220 



NOTES AND QUERIES, 



[No. 100. 



our best virtuosi are unanimous that the Invention 

 exceeds, if possible, the work itself. But to all 

 these praises I coldly answer, that although what 

 they say be perfectly true, or indeed below the 

 truth, yet if they had ever seen or conversed with 

 Your Ladyship, as I have done, they would have 

 thought this escritoire a very poor performance 

 from such hands, such eyes, and such an imagina- 

 tion. To speak my own thoughts, the work itself 

 does not delight me more than the little cares you 

 were pleased to descend to in contriving ways to 

 have it conveyed so far without damage, whereof 

 it received not the least from without : what there 

 was came from within ; for one of the little rings 

 that lifts a drawer for wax, hath touched a part of 

 one of the Pictures, and made a mark as large as 

 the head of a small pin ; but it touches onely an end 

 of a cloud ; and yet I have been carefull to twist 

 a small thread of silk round that wicked ring, who 

 promiseth to do so no more. 



" Your Ladyship wrongs me in saying that I 

 twitted you with being a great-grandmother. I 

 Wiis too prudent and carefull of my own credit to 

 offer the least hint upon that head, while I was 

 conscious that I might have been great-grandfather 

 to you. 



" I beg you, Madam, that there may be no quar- 

 rells of jealousy between Your Ladyship and My 

 Lady Carteret : I set her at work by the authority 

 I claynied over her as your daughter. The young 

 woman showed her readynesse, and performed very 

 well for a new beginner, and deserves encourage- 

 ment. Besides, she filled the Chest with Tea, 

 whereas you did not send nie a single pen, a stick 

 of wax, or a drop of Ink ; for all which I must 

 bear the charge out of my own pocket. And after 

 all if Your Ladyship were not by I would say that 

 My Lady Carteret's Box (as you disdainfully call 

 it instead of a Tea-chest) is a most beautiful piece 

 of work, and is oftener used than yours, because it 

 is brought down for tea after dinner among Ladyes, 

 whereas my escritoire never stirrs out of my closet, 

 but when it is brought for a sight. Therefore I 

 again desire there may be no family quarrells upon 

 my account. 



"As to Patty Blount, you wrong her very much. 

 She was a neighbor's child, a good Catholick, an 

 honest Girl, and a tolerable Courtier at llichmond. 

 I deny she was dirty, but a little careless, and 

 sometimes wore a ragged gown, when she and I 

 took long walks. She saved her money in summer 

 onely to be able to keep a Chair at London in 

 winter : this is the worst you can say ; and she 

 might have a whole coat to her back if her good 

 nature did not make her a fool to her mother and 

 sanctifyed sister Teresa. And she was the onely 

 Girl I coquetted in the whole half year that I 

 lived with Mr. Pope in Twitenham, whatever evil 

 tongues might have informed your Ladyship, in 

 hopes to set you against me. And after this usage, 



if I accept the Archbishoprick of Canterbury from 

 your Ladyship's hands, I think you ought to ac- 

 knowledge it as a favor. 



" Are you not weary, Madam ? Have you pa- 

 tience to read all this ? I am bringing back past 

 times ; I imagine myself talking with you as I 

 used to do ; but on a sudden 1 recollect where I 

 am sitting, banished to a country of slaves and 

 beggars ; m)' blood soured, my spirits sunk, fight- 

 ing with Beasts like St. Paul, not at Ephesus, but 

 in Ireland. 



" I am not of your opinion, that the flocks (in 

 either Kingdom) want better Shepherds ; for, as 

 the French saj', ' a tels brebis tel pastevir : ' and 

 God be thanked that I have no flock at all, so that 

 I neither can corrupt nor be corrupted. 



" I never saw any person so full of acknowledg- 

 ment as Mrs. Barber is for Your Ladyship's con- 

 tinued favors to her, nor have I known any person 

 of a more humble and gratefull spirit than her, or 

 who knows better how to distinguish the Persons 

 by whom she is favored. But 1 will not honor 

 myself so far, or dishonor you so much, as to think 

 I can add the least weight to your own naturall 

 goodness and generosity. 



" You must, as occasion serves, Present my 

 humble respects to j\ly Lord and Lady Cartei'et, 

 and my Lady Dysert, and to S' Robert Worsley. 



" I am, and shall be ever, with the truest respect, 

 esteem, and gratitude, 



" Madam, 

 " Your Ladyship's most obedient 

 and most humble Servant, 



" JoNATH. Swift. 



« Dublin, Nov. 4"-% 1732. 



" I know not where my old friend Harry Wors- 

 ley is, but I am his most humble servant." 



[On the back of the Letter is the following Post- 

 script.] 



"Madam, — I writ this Letter two months ago, 

 and was to send it by Mrs. Barber ; but she falling 

 ill of the gout, and I deferring from day to day, 

 expecting her to mend, I was at last out of pa- 

 tience. 1 have sent it among others by a private 

 hand. 



" I wish Your Ladyship and all your family 

 many happy new years. 



"Jan. 8% 1732." 



NINEVEH INSCBIPTIONS. 



The accumulation of these treasures in London 

 and Paris, leads to the belief that they will soon 

 be decyphered. Tiie following remarks are offered 

 in promotion of so desirable an object. It must 

 be premised that a printer, when requiring type 

 from the type-founder for English books, does not 

 order the same quantity for each letter ; but, ac- 



