be found in some whole Towns Leaving this Noble Seat after Peggy Corkran had shew'd me all the Rarities in it I return'd that Night to Kilkenny and from thence the following Monday took a New Ramble to view the Boyn and the antient Town of Droheda and whither I went afterwards you shall know in my Summer Ramble But Madam I ask your Pardon for I was going to leave Kilkenny before I had told ye of the chief Raritieâ— said to be in it which are that in this Town there is Fire without Smoke Water without Mud Air without Fogg I search'd into this Report and found it a real Truth and that the Fourth Element of Earth was also as pure I wou'd here describe the Town of Kilkenny and give a particular Character of Mr. Mukins the present Mayor of Mr. Philips the Mayor Elect the Recorder Aldermen and Common Council-men and several other remarkable things and Persons in this Place I wou'd also mention the odd Adventure of a Lieutenant that travelled with me to Kilkenny neither wou'd I omit to give you the heads of a remarkable Sermon I heard in St. Kenny Church where an Eminent Prelate told us That look into all Divisions of Religion as those of Rome and Geneva c. and you 'll find as they are against Monarchy that they have left the good Manners to the poor Church of England Madam I humbly conceive this Passage will deserve Remarks by a better Pen than mine as will several other not able strokes this good Bishop entertain'd his Auditory with but tho' they are noted down in my Iournal yet I reserve the rest for my Summer Ramble lest they make my Letter too voluminous So Madam at present I take my leave of Kilkenny with only telling ye that Morning I left it Dr. Wood writ an Answer to the Letter I brought him from my Dublin Friend which I 'll insert here as it further shews how Courteous the Dr. is to Strangers and to me in particular The Doctor 's Answer to the Letter I brought him from Dublin Dear Sir I Receiv'd yours by Mr. Dunton whose stay here is so short that I have not been able to shew him what Civility I wou'd especially being every day hurry'd with Country Business I hope to step to Dublin in a little time and to have the opportunity of drinking a Glass of Wine with you and him mean while a Letter now and then wou'd be acceptable to me when your leisure will permit I wish you all Happiness and am SIR Your Affectionate Servant NATH WOOD. And so good Doctor with Thanks for all your Favours I bid you and your Ingenious Lady Farewell Thus Madam you see by taking notice of Castles Gardens Antiquities Pictures Publick Fabricks the Rarities in Nature and the Civility I meet in my generous Friends that where e're I go I still learn somewhat worthy of my Knowledge neither do I in such Rambles omit any thing that may instruct or delight me and am much pleased with beholding the Beauty and Scituation of Places Neither did I in this Country Ramble meet with any Allay to my Pleasures by the dulness or decay of my Senses for I found them all in their perfect Vigor besides I found Travelling got me a Stomach which made me eat even courser fare with a better Appetite tho' I saw little of that here for the Kilkenny Claret is the best in Ireland and the Doctor 's Treats were still rich and noble Madam having said so much of Dr. Wood's Civilities to me perhaps you 'll expect I shou'd send you the Doctor 's Character which I 'll do and his Ladies too that you may see how happy I was in their Conversation Dr. Wood like Luke the Evangelist is the beloved Physician in these Parts and he really Merits that great Respect which the People give him he 's a compleat Gentleman very kind to Strangers and obliging to the last degree and I do think if I may believe my Eyes He 's the happiest Man except my self that ever entred into a married State Madam I own a kind Wife often makes an obliging Husband of one that wou'd otherwise be very indifferent but this is not the Doctor 's case for he 's a Man of that sweet Temper that the worst of Wives wou'd be kind to him but he has met with one of the best Then how happy is this Couple that seem to rival one another in Kindness This Madam will raise your Curiosity to know a little more of his Lady but I dare not attempt her Character but this I 'll say She looketh well to the ways of her Houshold and speaks not a foolish word and her Thoughts are so new so particular that they rais'd my wonder to a great height In the several Visits I made the Doctor of which more in my Summer Ramble I cou'd scarce speak for admiring at every thing she said or did I 'm sure Madam if you did but know her you 'd love Ireland tho' 't is a course Place purely for her sake But Madam the Coach stays for me so having left the Doctor and his good Lady suppose me now on the Road for Dublin and in my return thither I was blest with extraordinary Company they were these following viz. a French Brigadeer who gave largely to all the Pooâ— on the Road and I think had the Soul of an Emperor for he treated all the way from Kilkenny to Dublin and had he spoke a Language we had understood I doubt not but our Minds had far'd as well as our Bodies I. Sure there 's some wondrous Joy in doing good Immortal Joy that suffers no allay from fears Nor dreads the Tyranny of Years By none but its Possessors to be understood Else where 's the Gain in being great Kings would indeed be Victims of the State What can the Poets humble Praise What can the Poets humble Bays We Poets oft our Bays allow Transplanted to the Hero's Brow Add to the Victor's Happiness What do the Scepter Crown and Ball Rattles for infant Royalty to play withall But serve to adorn the Baby-dress Of one poor Coronation day To make the Pageant gay A three hours scene of empty Pride And then the â—oys are thrown aside II. But the delight of doing good Is fixt like fate among the Stars And deify'd in Verse 'T is the best Gem in Royaâ—ty The great distinguisher of Blood Parent of Valour and of Fame Which makes a God-head of a Name And is Cotemporary to Eternity This made the antient Romans to afford To Valour and to Vertue the same word To shew the Paths of both must be together trod Before the Hero can commence a God Madam having dedicated this Poem to the Memory of this great and generous Man whose Bounty we liv'd upon I proceed to acquaint ye we had also in Company a French Major a Gentleman of good Sense but a little passionate Our third Companion was Iohny Ferguson a very
