you provided for yourselves may do well enough here, but pray send it soon. I wish you would give a body more early warning; but you must blame yourselves. Delany says he will come in the evening; and for aught I know Sheridan may be here at dinner: which of you was it that undertook this frolick? Your letter hardly explained your meaning, but at last I found it. Pray do not serve me these tricks often. You may be sure, if there be a good bottle you shall have it. I am sure I never refused you, and therefore that reflection might have been spared. Pray be more positive in your answer to this.
Deanery-house,
Sunday morning, April 30, 1721.
Margoose[1], and not Mergoose, it is spelt with an a, simpleton.
No, I am pretty well after my walk. I am glad the archdeacon[2] got home safe, and I hope you took care of him. It was his own fault; how could I know where he was? and he could have easily overtaken me; for I walked softly on purpose, I told Delany I would.
- ↑ The name of a species of strong wine. A similar word is used in an epilogue, ascribed to the dean, in the Gulliveriana, p. 64.
"And with richest margoux to wash down a titbit."
Dr. Bramston, in his "Crooked Sixpence," talks of
"Chatteau, margout, or the renown'd pontack."
And Dr. Dunkin, vol. II, p. 211, after deprecating bumpers, adds,
"O raise not the fury of potent margouze!" - ↑ Archdeacon Walls.
