The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 12/From Jonathan Swift to Thomas Sheridan - 18
TO DR. SHERIDAN.
OUR friends here, as well as myself, were sadly disappointed upon hearing the account of your journey. Nobody in town or country, as we were informed, knew where you were; but I persuaded our family, that you were certainly in a way of making yourself easy, and had got that living you mentioned, and accordingly we were grieved, and rejoiced at the loss and settlement of a friend; but it never entered into our heads, that you were bestowing forty days in several stages between constable and constable, without any real benefit to yourself, farther than of exercise; and we wished that nobody should have had the benefit of your long absence from your school, but yourself by a good living, or we by your good company: much less that the pleasure of spiting T had been your great motive. I heartily wish you were settled at Hamilton's Bawn, and I would be apt to advise you not to quit your thoughts that way, if the matter may be brought to bear; for by a letter I just received from the bishop of Cork, which was short and dry, with the stale excuse of preengagements, I doubt you can hope nothing from him. — As to what you call my exercise, I have long quitted it; it gave me too much constraint, and the world does not deserve it. We may keep it cold till the middle of winter.
As to my return, there are many speculations. I am well here, and hate removals; my scheme was, that you should come hither as you say, and I return with you in your chaise. Sir Arthur, on hearing your letter, pressed me to stay longer. I am a very busy man, such as at Quilca, which you will know when you come; yet I would contrive to be pressed more to stay till Christmas, and that you may contrive to be here again, and take me back with you time enough for my own visitation: and my reason of staying is, to be here the planting and pruning time, &c. I hate Dublin, and love the retirement here, and the civility of my hosts. This is my state and humour upon it, and accordingly you are to manage my scheme. However, I would have you keep your vacation of September here; and let Mrs. Brent send me a dozen guineas (half of them half guineas) by you, and a periwig, and a new riding gown and cassock, and whatever else I may want by a longer absence, provided you will resolve and swear that I shall stay.
I had all Mrs. Brent's packets by Mr. Little. My service to Mrs. Dingley. I cannot say, that I have more to say, than to say that I am, &c.
- ↑ The seat of sir Arthur Acheson.