Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/273

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JOHN BULL.
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see a better thing than all that. What shouldst thou think to find old Lewis turned out of his paternal estates, and the mansion-house of Claypool[1]? Would not that do thy heart good, to see thy old friend Nic. Frog, lord of Claypool[1]? that thou and thy wife and children should walk in my gardens, buy toys, drink lemonade, and now and then we should have a country dance.

J. Bull. I love to be plain, I'd as lieve see myself in Ecclesdown castle, as thee in Claypool. I tell you again, Lewis gives this as a pledge of his sincerity; if you won't stop proceeding to hear him, I will.





CHAP. XXI.


The rest of Nic.'s fetches to keep John out of Ecclesdown castle[2].


When Nic. could not dissuade John by argument, he tried to move his pity; he pretended to be sick and like to die, that he should leave his wife and children in a starving condition, if John did abandon him; that he was hardly able to crawl about the room, far less capable to look after such a troublesome business as this lawsuit, and therefore begged that his good friend would not leave him. When he

  1. 1.0 1.1 Claypool. Paris. Lutetia.
  2. Attempts to hinder the cessation, and taking possession of Dunkirk.
saw