tenderest impressions, but a soul, if you would choose to awaken it, beyond an unwarrantable indulgence of them; and let me entreat you, for your own sake, to resist any giddy impulse or ill-placed inclination which shall induce you to entertain a thought prejudicial to your own honour, and repugnant to your virtue. I too, Madam, am far from being insensible, I too have passions, and would my situation, a few years ago, have allowed me a possibility of succeeding, I should legally have solicited that happiness, which you are now ready to bestow. I had the honour of supping at Mr. D- -'s, where I first saw you, and I shall make no scruple in declaring, that I never saw a person so irresistibly beautiful, nor a manner so excessively engaging, but the superiority of your circumstances prevented any declaration on my side, although I burnt with a flame as strong as ever fired the human breast. I laboured to conceal it. Time and absence at length abated a hopeless passion, and your marriage with my patron effectually cured it. Do not, Madam, endeavour to rekindle that flame; do not destroy a tranquillity I have just begun to taste, and blast your own honour, which has been hitherto unsullied. My best esteem is yours; but should I promise more, consider the fatal necessity I should be under of removing myself from an intercourse so dangerous. In any other commands, dispose of, Madam, Your humble servant."1 J. A. DEAR SIR, ADDISON TO SWIFT. Dublin Castle, July 23rd, 1710. About two days ago I received the enclosed, that is sealed up, and yesterday that of my friend Steele, which, requiring a speedy answer, I have sent you express. In the mean time I have let him know, that you are out of town, and that he may expect your answer by the next post. I fancy he had my Lord Halifax's authority for writing. I hope this will bring you to town. For your amusement by the way, I have sent you some of this day's news; to which I must add, that Drs. Bysse2 and Robinson3 are likely to be the bishops of Bristol and St. David's: that our politicians are startled at the breaking off the negotiations, and fall of 1 Vide Rede's Anecdotes, 8vo, Lond. 1799, p. 6, 7, 8. 2 Philip, first made Bishop of St. David's, and then of Hereford. 3 John; he was consecrated Bishop of Bristol, Nov. 19th, 1710, and translated to the see of London in March, 1713-14. stocks; insomuch that it is thought they will not venture at dissolving the parliament in such a crisis. I am ever, dear sir, yours entirely, J. ADDISON. Mr. Steele desires me to seal yours before I deliver it; but this you will excuse in one who wishes you as well as he or anybody living can do. SIR, ADDISON TO MR. DES MAIZEAUX.1 Dublin Castle, August 1st, 1710. I did not care for answering your letter, till I could do it, in some measure, to your satisfaction. I have at last watched a convenient season to move my Lord-Lieutenant for your licence of absence, which he has granted till December next. I am afraid I shall not then be in a capacity to serve you any further in this particular; but if I am, you may depend upon it. I heartily wish you joy of your new. post, and am ever, sir, Your most faithful, humble servant, J. ADDISON. SWIFT TO ADDISON. SIR, Dublin, August, 1710. I believe you had the displeasure of much ill news almost as soon as you landed. Even the moderate Tories here are in pain at these revolutions, being what will certainly affect the Duke of Marlborough, and consequently the success of the war. I am convinced that whatever government come over, you will find all marks of kindness from any parliament here with respect to your employment; the Tories contending with the Whigs which should speak best of you. In short, if you will come over again when you are at leisure, we will raise an army and make you king of Ireland. Can you think so meanly of a kingdom as not to be pleased that every creature in it who hath one grain of worth, has a veneration for you? I know there is nothing in this to make you add any value to yourself; but it ought to convince you that they are not an undistinguishing people. . . I long till you ... 'Des Maizeaux was a French Protestant clergyman of considerable literary talent, and spent the greater part of his life in this country. Between 1709 and 1745 he edited the works of Saint Evremond, Bayle, and others, in French, and wrote the lives of Hales and Chillingworth in English. Addison took him with him to Ireland. have some good account of your Indian affairs, so as to make public business depend upon you, and not you upon it. I read your character in Mrs. Manley's noble Memoirs of Europe. It seems to me as if she had about two thousand epithets and fine words packed in a bag; and that she pulled them out by handfuls, and strewed them on her paper, where once in about five hundred times they happened to be right. SIR, ADDISON TO MR. KEALLY. Dublin Castle, 5th August, 1710. My eyes being very much out of order, that I cannot use them by candle-light, I take the liberty to trouble you by another hand, and desire you will favour me with a line, to let me know the name of the person whom you employed in the business relating to Dr. Findlass; and whether there be any progress made in it, that I may take my measures accordingly. You will likewise very much oblige me, if you tell me your thoughts upon that matter how my correspondent may recover his debt the shortest way. We are still in great uncertainties as to the dissolution of the English parliament, though all the public letters are positive it will be; but Mr. Denton, who brings the freshest news from London, makes us hope it will not be attempted. The bank have represented that they must shut up on the first issuing out of new writs; and Sir Francis Child, with the rest of the monied citizens on the Tories' side, have declared to the Duke of Shrewsbury, that they shall be ruined, if so great a blow be given to the public credit, as would inevitably follow upon a dissolution. We hear from all parts of England, that the people daily recover their senses, and that the tide begins to turn so strongly, that it is hoped the next parliament will be of the same stamp with this, in case of a dissolution. If tomorrow's letters bring the news of it, several gentlemen will leave this country with the first fair wind, and among the rest, your humble servant. 