Patrick Campbell without either Sense or Coherence which runs thus Whereas it is Published by Mr. Richard Wilde in Mr. John Dunton 's Advertisement of the second of November That the Auction-Room was taken over his Head c. This indeed Mr. Wilde has not only Published but is ready to prove by several Witnesses as he has already done to Mr. Pue's Face To this Mr. Pue according to his usual Modesty answers That the Report is False and Malicious for Mr. Wilde is not the Person that did take the House Mr. Wilde never said he did nor had Dick wrong'd me if he had also added when his Hand was in nor Mr. Dunton neither for I took only the Auction-Room But this is either according to Dick's Vnderstanding or else one of Patrick's Jesuitical Equivocations to creep out at The Sense of which is That the Auction-Room was not taken over Mr. Wilde's Head because he is not the Person that took the House Now where the Coherence of this is he that knows can tell But though Mr. Wilde did not take the House yet Mr. Pue promis'd him the Refusal of the Auction-Room when my Auction was done which Dick has not only own'd but told Mr. Campbel as much To this Dick very wisely says nothing because he has nothing to the Purpose to say As to my self he tells two Notorious Vntruths One is That I took his Auction-Room only from Week to Week whereas I took it during the whole Time of the Sale of my Three Auctions paying 5 s. per Week while I kept it This I can prove by two Witnesses upon Oath The other Untruth is That I gave him notice the beginning of October that I should have done by the end of that Month whereas he himself not long since confess'd before several Witnesses That I took it during the whole Sale of my Auctions and that I never Releas'd him This he did so lately he can't forget it And he that will put his Name to so Notorious a Lye and know it to be so which is Dick's Case may well be suppos'd to scruple nothing As to what he says of Patrick's being so Cautious of taking the Room over my Head it is like a Man's asking his Fellow whether he be a Thief And for his saying that Campbel scorns my Reflections I believe 't is the wisest Course he can take for I am sure it is far easier to scorn 'em then answer ' em But though he scorus 'em Vnderstanding Men will see what weight as well as what Truth there is in 'em To whose Impartial Judgment I submit ' em But I shall add no more here but â—efer all Gentlemen to Patt's Coffee-House in High-street where my Reasons for Removing thither are to be seen fairly writ in Two Sheets of Royal â—aper John Duâ—ton SIR After I had Publish'd this Answer to Mr. Pue's Reflections Mr. Wilde being therein abused as well as my self thought it proper to Publish the following Lines viz. Whereas R. Pue hath Yesterday by the Instigation of 〈◊〉 Neighbour Mr. Campbel Published in the Re-printed Flying Pâ—st a Notorious False Advertisement that the Auction-Room at Dick's was not taken over my Head I do by these Certifie That I can prove by several Witnesses that I had Dick's solemn Promises of the Refusal of the said Room as soon as Mr. Dunton had done with it And the Reasons for such his Promises were for that I was the Proprietor of the Shelves then standing in his Room and that I had kept several of my own Auctions and brought Mr. Thornton's and Mr. Dunton's thither Richard Wilde Thus Sir have I fairly stated the Controversie 'tween Patrick Campbel his Tool Dick and my Self but least you should think me too Partial in my own Cause as you have heard what my Self and Mr. Wilde have to say for our selves for engaging in this Scuffle so I 'll next insert the Testimony of Three Persons and you know Sir a Threefold Cord is not easily broken further confirming the Truth of what I have said Nov. 24. 1698. WE the Persons whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do hereby Attest and Declare that about the beginning of this Month of November Richard Pue did publickly own in our hearing that Mr. Dunton never released him of the Agreement he first made with him which Agreement was That Mr. Dunton should have the Auction-Room as long as he had occasion for it paying 5. s. per Weak Subscribed in the Presence of Math. Guâ—ne Samuel Lucas Patrick Tracy Heneage Price George Larkin William Robinson Thus Sir have I given you a further Account of my Scuffle with Patrick Campbel on which your Impartial Thoughts are desired by Your obliged Friend and Servant John Dunton Remarks on my Third Letter SIR I Am Glad if my Remarks be any way pleasing or useful to you and shall answer your Desire in sending you my Thoughts upon your further Scuffling with Patrick and Dick. Your Advertisement upon your Removal to Patt's Coffee-House was Necessary and Just and Patrick's preventing