Part 31
It is remarkable, that this enthusiasm spread among our northern people, of sheltering themselves in the continent of America, hath no other foundation, than their present insupportable condition at home. I have made all possible inquiries, to learn what encouragement our people have met with, by any intelligence from those plantations, sufficient to make them undertake so tedious, and hazardous a voyage in all seasons of the year; and so ill accommodated in their ships, that many of them have died miserably in their passage; but, could never get one satisfactory answer. Somebody, they know not who, had written a letter to his friend, or cousin, from thence, inviting him by all means, to come over; that it was a fine fruitful country, and to be held for ever, at a penny an acre. But the truth of the fact is this, The English established in those colonies, are in great want of men to inhabit that tract of ground, which lies between them, and the wild Indians, who are not reduced under their dominion. We read of some barbarous people, whom the Romans placed in their armies, for no other service, than to blunt their enemies' swords, and afterwards to fill up trenches with their dead bodies. And thus our people who transport themselves, are settled in those interjacent tracts, as a screen against the insults of the savages, and many have as much land, as they can clear from the woods, at a very reasonable rate, if they can afford to pay about a hundred years' purchase by their labour. Now beside the fox's reasons which inclines all those, who have already ventured thither, to represent everything, in a false light, as well for justifying their own conduct, as for getting companions, in their misery; so, the governing people in those plantations, have wisely provided,[17] that no letters shall be suffered to pass from thence hither, without being first viewed by the council, by which our people here, are wholly deceived in the opinions, they have of the happy condition of their friends, gone before them. This was accidentally discovered some months ago, by an honest man who having transported himself, and family thither, and finding all things directly contrary to his hope, had the luck to convey a private note, by a faithful hand, to his relation here, entreating him, not to think of such a voyage, and to discourage all his friends from attempting it. Yet this, although it be a truth well known, hath produced very little effects; which is no manner of wonder, for as it is natural to a man in a fever to turn often, although without any hope of ease, or when he is pursued to leap down a precipice, to avoid an enemy just at his back; so, men in the extremest degree of misery, and want, will naturally fly to the first appearance of relief, let it be ever so vain, or visionary.
You may observe, that I have very superficially touched the subject I began with, and with the utmost caution: for I know how criminal the least complaint hath been thought, however seasonable or just, or honestly intended, which hath forced me to offer up my daily prayers, that it may never, at least in my time, be interpreted by innuendoes as a false scandalous, seditious, and disaffected action, for a man to roar under an acute fit of the gout, which beside the loss and the danger, would be very inconvenient to one of my age, so severely afflicted with that distemper.
I wish you good success, but I can promise you little, in an ungrateful office you have taken up, without the least view, either to reputation or profit. Perhaps your comfort is, that none but villains, and betrayers of their country, can be your enemies. Upon which, I have little to say, having not the honour, to be acquainted with many of that sort, and therefore, as you easily may believe, am compelled to lead a very retired life.
I am Sir, Your most obedient, Humble servant,
A. NORTH.
County of Down, Dec. 2d. 1728.
[Footnote 1: See title for this in note above to No. 1, p. 313. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 2: No. 19 of "The Intelligencer" is a reprint of a tract which I have not been able to find. It appeared again in 1736 under the title: "A Letter from the Revd. J.S.D.S.P.D. to a Country Gentleman in the North of Ireland."[T.S.]]
[Footnote 3: "Apud Donati Vitam," 17:
"Thus do ye sheep grow fleeces for others."--W.F.H. KING.
[T.S.]]
[Footnote 4: Writing to Dr. Sheridan, under date September 18th, 1728, Swift says: "I think the sufferings of the country for want of silver deserves a paper, since the remedy is so easy, and those in power so negligent" (Scott, xvii. 204). [T.S.]]
[Footnote 5: The price of the pistole in Ireland was fixed at 18_s_. 6_d_., the double pistole at _£_1 17_s_., and the moidore _£_1 10_s_. These prices were fixed by order of the Lords Justices, July 30th, 1712. In 1737 the moidore was reduced to _£_1 9_s_. 3_d_. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 6: "A Letter," etc., referred to in note on preceding page, has: "They consider not the dead weight upon every beneficial branch of our trade; that half our revenues are annually sent to England; with many other grievances peculiar to this unhappy kingdom; which keep us," etc. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 7: The 1736 edition of "A Letter," etc., has "is so urging." [T.S.]]
[Footnote 8: The 1736 edition of "A Letter," etc., has "tamely." [T.S.]]
