particular reflections (I mean no persons of consequence, or good judgment; the mob of criticks, you know, always are desirous to apply satire to those they envy for being above them) so that you needed not to have been so secret upon this head. Motte[1] received the copy (he tells me) he knew not from whence, nor from whom, dropped at his house in the dark, from a hackney coach; by computing the time, I found it was after you left England, so for my part, I suspend my judgment.
I am pleased with the nature and quality of your present to the princess. The Irish stuff[2] you sent to Mrs. Howard, her royal highness laid hold of, and has made up for her own use. Are you determined to be national in every thing, even in your civilities? you are the greatest politician in Europe at this rate; but as you are a rational politician, there is no great fear of you, you will never succeed.
Another thing in which you have pleased me, was what you say of Mr. Pulteney, by which it seems to me that you value no man s civility above your own dignity, or your own reason. Surely, without flattery, you are now above all parties of men, and it is high time to be so, after twenty or thirty years observation of the great world.
Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri[3].
I question not, many men would be of your intimacy, that you might be of their interest; but
- ↑ An eminent bookseller, publisher of the Travels.
- ↑ The dean at this time courted the princess, and was in hopes of getting his Irish deanery changed for some preferment in England. But the ministry were afraid to bring him on this side the water. Sir Robert Walpole dreaded his abilities.
- ↑ To follow any party leader's call.