your Publishing your Reasons in Print according to his usual sly Manner is Argument enough to prove that he durst not refer his Cause to the Determination of the Publick and indeed I do not wonder at it for Injustice may well be asham'd to show its Face Besides it seems its Patrick's Character to work like a Mole under Ground for though he Loves to Act Vnjustly he does not Love to Appear so It 's the Nature of a Hypocrite to wear a Rough Garment to deceive It was the next and the only Course left you to Publish your Advertisement that Patrick might a little appear in his Colours and in the mean Time to Publish your Reasons in Writing was an Argument of true English Courage to Face your Adversary with such Weapons as you could come at when your Cowardly Adversary had depriv'd you of any other because he knew he durst not engage you on Equal Terms His Publishing a Reflection upon you in the Reprinted Flying Post was another Effect of his dastardly Temper seeing he would not allow you the same Liberty and therefore Mr. Wilde's Advertisement against Campbel and Dick was very proper and necessary nothing could more effectually vindicate your Honesty and prove your Adversaries falshood and unfair way of Dealing and I doubt not but the Publick would take it as a sufficient Proof of it Your own Answer too was highly necessary and in my Opinion very pertinent You therein expose Patricks and Dicks Hypocritical Equivocations to the Life and seeing Mr. Wilde seconded the Truth of your Assertions by his Advertisement and that you so boldly offer to prove the Truth of what you Assert in yours its next to proving Patrick a Liar on Record I am far from questioning the Truth of what you have from Time to Time inform'd me of as to the Dublin Scuffle and should have believ'd it on your own Assertion I have not known you so long but that I am
think it below my Regard any otherwise than to vindicate my self from their Calumnies Thus Gentlemen have I given ye a distinct Account of the Three Parts of my Dublin Scuffle with the true Reasons for my publishing of it As to the Two Letters and Verses that lead the Van they came to me with no other Direction than For Iohn Dunton at the Raven in Iewen-street and I think I can do no less in point of Gratitude and Civility to their Authors than to print 'em as an Introduction to my Scuffle with this Assurance That you have 'em in the very Dress they came to me in The Letters and Verses will I presume speak for themselves but for my own Performance I shall say nothing I must own you have hitherto used me with much Civility which makes me the less apprehensive of any danger now but come what will I 'm resolv'd to stand to your Courtesie and shall always acknowledge the former Obligations you have laid upon Your Humble Servant Iohn Dunton London February â—0 1698 9 A POEM ON THE Dublin Scuffle I Hope Sir you will not esteem it an uncivil Address if I put you in mind of the Scuffle you promis'd us I can tell you that we are all in mighty pain for it and truly unless you speedily deliver us shall be apt to conclude you have given up the cause You can't imagine what advantage the Scotchman makes of the Interval I met him accidentally the other Day at your Friend Dick's where his chief business was to traduce and revile you and indeed I believe he had went on with his shew if I had not started the Scuffle in your Vindication When I told him we expected it here in a Month I found it stung him to the very Soul he put himself instantly into his Natural Posture of Rubbing and Scratching and in my Conscience made as many wry Faces as he us'd to do formerly at the Buckling on of his Pack and verily I was not wanting to give him now and then a lift But after all you must send it away with the utmost expedition all your Friends Nay the whole Town earnestly expect it from you and truly in my Judgment you cannot come off of it now without a manifest Injury both to your Interest and Reputation And here 's poor Dorinda too What can you imagine She thinks of the Matter I 'll warrant you heâ— Polse bears very high upon the Point Who she is we cannot learn But most People that understand Dublin believe her to be a 〈…〉 that our City Dames resent the thing so very ill that if they should once find her out I would not be in her Coat for his whole Pack and for Niff Naff himself too if after all they should find that he had any singer in the Contrivance he had best be sure to keep a strong Padlock upon his Trouses Well but I have sent you a few Irish Rhymes too which you may either commit to the Flames or some empty place in your Book as you shall think 'em worthy You know Irelands but a barren Country for such sort of Commodities however Sign-Post Painting may serve to put you in mind of your Friends as well as the best and if it does but that 't will be a sufficient Satisfaction to Dublin Feb. 6. 