The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 7/George-Nim-Dan-Dean's Invitation to Thomas Sheridan

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The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 7
(1721)
by Jonathan Swift, edited by Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, John Boyle, Patrick Delany, John Hawkesworth, Deane Swift, William Bowyer, John Birch, and George Faulkner

George-Nim-Dan-Dean's Invitation to Thomas Sheridan

Verses by Dr. Delany

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This is the fourth of seven poems on the same subject:
1. The Country Life;
2. Thomas Sheridan, Clerk, to George-Nim-Dan-Dean, Esq.;
3. George-Nim-Dan-Dean's Answer;
4. George-Nim-Dan-Dean's Invitation to Thomas Sheridan;
5. Verses by Dr. Delany;
6. Verses by Dr. Swift to Mr. T. Sheridan; and
7. On Dr. Sheridan's circular Verses.

1560548The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 7
— George-Nim-Dan-Dean's Invitation to Thomas Sheridan1721Jonathan Swift

GEORGE-NIM-DAN-DEAN'S^[1] INVITATION TO THOMAS SHERIDAN.

Gaulstown, Aug. 2, 1721.

DEAR Tom, this verse, which however the beginning may appear, yet in the end's good metre,
Is sent to desire that, when your August vacation comes, your friends you'd meet here.
For why should you stay in the filthy hole, I mean the city so smoky,
When you have not one friend left in town, or at least not one that's witty, to joke w' ye? For as for honest John^[2], though I'm not sure on't, yet I'll be hang'd, lest he
Be gone down to the county of Wexford with that great peer the lord Anglesey.
O! but I forgot; perhaps, by this time, you may have one come to town, but I don't know whether he be friend or foe, Delany:
But, however, if he be come, bring him down, and you shall go back in a fortnight, for I know there's no delaying ye.
O! I forgot too; I believe there may be one more, I mean that great fat joker, friend Helsham, he
That wrote the prologue^[3], and if you stay with him, depend on't, in the end, he'll sham ye.
Bring down Long Shanks Jim^[4] too; but, now I think on't, he's not yet come from Courtown^[5], I fancy;
For I heard, a month ago, that he was down there a courting sly Nancy.
However, bring down yourself, and you bring down all; for, to say it we may venture,
In thee Delany's spleen, John's mirth, Helsham's jokes, and the soft soul of amorous Jemmy, centre^[6].

POSTSCRIPT.

I had forgot to desire you to bring down what I say you have, and you'll believe me as sure as a gun, and own it;
I mean, what no other mortal in the universe can boast of, your own spirit of pun, and own wit.
And now I hope you'll excuse this rhyming, which I must say is (though written somewhat at large) trim and clean;
And so I conclude, with humble respects as usual,
⁠Your most dutiful and obedient

George-Nim-Dan-Dean.

↑ In 1721, Dr. Swift, Dr. Delany, Dr. Sheridan, Dr. Stopford, the reverend Dan Jackson, and some other company, spent a great part of the summer at Gaulstown, in the county of Westmeath, the seat of George Rochfort, esq. father to the present earl of Belvidere. Many of the gentlemen assembled in this groupe had a genius for poetry, and a taste for the polite arts. In this retirement they passed their hours very agreeably, and frequently amused themselves with poetical jest and whimsies of the brain, of which some slight specimens are here preserved. See Dr. Delany's humourous description of Gaulstown House, in vol. XVIII. of this collection.
↑ Supposed to mean Dr. Walmsley.
↑ One spoken by young Putland, in 1720, before Hippolytus; in which Dr. Sheridan (who had written a prologue for the occasion) was most unexpectedly and egregiously laughed at.
↑ Dr. James Stopford, bishop of Cloyne.
↑ The seat of ——— Hussay, esq. in the county of Kildare.
↑ This Invitation seems to have been the joint composition of George Rochfort, John Rochfort (who was called Nim, or Nimrod, by Dr. Swift, because he was fond of hunting), Dan Jackson, and Dr. Swift, in a vein of whim and merriment; and, in all probability, was sent off directly by the post to Sheridan. A letter from Dr. Sheridan, July 15, 1721, addressed to George-Nim-Dan-Dean, esq. seems to have suggested the hint.

[p220-1] In 1721, Dr. Swift, Dr. Delany, Dr. Sheridan, Dr. Stopford, the reverend Dan Jackson, and some other company, spent a great part of the summer at Gaulstown, in the county of Westmeath, the seat of George Rochfort, esq. father to the present earl of Belvidere. Many of the gentlemen assembled in this groupe had a genius for poetry, and a taste for the polite arts. In this retirement they passed their hours very agreeably, and frequently amused themselves with poetical jest and whimsies of the brain, of which some slight specimens are here preserved. See Dr. Delany's humourous description of Gaulstown House, in vol. XVIII. of this collection.

[2] Supposed to mean Dr. Walmsley.

[3] One spoken by young Putland, in 1720, before Hippolytus; in which Dr. Sheridan (who had written a prologue for the occasion) was most unexpectedly and egregiously laughed at.

[4] Dr. James Stopford, bishop of Cloyne.

[5] The seat of ——— Hussay, esq. in the county of Kildare.

[6] This Invitation seems to have been the joint composition of George Rochfort, John Rochfort (who was called Nim, or Nimrod, by Dr. Swift, because he was fond of hunting), Dan Jackson, and Dr. Swift, in a vein of whim and merriment; and, in all probability, was sent off directly by the post to Sheridan. A letter from Dr. Sheridan, July 15, 1721, addressed to George-Nim-Dan-Dean, esq. seems to have suggested the hint.

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