The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 13/From John Carteret to Jonathan Swift - 3
FROM LORD CARTERET.
I HAD the favour of your letter of the 19th of February. A gentleman left it at my door. I have not heard from him since, though he said he would call again, and who he is, I do not know. I showed it to my wife and lady Worsley, who will not fail to obey your commands, and tease me, if I could be forgetful of your orders, to attend the cause of the city of Dublin when it comes into the house. I know by experience, how much that city thinks itself under your protection, and how strictly they used to obey all orders fulminated from the sovereignty of St. Patrick's. I never doubted their compliance with you in so trivial a point as a recorder[1]. You can give any one law and capacity in half an hour; and if by chance a rake should get those faculties any other way, you can make the worthy citizens believe he has them not; and you can sustain any machine in a furred gown.
I thank you for the letter by Mr. Pilkington. I have seen him twice at a great entertainment at my lord mayor's, where you was the first toast. I like the young man very well, and he has great obligations to you, of which he seems sensible.
I hope Dr. Delany is well, and that you see one another often, and then the doctor would not have leisure to pursue his dissertations[2], or to answer the reverend prelate[3] on your side, who I hear has answered him. As I have not read the dissertations, so I shall not read the answer; which, I hope without offence, I may suppose to be your case. If so, I hope you will endeavour to keep me well with the doctor, who took it a little unkindly of me, that I would shut my eyes to such revelation, so demonstrated. I have a great esteem for him, to which nothing that he can write upon those subjects can make any addition: and therefore, I would run no risk as to altering my opinion of him by reading his books.
That health and prosperity may attend you, is my sincere wish; and I entreat you to believe that I am, with great truth, sir, your most humble and obedient servant.
- ↑ Mr. Stanard was about this time chosen recorder of the city of Dublin, chiefly at the recommendation of Dr. Swift.
- ↑ Revelation examined with Candour.
- ↑ Dr. Robert Clayton, bishop of Killala, Jan. 23, 1729; translated to Corke, Dec. 19, 1735; and to Clogher, Aug. 26. 1745. He was the author of " A Vindication of the Old and New Testament, &c." against lord Bolingbroke, and of many other valuable treatises.