1698 9 Yours Farewell T. B. TO Mr. John Dunton UPON HIS Dublin Scuffle MY Friend could I but let thee see How much I love and value thee I 'm sure thou'dst reckon this Offence At worst a kind Impertinence I know thy Learning and thy Parts Thy Knowledge in the Noblest Arts Thy CONVERSATION and thy Wit Speak thee for my Advice unfit But what of that true Friendship still Attones for ev'ry other ill Believe me then in this hard Scuffle Poor John Thou seem'st confin'd to ruffle Not only with the Scotch Man's Pride But other Knaves and Fools beside He that is forc'd to draw his Pen Must fight with Beasts in shapes of Men. They 'll pointed Censures at him dart Which tho' they cannot reach his Heart Will reach his better part his Fame And wound him deep in his good Name Thou 'lt find too late this Paper War Is worse even than Intestine Iar. But be it so or be it not You must go on this scurvy Scot Has broke the Peace and the proud Loon Insults unless you take him down Besides thou hast a safe defence I mean thy Truth and Innocence Thy Honesty will be thy Guard And thy Fair Dealing thy Reward 'T is true the Wretch of Skinner Row Is for thy Pen too base and low And so is false Dorinda too A subject far too mean for you And so is Dick but what of that Here 's Wild and I and honest Pat Nay all the Town but two or three Speak well and justly value thee So thou' rt engag'd for different ends To right thy self and please thy Friends T. B. The Second Letter TO Mr. John Dunton UPON HIS Dublin Scuffle VVHY John here 's Nifâ— Naâ—â— Would make a Man laugh To see how he sets up his Back I 'll tell thee by th' by 'T is mounted as high As when formerly guirded to th' Pack I protest he 's half mad Is not that very sad And swears by his Namesake St. Patrick When thy Scuffle comes o're He 'll meet it a Shore And in spight of 'em all play it a Trick You know he 's a SCOT And then what is he not Why ev'ry thing now but a Pedler But He 's got into th' Row How he came there we know Yet I hate the repute of a Medler Then prithee good Iohn With thy Scuffle go on 'T is you that must humble the Loon What the De'el would he have All Dublin his Slave And encroach all the business o' the Town No no Mr. SCOT Excuse us in that We know you too well for the future Is this your pretence Of Conscience and Sence To use honest Iohn like a Jew Sir And DICK too I 'll tell thee What e're had befell thee Thou had'st better have kept to thy Word And for Mrs. Dorinda Whom we cannot find a Iohn values her not of a T No! he 's too well weigh'd To be fool'd or betray'd By a Knave or a Jilt in disguise I 'll tell thee but that 'T will be better for PAT And make thee hereafter more wise To Let his Room o're his Head I 'd have first wanted Bread Before I 'd have pleasur'd the Loon. The more Dick I think on 't The more you still stink on 't And grow nauseous all over the Town To conclude honest Dutton Ne're value 't a Button Thy Candor Fair-dealing and Sence Have plac'd you too high For such Insects to flye And will still be thy Guard and Defence Here 's Wild's thy True Friend Whom even Interest can't bend To forfeit thy Love or thy Trust. He 'll tell thee the Town Does in general own That all thy Proposals were Just.
be given will be delivered Gratis at Dick's Coffee-House the Place of Sale and at the Coffee-Houses in Limerick Corh Kilkenny Clonmel Wexford Galâ—â—y and other Places so that those that live at a distance may send their Commissions to their Relations in Dublin or to my Friend Mr. Richard Wilde and they shall have their Orders faithfully Executed for as this Countrey is obliged to his Vniversal Knowledge in Books for the goodness of this Collection so to his Care and Fidelity my Health calling me to Wexford to drink the Waters is committed the Charge of the whole Undertaking And I think I need add no more for tho' it has been Customary to Usher in Undertakings of this Nature with insignificant and tedious Commendations which served only to tire the Readers Patience and stagger his Belief and may perhaps be expected now upon a Collection which might justly Challenge the Precedence of what has ever been Exposed to Sale in Ireland yet being resolved to proceed in quite contrary Methods to what has been formerly used I 'll manage the whole with that Candor and Sincerity as shall leave no room for Exception For as Gentlemen come here supposing to buy a Pennyworth so I do assure 'em I think it unjust to advance the Rate upon 'em by any Vnderhand-Bidding And for every Penny I get that way I will restore a Pound neither did I suffer any of my scarce and valuable Pieces to be cull'd out from the rest tho' importun'd thereto by several Gentlemen and Booksellers that all might have equal Treatment and the greater Reason to attend my Auctions And I am very willing that the Ingenious and Learned should be their own Judges in this matter not doubting but upon an Impartial view of my Three Catalogues of which this is the first they will find not only such Variety of New Books as were never before in Ireland and scarce ones no where else to be purchased but such Curiosities in Manuscripts and Pamphlets of all sorts as will be sufficient to invite them to exert a Generosity as may further Encourage Dublin Iune 24. 1698. Your Humble Servant John Dunton SIR IF you 'l give me your Thoughts upon this Auction the Conditions of Sale and the Scuffle I 'm like to be ingaged in on the Account of this Undertaking I shall own it as a Mark of your Friendship Write as supposing me still on the Road I am yet on my Summers Ramble and to Morrow having met with agreeable Company shall set out for the Boyn Kilkenny Galway c. In order to view the Cabins Customs and Manners of the Wild Irish Direct your Answer to be left with my worthy Friend Dr. Wood at his House in Kilkenny for I design to make him a Visit when I leave Dublin Pray Sir write by the first Post for I intend your Answer shall come into my Summer-Ramble for my Method different from other Travellers is to get Remarks upon all I see but Six-pence Once Twice and the next Word is to assure you that I am Your very Humble Servant John Dunton Remarks on my First Letter SIR I Have receiv'd the Kindness of yours by which I perceive that neither distance of Place multiplicity of Business nor variety of