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The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 11/From Henry St. John to Jonathan Swift - 7

< The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift | Volume 11
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From Erasmus Lewis
The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 11
 (1714)
by Henry St. John, edited by Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, John Boyle, Patrick Delany, John Hawkesworth, Deane Swift, William Bowyer, John Birch, and George Faulkner
From lord Bolingbroke
From Charles Ford
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​

FROM LORD BOLINGBROKE.


AUG. 11, 1714.


I SWEAR I did not imagine, that you could have held out through two pages, even of small paper, in so grave a style. Your state of late passages is right enough. I reflect upon them with indignation, and shall never forgive myself for having trusted so long to so much real pride, and awkward humility; to an air of such familiar friendship, and a heart so void of all tenderness; to such a temper of engrossing business and power, and so perfect an incapacity to manage one, with such a tyrannical disposition to abuse the other, &c[1].

But enough of this, I cannot load him as knave, without fixing fool on myself.

For you I have a most sincere and warm affection, and in every part of my life will show it. Go into Ireland, since it must be so, to swear[2], and come back into Britain to bless, to bless me, and those few friends who will enjoy you.

Johannes Tonsor[3] brings you this. From him you will hear what is doing. Adieu, love me, and love me the better, because after a greater blow than most men ever felt, I keep up my spirit; am neither dejected at what has passed, nor apprehensive of what is to come. Mea virtute me involvo.

  1. ↑ He means lord Oxford.
  2. ↑ That is, to take, the oaths to the government on king George's accession to the throne.
  3. ↑ John Barber.
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