The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 12/From Jonathan Swift to Jack Worrall - 10
TO MR. WORRALL.
I HAD all the letters given me by my servants: so tell Mrs. Brent[1] and Dr. Sheridan; and I thank you for the great care you had in the commissions I troubled you with.
I imagine Mrs. Brent is gone into the country, but that you know where to send to her. I desire you will pay her four pounds, and sixteen pounds to Mrs. Dingley, and take their receipts. I beg Mrs. Dingley's pardon for not remembering her debt sooner; and my humble service to her. I desire Mrs. Brent to send me the best receipt she has for making meath; she may send me her receipt for making the strong meath, and that for making the next strong, and the third strong. Hers was always too strong; and on that account she was so wilful I would suffer her to make no more. There is a vexatious thing happened about the usquebaugh for my lord Bolingbroke. It seems, you only directed it for the earl of Berkeley; but I thought I had desired you to add, "for lord Bolingbroke:" but there is nothing in that; for I wrote to the earl of Berkeley, to give him notice. But Mr. Gavan, who married a daughter of Mrs. Kenna, who keeps the inn at Chester, hath just sent me a letter, informing me that the usquebaugh came to Park Gate, within seven miles of Chester; and that Mr. Whittle, the owner of the ship, was to deliver it himself; but he sent it by a man of a noted bad character, who, as Mrs. Kenna supposes, kept it some time, and opened it before he delivered it; for, immediately upon the delivery of it, Mrs. Kenna sent to Park Gate, to have the usquebaugh brought up to Chester; but was told that the fellow had brought it away; that he said, he sent it as directed; but that no doubt he must have some view of paying himself for the trouble, which made him so busy; but whether it was by changing the usquebaugh, or overrating the charges of it, Mr. Gavan could not tell; but adds, that, if I should hear of any thing amiss, I should write to Mrs. Kenna, his mother, who will endeavour to make the fellow do me justice. All this I have transcribed from Mr. Gavan's letter; and I desire you will call upon her father, Mr. Luke Gavan, (who is a known man in Dublin,) and desire him, when he writes to his son, to give my service to him and Mrs. Kenna, and let them know I will do as they direct. I am very unfortunate in this affair; but have no remedy: however, I will write to lord Bolingbroke; though I fear I am cheated of it all; for I do not find that the fellow demanded any thing from Mrs. Kenna, or came to her at all. Your new fancies of making my riding gown and cassock (I mean Mrs. Brent's fancies) do not please me at all, because they differ so much from my old one. You are a bad packer of bad grapes. Mrs. Dingley says, she cannot persuade Mrs. Brent to take a vomit. Is she not (do not tell her) an old fool? She has made me take many a one without mercy. Pray give Mrs. Worrall a thousand thanks from me, for her kind present and workmanship of her fairest hands in making me two nightcaps.
We have a design upon Sheridan. He sent us in print a ballad upon Ballyspellin, in which he has employed all the rhymes he could find to that word; but we have found fifteen more, and employed them in abusing his ballad, and Ballyspellin too. I here send you a copy, and desire you will get it printed privately, and published.
Your periwig maker is a cursed rogue. The wig he gave you is an old one with a new cawl, and so big that I cannot wear it, and the curls all fallen: I just tried it on my head; but I cannot wear it.