Diversions and some times Distractions are able to divert the stream of solid Friendship but that you have still a Minute to spare in remembrance of your old Acquaintance I am glad to find you have Encouragement to go on with your generous Vndertaking of imparting to Ireland so many valuable Pieces of Learning I don't know why some of 'em may not be accounted Phoenixes as being reviv'd since the Fire of London or rather sprung up from its Ashes Time was when Ireland was famous for Learning and hence it came to be said of a certain Great Man whose Name does not now occur to me Ivit ad Hibernos Sophia mirabile claros But I am afraid the Case is much altered since Slavery and Popery have had so long and universal a Possession of that Countrey that the Spirits of the Native or Wild Irish at least are much degenerated so that we may now apply to them as a proper Reverse Vervecam in Patria crassoque sub aere Nati If your Design may be any way subservient to restore Learning among them you will have Cause to value your self upon it while you Live But my Friend I perceive by your Fears of a SCUFFLE that you will find it more difficult to Conquer their Prejudices at least of some of them than Richard Strongbow found it to make a Conquest of their Nation but I hope you are so much a Philosopher as to prepare your self before-hand for cross Emergents that you don't lose Courage on their approach Never was there that Great or Good Design yet in the World which did not meet with Opposition and if yours happen to be singular in this Respect it will be as remarkable a Passage as many that are recorded in the Irish Story You know I am no pretender to the Spirit of Prophecy but methinks I foresee a Storm coming upon you My Reason is this Whatever the Honesty of your Design and the fairness of your way of dealing may be and which I persuade my self the Irish Climate will never be able to alter yet you must expect that those of your own Calling will look upon you as an Interloper or perhaps a Fore-staller and Ingrosser If you can Convey Learning to Ireland thro' their Channels so as there may be some Gold-Dust left for themselves at the Bottom you may perhaps 'scape pretty well but if otherwise I am much mistaken if you don 't experimentally find the falshood of that old saying That Ireland entertains no venemous Creature I cannot but applaud your Honesty in promising not to advance the Prices upon Gentlemen that come to buy by Vnder-hand Bidding To do otherwise is not only to Act two different Parts with the Satyr in the Fable but according to the Northern Proverb To Play both the Thief and the Merchant and I wish you had left more of that sort of Honesty amongst some of your Brethren at home We have not so much of it our selves as to send such a Cargo of it at once to our Neighbours the worst I shall wish those Gentlemen who practise the contrary Method is that they may never have any other Buyers but their own Vnder-hand Bidders for that is the likeliest way to reform them But though I am Confident you will be as good as your Promise in this Matter yet all your Honesty will not be Armour of Proof against a Weapon you have put into the Hands of your Enemies which is that you Promise a Penny-worth to those that will buy at your Auction The Proposal is indeed as charitable as that of Selling below the Market-price to the starving Poor but you know those who practise this Method have as many Curses from the Ingrossers of Corn as
Blessings from the Starvlings whom they save from Death Learning I do verily believe runs low in Ireland generally speaking and no wonder it should when they have not Books at moderate Rates and therefore your bountiful Design to the Publick will not be able to atone for the Injury which some Persons will be ready to apprehend from you in their Private Affairs If you Sell a better Penny-worth than they you must expect their Envy and the Consequence of that is all that 's unjust and mischievous But let none of these Things discourage you go on with your good Design of dispersing those Books in Ireland that are fitted for their Instruction and Diversion Profit and Pleasure ought to go Hand in Hand I would not frighten you by representing only the black side of the Cloud I hope you will meet with some fair weather try if you can invite the Muses in your Summers-Ramble to make a visit once more to the Irish Parâ—assus and to disperse the Liberal Arts amongst the Kerns What Pity is it that a People who are generally so fair of Body should not have better Means to cultivate their Souls You are very well furnish'd with proper Materials for so good a Work if they fall into charitable Hands You are accustomed to Rambling to use your own Term though some would have the Ambition to call it Travelling and if as other Travellers do generally drop Money in those Countreys which they visit you drop Learning too it will be a double Advantage I must take leave to dissent from one of your Propositions That Books are the best Furniture in a House and I believe you will be of my Mind too when you know what it is and I will tell it you frankly that I think a Good Wife is better but both of 'em do well together I could the more readily have pardon'd your Mistake if you had not known the Truth of what I say by both sides of Experience but of this enough It would seem by you that Solomon thought them equal seeing he presented the Queen of Sheba with part of his Library for if we may believe â—rester Iohn she was one of his Concubines that pass'd for a sort of Wife in those Days and from their Bed it is he