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The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 19/From Matthew Pilkington to William Bowyer - 2

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Matthew Pilkington1705681The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 19
— From Matthew Pilkington to William Bowyer - 2
1732John Nichols


SIR,
FEBRUARY 5, 1731-2.


I FIND you are resolved to lay me under so many obligations to you, that, upon principles of gratitude, I must be always desirous to promote your interest to the utmost of my power. I think you have nothing more left now to do, but to make the experiment, by putting it in my way to return your favours. I sent sixty-five books to Mr. Faulkner's, and hope some time or other to have it in my power to make acknowledgments. I find Mr. Faulkner sent you a little pamphlet of my writing, called An Infallible Scheme to pay the Debts of this Nation. I have the honour to see it mistaken for the dean's, both in Dublin and in your part of the world; but I am still diffident of it, whether it will merit esteem or contempt. It was a sudden whim, and I was tempted to send it into the world by the approbation which the dean (my wisest and best friend) expressed, when he read it: if you were concerned in the printing of it, I hope you will be no sufferer. I am very much obliged to you for receiving the young printer, whom I recommended to you, in so friendly a manner; if I can, on this side of the water, be serviceable to any friend of yours, command me.

I am much pleased to hear of your acquaintance with Dr. Delany, who is the best of friends; and I do not doubt but your afiection for him will increase with your intimacy with him. I desire you to sent my service to him, and tell him, that the dean designs to trouble him to buy a convenient microscope, that he may find out both myself and my house with greater ease than he can at present, because we are both so excessively small, that he can scarce discover either. I hope to hear soon from you, although it be parliament time, and you hurried with business; and shall always be your sincere friend and servant,