[Footnote 9: John Carteret (1690-1763) succeeded his father as second Baron Carteret in 1695, and his mother as Earl Granville in 1744. He was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1724 to 1730. See Swift's "Vindication of ... Lord Carteret" in vol. vi. of present edition. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 10: "A Letter," etc. (1736 edition), has "being made easy upon this article." [T.S.]]
[Footnote 11: On December 22nd, 1717, the price of the guinea was reduced, by a proclamation, from 21_s_. 6_d_. to 21_s_. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 12: See vol. vii. of present edition of Swift's Works, dealing with the Drapier Letters. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 13: Astraea withdrew from the earth at the close of the Golden Age. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 14: Sir Ambrose Crowley (or Crawley), Liveryman of the Drapers' Company and Alderman for Dowgate Ward, sat in Parliament for Andover in 1713. He was satirized in "The Spectator" (No. 299, February 12th, 1711/2) as Sir John Enville, and in "The Tatler" (No. 73, September 27th, 1709) as Sir Arthur de Bradley. [T.S.]]
[Footnote 15: "A Letter," etc. (1736), has "could never." [T.S.]]
[Footnote 16: The reprint of 1730, and "A Letter," etc. (1736), have "who come." [T.S.]]
[Footnote 17: "A Letter," etc. (1736), has: "The governing people in those plantations, have also wisely provided," etc. [T.S.]]
INDEX.
ALMANZA, battle of Anne, Queen, her change of ministry in 1710; and the Church; establishment of Queen Anne's bounty; letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Aretino, Pietro. Army, essays on the. Asgill, John. Astell, Mrs. Mary. Atterbury, Bishop, his character in "The Tatler"; contributes to "The Examiner"; his influence in Convocation. Avarice, essay on.
Bank, the, in the Whig interest. "Banks, Sir Jacob, Letter to". Bickerstaff, Isaac, Steele's pseudonym. Birth, value of. Boyer, Abel. Boyle, Henry. Bromley, Clobery. Bromley, William, speaker; "Congratulatory Speech of". Buckingham, George Villiers, Duke of, assassination of. Buckingham and Normanby, John, Duke of. Burgess, Daniel. Burnet, Bishop.
Caesar, Julius. Calves-Head Club, the. Carew, John, speech at the execution of. Carteret, Lord. Chamber of Fame. Charles V. and Aretino. Church, the, resolution in Parliament as to the state of;; essay on answer to essay on; the Whigs and. Churches, scheme for building new. Clément, Jacques. Clendon, John. Coffee-houses, signification of the. Coin, clipping of. Coligny, Admiral de, assassination of. Collins, Anthony. Coningsby, Mrs. Court of Alienation. Coward, William. Cowper, Earl. Crackanthorpe, Mrs. Crassus, Marcus, the Duke of Marlborough attacked under the name of. Crawley, Sir Ambrose.
D'Ancre, Maréchal. Daniel, Samuel. Dartmouth, Lord. Davila. Defoe, Daniel, edited "The Review". Devonshire, William, 2nd Duke of. Dissenters, the, under James II.; essay on; Whigs and. Dodwell, Henry. Dyet, Richard.
Eloquence, essay on; further references to, Elstob, Mrs. Elizabeth. English tongue, corruption of the. Eumenes. "Examiner, The," establishment of. "Examiner, Letter to the."
Faction, fable of; true characteristics of. Felton, John. "Female Tatler, The". Ford, James. Freind, Dr. "French King's Thanks to the Tories of Great Britain, The". Furnese, Sir Henry.
Gay, John, on "The Examiner"; vindication of his "Beggar's Opera"; his fables. George, Prince, of Denmark. Gertruydenberg, treaty of. Godolphin, Lord, his change of politics; dismissal of; nicknamed "Volpone"; his intrigues against Harley; as "Gracchus"; devoted to the turf; ministry of. Good manners, essay on. Greenshields, Rev. James. Gregg, William. Guiscard, Marquis de; account of. Guise, Dukes of, assassination of,.
Harcourt, Sir Simon. Hare, Dr. Francis. Harley, Robert, attempted assassination of; made Earl of Oxford; the Speaker's congratulation on his escape; his scheme for securing debts; his remission of first-fruits to the Irish Clergy. Harley, Thomas, Harrison, William, contributed to "The Tatler"; new issue of "The Tatler" by. Hastings, Lady Elizabeth. Henry III, of France, assassination of. Henry IV. of France, assassination of. Herring, Dr. Thomas. Hickes, George. Honeywood, General, superseded. Hooker, Richard.