pretends to derive his own Original This must needs Enhance the Value of Books and the Stationers Trade seeing they were the noblest Present that the wisest of Princes could think on to make to the wisest of Queens Had that Prince happened to live when Printing was Invented he had certainly been a great Incourager of the Booksellers-Trade He who knew the sweets of Wisdom and Understanding and press'd others so earnestly to the pursuit of it would have thought himself very Happy in such a proper and easie Method of acquiring and diffusing it Yet such is the unhappy Genius of too many in this Age that they Care not how empty their Brains be so they can but Stuff their Bags or their Bellies Covetousness and Sensuality are equally Enemies to Learning The Miser laughs at those who spend their Time and Strength in search of the Philosophers-Stone the Grand Elixir and Auram Potabile whilst he has the Aurum Potabile under a sure Guard of Locks and Bars The Sensualist doth in the same manner Ridicule those who Abridge themselves of Sleep and other Conveniencies in the pursuit of Knowledge He thinks the best Ornament for the Head is a fine Hatt and a flanting Wigg a good Complection owing to the Bottle is preferrable in his Sense to a Pale Face the usual Reward of Study He had rather be taught how to cut Capers with his Heels than enabled to Judge betwixt Truth and Error with his Head These are some of the principal Reasons why Learning makes so little progress amongst many who by Providence and Nature are furnish'd ' with Opportunity and Ability to acquire it Your Instances of the value put upon Books by Plato Arch-Bishop Vsher and King Iames I are pertinently brought in and may they be as perfectly copied Knowledge is without doubt the most valuable of all sublunary Treasures Solomon was certainly of that Opinion when he said that a poor and wise Child was better than an old and a foolish King Wisdom had something more Charming in his Eyes than any thing the Crown and Scepter could afford whence we may rationally infer that Solomon would have preferr'd the Industry of those that should have brought him a Cargo of good Books to the Industry of his Richest Merchants that brought him Gold and Silver from the Indies which some Modern Authors understand by Ophir The Thoughts of this may be enough to support you against the Cavils of those who may happen to oppose you Seeing the Native result of your Voyage to Ireland is to make good Books common there at a moderate Rate for which others would exact upon their Customers I shall conclude this long Letter with this one Remark That your Fancy soars too high and your Mind is too nimble for your Body To talk of compleating your Ramble in Ireland to visit Scotland France and Italy and to be in London by Christmass next is somewhat too much for Pegasus himself for you have known him sometimes play the Jade I find you are already oblig'd to go to Wexford for your Health whence I am afraid you will be induc'd to alter your Project For if your Body won't keep pace with your Mind you must send your Thoughts upon the Ramble and spare the Carkass However I approve of your return to London by Christmass for at that Time we have generally as good Cheer in England as you will find any where else Give me leave to adde one Word as to your Conditions of Sale If the Conditions of your Chapmen be as Fair you have Reason to expect all possible Encouragement but I am afraid you will find Solomons Observation hold as true in Ireland as in other Kingdoms where the Buyers do usually say of the Merchandize It is naught it is naught but when they have once got it into their Possession they will be sure to boast of their Penny-worth I have no more to adde but pray you to make haste Home and in the mean Time fortifie your self against the Distemper of the Countrey by its own natural Product I mean a good Freeze Coat lin'd with Vsquebaugh but don't linger too long least our minc'd Pyes be all eat before you get over for I look upon them to be a more proper Cordial for a true English Stomach But I shall exceed the bounds of a Letter and therefore without any further Ceremony subscribe my self Your Friend and Servant c. The Second Letter My Worthy Friend I Have receiv'd Yours with your Thoughts of my Dublin Auction and of the Conditions of Sale for which I return you hearty Thanks I have already found that your Conjectures of Envy's attending my Design were too well grounded and have reap'd
very well satisfied you were never taken for a Liar at home and I have no Reason to think you have chang'd your Temper by going to Ireland However your Prudence and Caution is commendable to have your Proceedings well attested for that is certainly the best way to stop the Mouths of your Cavilling Adversaries I am SIR Your assured Friend and Servant The Fourth Letter SIR I Have now proceeded to give you the History of the Dublin Scuffle so far as the small Skirmishes of Bills and Advertisements I am next to tell you what the Learned Gentlemen of Ireland who were Spectators of this Scuffle thought of the Encounter And to set this matter in the Truer Light I shall here insert the Letter I sent by Mr. Wilde To the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Clogher with the Answer his Lordship was pleased to send me I had not presum'd to have Publisht the Bishops Answer but his Lordship is a Person of very Great Honour and Strickt Justice as I hint in my Farewell Letter and will be the sooner enclin'd to pardon a Presumption which is so absolutely Necessary to the Vindication of my Innocence