or good breeding, or religion, or-I won't write a word more till you have satisfied me what I have been doing all this while. I am sure one need not have writ two pages to introduce my assuring you, that I am

Your most affectionate humble servant,

A. HENLEY,

FROM THE SAME.

DEAR DOCTor,

NOV. 2, 1708.

THOUGH you won't send me your broomstick†, I'll send you as good a reflection upon death as even Adrian's himself, though the fellow was but an old farmer of mine, that made it. He had been ill a good while; and when his friends saw him a going, they all came croaking about him as usual; and one

*Steele. N.

† Meditation on a Broomstick, written by Dr. Swift in 1703. N.

of

of them asking him how he did? he replied, in great pain, "If I could but get this same breath out of my body, I'd take care, by G-, how I let it come in again." This, if it were put in fine Latin, I fancy would make as good a sound as any I have met with. I am,

Your most affectionate humble servant,

A. HENLEY.

TO ARCHBISHOP KING.

MY LORD,

LONDON, NOV. 9, 1708:

YOUR grace's letter of September 7, found me in Kent, where I took the opportunity to retire, during my lord Pembroke's absence with his new lady, who are both expected to-morrow. I went afterward to Epsom, and returned but yesterday: this was the cause of my so long omitting to aeknowledge your letter. I am ready to agree with your grace, that very wrong representations are made of things and persons here, by people who reside on this side but a short time, converse at second or third hand, and on their return make a vanity of knowing more than they do. This I have observed myself in Ireland, even among people of some rank and quality; and I believe your grace will proceed on much better grounds, by trusting to your own wisdom and experience of things, than such intelligence.

I spoke formerly all I knew of the twentieth parts; and whatever Mr. D has said in his

letters

BISCARDED

letters about staying until a peace, I do assure your grace, is nothing but words. However, that matter is now at an end. There is a new world here; and yet I agree with you, that if there be an interregnum, it will be the properest time to address my lord treasurer; and I shall second it with all the credit I have, and very openly; and I know not (if one difficulty lies in the way) but it may prove a lucky juncture.

On my return from Kent (the night of the prince's* death), I staid a few days in town before I went to Epsom: I then visited a certain great man, and we entered very freely into discourse upon the present juncture. He assured me, there was no doubt now of the scheme holding about the admiralty, the government of Ireland +, and presidency of the council §; the disposition whereof your grace knows as well as I; and although I care not to mingle public affairs with the interest of so private a person as myself, yet, upon such a revolution, not knowing how far my friends may endeavour to engage me in the service of a new government, I would beg your grace to have favourable thoughts of me on such an occasion; and to assure you, that no prospect of making my fortune, shall ever prevail on me to go against what becomes a man of conscience and truth, and an entire friend to the established church. This I say, in case such a thing should happen; for my own thoughts are turned another way, if the earl of Berkeley's journey to Vienna

* George prince of Denmark, husband of queen Anne. N.