in the place of these? A club of politicians, where Jenny Man presides; a Crisis written by Mr Steele ; a confederacy of knavish stock-jobbers to ruin credit; a report of the queen's death; an effigies of the Pretender run twice through the body by a valiant peer; a speech by the author of the Crisis; and, to sum up all, an unlimited freedom of reviling her majesty, and those she employs.

I have now finished the most disgustful task that ever I undertook. I could with more ease have written three dull pamphlets, than remarked upon the falsehoods and absurdities of one. But I was quite confounded last Wednesday, when the printer came with another pamphlet in his hand, writtten by the same author, and entitled, "The Englisman, being the Close of the Paper so called," &c. He desired I would read it over, and consider it in a paper by itself; which last I absolutely refused. Upon perusal, I found it chiefly an invective against Toby, * the ministry, the Examiner, the clergy, the queen, and the Postboy; yet, at the same time, with great justice exclaiming against those, who presumed to offer the least word against the heads of that faction, whom her majesty discarded. The author likewise proposes an "equal division of favour and employments," between the Whigs and Tories; for, if the former "can have no part or portion in David, t they desire no longer to be his subjects." He insists,

Alluding to a pamphlet, which had, at this time, a great deal of popularity, entitled, "The Character of Richard St-le, Esq. with some remarks by TOBY, Abel's kinsman; or, according to Mr Calancy, A F and N, in a letter to his Godfather." 12mo. 1713.

+ What portion have we in David?-Orig. Note.

that her majesty has exactly followed Monsieur Tugghe's Memorial against the demolishing of Dunkirk." He reflects with "great satisfaction on the good already done to his country by the Crisis." Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, &c. He gives us hopes that he will leave off writing, "and consult his own quiet and happiness ;" and concludes with "a letter to a friend at court." I suppose by the style of "old friend," and the like, it must be somebody there of his own level; among whom his party have indeed more friends than I could wish. In this letter he asserts, that the present ministers were not educated in the church of England, but are " new converts from presbytery." Upon which I can only reflect, how blind the malice of that man must be, who invents a groundless lie in order to defame his superiors, which would be no disgrace if it had been a truth. And he concludes with making three demands "for the satisfaction of himself," and other "malecontents." First, "the demolition of the harbour of Dunkirk." Secondly, "that Great Britain and France would heartily join against the exorbitant power of the Duke of Lorraine, and force the Pretender from his asylum at Bar le Duc." Lastly, "that his electoral highness of Hanover would be so grateful to signify to all the world the perfect good understanding he has with the court of England, in as plain terms as her majesty was pleased to declare she had with that house, on her part."

As to the first of these demands, I will venture to undertake it shall be granted; but then Mr Steele, and his brother malecontents, must promise to believe the thing is done, after those employed have made their report, or else bring vouchers to disprove it. Upon the

second; I cannot tell whether her majesty will engage in a war against the Duke of Lorraine, to "force' him to remove the Pretender;" but I believe, if the parliament should think it necessary to address upon such an occasion, the queen would move that prince to send him away. His last demand, offered under the title of a wish, is of so insolent and seditious a strain, that I care not to touch it. Here he directly charges her majesty with delivering a falsehood to her parliament from the throne; and declares he will not believe her, until the Elector of Hanover himself shall vouch for the truth of what she has so solemnly affirmed.

I agree with this writer, that it is an idle thing in his antagonists to trouble themselves upon the "articles of his birth, education, or fortune;" for whoever writes at this rate of his sovereign, to whom he owes so many personal obligations, I should never inquire whether he be a gentleman born, but whether he be a human

creature.

LETTER

FROM THE

FACETIOUS DR ANDREW TRIPE,

AT BATH,

TO THE

VENERABLE NESTOR IRONSIDE.

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE RECEPTION MR IRONSIDE'S LATE PRESENT OF A GUARDIAN MET WITH FROM THE WORSHIPFUL MR MAYOR, AND OTHER SUBSTANTIAL INHABITANTS OF THAT ANCIENT CITY.

TO WHICH Is added, a PRESCRIPTION FROM THE DOCTOR, BY WAY OF POSTSCRIPT, EXACTLY SUITED TO HIS DISTEMPER.

London, Printed for J. MORPHEW, near Stationers-Hall, 1714. Price 6d.

THIS letter seems to have internal marks of Swift's corrections, though chiefly written by one of those subordinate party authors whom he calls "his under spur-leathers." Arbuthnot probably lent his aid, as may be conjectured from the profuse use of medical

terms.

The lettter is a bitter satire upon Steele, who, the reader

need hardly be reminded, wrote the Guardian, under the title of Nestor Ironside, and the Tatler, under that of Isaac Bickerstaff. The piece contains a satirical description of Steele's person; and, should the Editor be mistaken in conjecturing that Swift contributed to compose it, may nevertheless, at this distance of time, merit preservation as a literary curiosity.

The immediate occasion for the satire was given by the Guardian, No. 174, published 30th September 1713, which is employed upon the state of the polite world at Bath, and concludes thus :- Every man who hath received any benefit there ought, in proportion to his abilities, to improve, adorn, or recommend it. A prince should found hospitals, and the noble and rich may diffuse their ample charities. Mr Tompion gave a clock to the Bath, and I, Nestor Ironside, have dedicated a Guardian."

The tract should regularly have been inserted amongst those imputed to Swift; but it seemed more desirable to place together all those which had reference to Steele.

RIGHT VENERABLE,

THAT aggregate philosopher, Mr Isaac Bickerstaff, of most memorable countenance, does, I remember, in several of his moral aphorisms, make very honourable mention of himself, for such of his essays, as were level led at the general benefit of mankind; and, upon this head, does fairly give himself the preference to all the learned, his contemporaries, from Dr Sw-ft himself, even down to Poet Cr-spe of the Customhouse.

This, with due respect to his memory, savours somewhat more of self-love, than could be well expected from so unbiassed a philosopher: for I can see no reason, nor do I believe he himself could, why the elaborate productions of those who sweat hard to rescue the laudable actions of the town, or corporation, where they either were born, or of which they were inhabitants, from the jaws of oblivion, and transmit them with decency to