My Letter to the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Clogher in Dublin December the 17th 1698. May it Please Your Lordship I AM Sorry I had not the Honour to be in my Auction-Room this Morning when your Lordship was there that I might have return'd my Humble Thanks for that Great Encouragement your Lordship has given to my Book-Adventure as Mr. Wilde informs me Had I met with none but such Generous Buyers as your Lordship and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland my Undertaking had been more Fortunate For My Lord I have had Great Injustice from some Persons who have bought what they won't Pay for and in particular from one Campbell who attempted to Murther my Reputation and not contented with that piece of Revenge for my endeavouring to serve this Countrey with Books he afterwards takes my Auction-Room over mine and Mr. Wilde 's head and whilst I was in it declares I had Setters though I assured the Buyer That for every Penny I got that Vnlawful Way I 'd restore a Pound My Lord I own it my Duty to forgive Injuries but Campbell justifies this Vile Treatment and therefore My Lord I am obliged to Publish this Dublin Scuffle to justifie my own Innocence and to bring him if possible according to the Scotch Phrase to the stool of Repentance I am pleas'd to hear your Lordship is not angry at my Intention herein and as the Speaker of the House of Commons has done me the Honour to desire a sight of my first Draught in Manuscript so your Lordship has likewise been pleas'd to Honour me by desiring a sight of the same in Print which as it obliges me to Publish nothing but real Truth so it encourages me to hope That the Publishing my Dublin Scuffle will bring Campbell to a sense of his Error I have only to beg your Lordship's Pardon for this Presumption and to assure your Lordship that I am Your Lordship 's most Obliged and very Humble Servant John Dunton The Bishop of Clogher's Answer to the Foregoing Letter December 17th 1698. Mr. Dunton I Received your Letter and am extreamly well Satisfied of your Iustice and Fair Dealing in your Late Auction and of the Fidelity of Mr. Wilde whom you Employ'd You shall always have this Testimony from Your Humble Servant St. Geo Clogher SIR YOUR Remarks upon this Honourable Testimony of the Bishop of Clogher relating to my SCUFFLE with Patrick Campbell will further Oblige Your Humble Servant John Dunton Remarks on my Fourth Letter SIR I Was sufficiently Satisfied by your Last that your Justice in relation to the Controversie betwixt Patrick Campbell and your Self was undeniable and therefore the further Testimonies which you have now sent me of it are ex Superabandanti but I confess the Quality of 'em is such that you ought not to have omitted them especially when you had seemingly transgress'd the Rules of Good Breeding so far as to trouble such an Eminent Person as the Lord Bishop of Clogher with a Letter on that Subject It was indeed a necessary Piece of Gratitude and an Acknowledgment due to the Bishop's Character and Personal Merit to return his Lordship Thanks for the Incouragement he had given to your Auction and it was no less than Justice to the Clergy of Ireland to own their Generous Deportment and the Countenance they gave to your Undertaking but I cannot altogether approve of your troubling that Great Prelate who has the Charge of so many Weighty Affairs upon his Shoulders with such a Minute Affair as you Scuffle with Patrick Campbel But seeing his Lordship was so kind as to take your Presumption in good part and has been so condescending as to give you such a generous Testimony of the Fairness of your dealing in your Auction I cannot but admire the Excellency of his Lordships Temper and applaud your successful boldness You and your Friend Mr. Wilde have Reason to Value your selves upon the Testimony of a Person of so great Worth which to be sure will give a Reputation to your Management with all Men of Sense and Honour for I cannot but think that the Testimony of a Bishop and Privy Councellour will infinitely out-weigh the Calumnies of a Pedlar turn'd Bookseller and his Tool a Coffee-man Besides the Reputation which his Lordship has for his Learning and Piety makes it evident that he look'd upon your Design as very subservient to the Interest of Learning in that Kingdom seeing he gave so much Incouragement to it What you say of bringing Patrick to the Stool of Repentance has something of an Impropriety in it except you suppose him to have been Cock-Baud to your Dorinda for that Pennance is not as I am inform'd injoin'd in his Countrey upon any but those who are guilty of Vncleanness But perhaps because Patrick may have a Dorinda which he may Love as himself you may think that he ought to mount the Stool of Repentance for hâ—r Billet Douxes If this be your meaning I wish you had let it alone for I am afraid if that Custom should take Place it might bring a great many of your Acquaintance in England to stand in a White Sheet for the Faults of their She-Friends and I know you are so good natur'd that you would not willingly wish them so much harm It 's true that you for your own Part have been happier than many Your first Wifes Vertue put Her beyond the reach of Suspicion and that of your second is Vnattackable but though you and they have been mutually happy in one another so that you had no occasion for a She-Friend yet you ought to consider that there are many of your Acquaintance that have not had so good a Fate However as to your Adversary Patrick whether he deserve the Stool of Repentance for his own personal Crimes or not I know