1 Alluding to Mrs. Manley's "Memoirs of Europe, towards the Close of the 8th Century," &c. London, 1710. She was also author of the scurrilous and once celebrated work, "Secret Memoirs and Manners of several Persons of Quality of both Sexes, from the New Atalantis, an Island in the Mediterranean," London, 1709, a satire on those who had effected the Revolution. For this work she was prosecuted, and both printer and publisher seized by warrant from the Secretary of State's office. I send you here the state of the Irish bills, that were transmitted to England. Those which have been reported and approved by the privy council there, are brought over by Mr. Denton, and have, all of them, had their first reading in our House of Commons; which is so very thin, that we have scarce been able to get together forty members. I am ever, my dear sir, Your most faithful, humble servant, J. ADDISON. My hearty respects to Mr. Fitzgerald. ADDISON TO THE MARQUIS OF WHARTON. MY LORD, London, August 24th, 1710. This morning I had the honour of a visit from Mr. Bertie, who, upon my acquainting him with your Lordship's concern for his brother's election, declared himself very much obliged to your Lordship; but said, his brother was so tired of sitting in the House, that he would not be in it again upon any consideration. I hear from my Lord Dartmouth's1 office, that all the particulars which I had in charge for your Lordship have been already complied with, except that about proroguing the parliament, which I have desired may be despatched forthwith to your Excellency, in case it is judged necessary. The privy council was to meet this night, in order (as it was said yesterday) to place my Lord Peterborough2 at the head of the admiralty, and to determine of the dissolution: but this morning I hear from very good hands, that there is advice of the Prince of Wales being ready to embark with a body of troops at Dunkirk, and that the admiralty is to attend the privy-council upon this occasion. It is said the Duke of Queensborough has had intimation of such a designed invasion, about a month ago, from several parts of Scotland. This report, I believe, comes from Sir George Byng, and is of such a nature, that I should be cautious of mentioning it to anybody but your Excellency. Among the prints which I send you by this post, the Lord Dartmouth had been appointed Secretary of State, June 15, 1710. 2 This did not take place. Gents. Mag. 66 Essay upon Credit" is said to be written by Mr. Harley, and that of "Bickerstaff Detected,"2 by Mr. Congreve. Dr. Garth, under whose hands I am at present, will not excuse me, if I do not present his most humble duty to your Lordship: the Doctor this morning showed me a copy of verses which he has made in praise of the lord treasurer.3 The Lord Islay is lately returned from Scotland, and it is said the Duke of Argyle is expected every day from Flanders. I am, with the greatest respect, my Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient, and J. ADDISON. ADDISON TO THE MARQUIS OF WHARTON. [London,] August, 1710. THE reports of the town (as to public affairs) are very various; what I have the honour to write to your Lordship, is the talk of the considerable people of the one side; but, as they are none of them in the secret, cannot be entirely depended upon. The Duke of Queensborough, it is said, will be succeeded1 by the Lord Marr, or, as others are positive, by the Duke of Shrewsbury. If the first happen, he is to be Lord High Steward of the Household; if the second, to be Lord High Chamberlain. The Duke of Queensborough declares he has heard nothing of his removal. I was yesterday above an hour in private at his office with the Lord Marr. Mr. Boyle is to make way for Mr. St. John." The Duke of Somerset represents himself as actuated by 1 Miss Aikin has " Cries," copying a mistake of the Addisoniana. The letter is correctly printed in the Gents. Mag. 1786, and again in 1803. 2 This pamphlet has been sometimes ascribed to Rowe, but more commonly to Yalden. This "Epistle to Lord Godolphin " is printed with Garth's Poems. EDIT. Macky says of Lord Wharton; He is certainly one of the completest gentlemen in England, hath a very clear understanding, and manly expressions, with abundance of wit. He is brave in his person, much of a libertine, of a middle stature, fair complexion, and fifty years old. To which Swift adds; The most universal villain I ever knew. As one of the three principal Secretaries of State. That event did not take place. This conjecture was right. Henry Boyle (afterwards Lord Carleton) succeeded Harley, Feb. 15, 1708, and Henry St. John (afterwards Viscount Bolingbroke) replaced Mr. Boyle, Sept. 21, 1710. |