The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 11/From Jonathan Swift to John Sterne - 1
I WONDER whether in the midst of your buildings, you ever consider that I have broke my shins, and have been a week confined, this charming weather, to my chamber, and cannot go abroad to hear the nightingales, or pun with my lord Pembroke. Pug is very well, and likes London wonderfully, but Greenwich better, where we could hardly keep him from hunting down the deer. I am told by some at court, that the bishop of Kildare is utterly bent upon a removal on this side, though it be to St. Asaph: and then the question must be, whether Dr. Pratt will be dean of St. Patrick's, minister of St. Catherine's, or provost? For I tell you a secret, that the queen is resolved the next promotion shall be to one of Dublin education: this she told the lord lieutenant. Your new Waterford bishop franks his letters, which no bishop does that writes to me; I suppose it is some peculiar privilege of that see. The dissenters have made very good use here of your frights in Ireland upon the intended invasion; and the archbishop writes me word, that the address of Dublin city will be to the same purpose, which I think the clergy ought to have done their best to prevent, and I hope they did so. Here has the Irish speaker been soliciting to get the test clause repealed by an act here; for which I hope he will be impeached when your parliament meets again, as well as for some other things I could mention. I hope you will be of my opinion in what I have told the archbishop about those addresses. And if his grace and clergy of the province send an address, I desire I may present it, as one of the chapter, which is the regular way; but I beg you will endeavour among you, that the church of Ireland gentlemen may send an address to set the queen and court right about the test; which every one here is of opinion you should do; or else I have reason to fear it will be repealed here next session; which will be of terrible consequence, both as to the thing and the manner, by the parliament here interfering in things purely of Ireland, that have no relation to any interest of theirs.
If you will not use me as your book-buyer, make use of sir Andrew Fountain, who sends you his humble service, and will carry over a cargo as big as you please toward the end of summer, when he and I intend my lord lieutenant[1] shall come in our company without fail, and in spite of Irish reports, that say we shall come no more.
I reckon by this time you have done with masons and carpenters, and are now beginning with upholsterers, with whom you may go on as slow and soberly as you please.
But pray keep the garden till I come.
I am, sir,
your most faithful humble servant,
Direct the enclosed, and deliver it to the greatest person in your neighbourhood.