Indemnity, Act of (1708). Indian Kings, the, in London. "Intelligencer, The". Ireland, scarcity of silver in. Isaac, Mr., a dancing-master. Italian music, the taste for.
James II., King, and the Dissenters; and the Whigs.
Kent, Duke of.
Learning, Bill for the Encouragement of. Lechmere, Nicholas. Leeds, Duke of. Leslie, Rev. Charles. "Lewis, Erasmus, The Vindication of". Lions, dream of the. Lorrain, Paul. Louis XIV.
Macartney, General, superseded. Madonella. "Management of the War, The," pamphlets by Dr. Hare. Manley, Mrs., attacked as "Madonella"; her "Memoirs of Europe". Marlborough, Duke of the Treaty of Gertruydenberg; his change of politics; rewards and grants to; his intrigues against Harley; his proposal to be made Commander-in-chief for life; attacked by Swift under the name of "Crassus"; charged with peculations with regard to bread contracts; threatened resignation of in 1708. Marlborough, Duchess of. Masham, Mrs. Matveof, Muscovite Ambassador, arrest of. Medina, Sir Solomon de, and the Duke of Marlborough. "Medley, The," attack by Swift on; and see notes to "The Examiner," _passim_ Ménage, Gilles. Meredith, General, superseded. Merit, genealogy and description of. Milton, John. Ministry, reasons for the change of; "Mob," Swift's dislike of the word. More, Henry. Morphew, the publisher.
Naturalization Act. Naunton, Sir Robert. Nevis. Norris, John. Nottingham, Earl of.
"Observator, The". Occasional Conformity Bill, the. October Club, the. Oldisworth, William; revival of "The Examiner" by. Osborne, Francis. Oxford University, decree of.
Palatines, the. Parsons, Robert. Partridge, John. Passive obedience, doctrine of; according to the Whigs; according to the Tories; Peace, Address to the Queen concerning (1707). People, madness of the. Peterborough, Earl of, letter from Swift to. Petty, Sir William. Platonic ladies. Political Lying, the Art of. "Political State of Great Britain, The" Popery, the Tories and. Pretender, the, party capital made out of; and the Whigs. Prior, Matthew, contributes to "The Examiner"; stated to be the author of "The Examiner".
Qualification Bill.
Racan, Mons. Radcliffe, Dr John. "Rehearsal, The". Repington, Mr. "Review, The". Ridge, Thomas. Rivers, Earl, appointed Lieutenant of the Tower. Rochester, Laurence Hyde, Earl of. Roper, Abel, suspected as author of "The Examiner".
Sacheverell, Dr. St. Christopher's. St John, Henry, and "The Examiner," character of; "A Letter to The Examiner" attributed to; attempted assassination of; his hatred of Harley. Scythia, story of the king of. Security, Bill of. Sewell, Dr. George. Shippen, William. Shrewsbury, Charles, Duke of. Silver, scarcity of, in Ireland. Smalridge, Dr. Somers, Lord. South Sea Company, establishment of the. "Spectator, The". Stanhope, General. Stanley, Dr William. Steele, Richard, and "The Tatler"; article on Marlborough in "The Taller" by; and "The Spectator". Suckling, Sir John. Sunderland, Earl of. Swift, Jonathan, his contributions to "The Tatler"; supports Harrison with the new "Tatler"; his contentions to "The Examiner"; his memorial to Harley regarding the first-fruits in Ireland; his contribution to "The Spectator"; his contributions to "The Intelligencer".
"Tatler, The," founding and success of; authorship of papers in; discontinued by Steele; new issues of. Taxes, increase of. Temple, Sir William, on humour. Temson, Archbp. Test Act, the. Tindal, Matthew. Titus, Colonel Silas. Toland, John. Tones, principles of the, explained. Tory, origin of the word. Toulon, siege of. Trapp, Dr. Joseph. Tutchin, John, editor of "The Observator". Twisden, Heneage.
Verres (Lord Wharton).
Walpole, Horatio. War, many people interested in continuance of the; pamphlets on the management of the. Wenman, Viscount. Wharton, Lord; as "Clodius"; attacked by Swift under the name of Verres; desecration of a church by. Whig and Tory, designation of the words. "Whig Examiner, The". Whigs, principles of the, explained; and Dissenters; and the Pretender. Wotton, Sir Henry. Wotton, W., his "Case of the Present Convocation considered".