30 Jethro Tail: Ms Life, Times, and Teaching. 
" I was prevailed on," says Tull, " to change my design — hot 
to publish any more — by several letters, one of which, from a 
noble peer, I make bold to insert." It is dated " London, February 
8, 1732 ; " on February 11, three days later. Lord Cathcax-t saya 
in his diary : "I wrote to Mr. Tull ; meanwhile he came to see 
me." This letter that follows was probably written by Lord 
Halifax, and the blanks should be filled in with the name of the 
Diarist. The letter runs thus : — 
My dear Sii-, 
showed me 3^our letter to him of the thh-d of this 
month. I am extremely sorry to observe from it that you are under great 
discouragements at present. I am much interested in your preservation, 
from the happiness I have of a personal acquaintance with you, as well as 
from the concern I think the public has iu a person who has laboured so 
successfully in its service. I would fain hope that the apprehensions you 
had from your spitting of blood are, long before this time, removed by its 
having ceased. If that is the case, I must conjure you, for the sake of 
your own glory, and for that of your country's benefit, to apply heartily, and 
without loss of time, to the publishing of your work. If you cannot get an 
amanuensis from Oxon speedily, pray let send you one from hence. I 
am persuaded the subscription money will go far towards printing your book ; 
but, if anything should be wanting, you may be assured that your friends 
here will contribute towards haviug a work so beneficial communicated to 
the country, and in a way that the profit arising from the sale of the book 
shall return to yourself The hardship that has happened you from the re- 
printing your book at Dublin might easily have been prevented, if we had 
foreseen that the thing was to have happened ; but now that we are aware of 
that inconvenience, you may depend upon it your friends will either get a 
stop put to the printing from hence, or by the means of the authority of my 
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. — I am ever, with great esteem. 
My dear sir. Your, &c., 
"At length," says Tuli, "overcome by the importunities of 
noblemen and gentlemen of South and North Britain, as well aa 
of Ireland. I unwillingly printed and published my humble 
essay." ^ 
From a biographical point of view the evidence of this 
letter, together with the extracts from the diary, are of the utmost 
importance. They show the impression made at the time on 
highly placed persons, men of the world who knew Tull per- 
sonally and intimately, statesmen, soldiers, and courtiers, who 
had no sort of motive to flatter or exaggerate. Obviously 
they liked Tull personally, they considered his health and life 
of public importance, they regarded him as labouring for his 
country's benefit, and looked upon him as a public benefactor. 
It is amusing to contemplate Tull in his character as a 
' In connection with Ireland, Tull says, in reply to a request for an in« 
structor, " Ko Englishman of his would venture his liealth in Ireland." 