not but this I am sure of that if the Character given of him be true he deserves an Advancement of as Publick a Nature and something like the other too for as the Stool of Repentance in his Countrey is rais'd so high that the Criminal who is plac'd upon it may be seen by all that are in the Church he seems to deserve to be elevated above his Brethren in a Publick Market-place with a Hole for his Head and one for each Hand and to have the Title Page of Hodder transform'd into Cocker c. Nail'd over his Head But to return to your Scuffle Your imparting that Affair to the Lord Bishop of Clogher and the Speaker of the House of Commons seems to be a very good Imprimatur but at the same Time it is incumbent upon you to take Care that there be nothing in it too mean to deserve such a License and that may be unfit for one of your Business and Reputation to divulge for though I doubt not but you will keep Religiously to Truth yet you know that all the Truth is not to be spoken at all Times and somethings may be too Trifling to deserve the View of the Publick therefore peruse every Thing carefully before it be Printed off You see I make use of my wonted Freedom with you as becomes one who is SIR Your Cordial Friend The Fifth Letter SIR I Am still Scuffling with Patrick Campbel but such is the Advantage of a Just Cause that my Auction prospers maugre all the Malice and Venom he spits at that and me The first Auction I made after my Removal to Patt's Coffee-House was still crouded with generous Buyers and notwithstanding the Opposition I meet from Campbel I have now proceeded so far in the disposing my whole Venture as to come to what I call the word Auction being worn Thread-bare my Farewel Sale That I may give you the better Idea of these Proceedings and set the Dublin-Scuffle in a yet clearer Light I here send you the Account of this Farewel Sale with the Attestation concerning my Self and my Three Auctions which are now ended This further Account of the Dublin-Scuffle you 'll find in my Third Letter to those worthy Gentlemen that were Encouragers of my Vndertaking which Letter was Entituled The Farewel-Sale at Patt's Coffee-House And is as follows viz. Gentlemen THough my Three Auctions are now ended I have yet Variety of Books left so I design to try your generous Bidding a Fourth Time which I 'll call my Farewel Sale It shall begin the following Monday at Three in the Afternoon at Patt's Coffee-House in High-street and shall end December the first neither will I exceed that resolving God-willing to Embark for London December 5th 'T is true I have Books enough to continue the Sale much longer but Native Countrey has Charms in it and I am very desirous to be at home And therefore December 5th I shall bid you all Farewel for though when my Fourth Sale is over I shall still have Quantities left yet all that is then remaining I 'll lump to the Booksellers of Dublin to whom you must give higher Rates of which the Sale of the French Book of Martyrs is a late Instance or if we can't agree the same Ship that brought 'em hither will be able to carry 'em back The Conditions of this last Sale are That whatever is bought till Thursday Night be all paid the following Fryday and for what has been bought in my Three past Auctions 't is expected they should be all fetcht away by Saturday the 26th Instant In order to which constant Attendance shall be given at Patt's Coffee-House from eight in the Morning till eight at Night Gentlemen I promis'd you in my last Catalogue The Dublin-Scuffle And the History of my Summers Ramble and I 'll be as good as my word for Iâ—ll Print 'em as soon as I get to London and send 'em to Patt's Coffee-House in High-street except Patrick will Publickly own the Publick Injury he did me and then I will even forgive Patrick Campbel and forget his Taking my Room over my Head though 't is Thought I 'm an Hundred Pounds the worse for 't considering the Goods and Buyers I lost on that occasion but if he has not the Grace to ask my Pardon for the notorious Injuries he did me I Pray God forgive him and Dick too and in return I hope they 'll wish me a Boon-Voyage in regard they 'll be rid of one durst tell 'em the Truth and afterwards send it to Patt's Coffee-House in Red-Letters And seeing they dare not answer my Broadside whilst I am in Dublin and whenever they do I 'll reply to 'em though as far as Rome that they might not wrong me after I am gone some of my Friends that best know me have voluntarily Subscribed the following Attestation The Attestation WE whose Names are hereunto Subscribed being all of us Present at Mr. Iohn Dunton's Three Auctions in Dublin and having seen the Management thereof every Day do hereby Attest That as all was carried on and Managed with the greatest Candour and Sincerity imaginable by Mr. Dunton so the generality of those Gentlemen that bought his Books have acknowledged in our hearing That they had all the fair Dealing that they could desire And we can more particularly affirm That Mr. Dunton's Demeanour during his whole Auctions has been such as has given Content to all Gentlemen there For whereas in other Auctions it is common to have Setters to raise the value of the Books in Mr. Dunton's Auction we are sure there was none from the beginning to the end Mr. Dunton having absolutely declar'd against it as not fair nor honest And we do further Attest to our certain Knowledge That in all his Concernments with the Printers Stationers Binders and others which was very considerable he paid every one not only to a Penny but even to a single Half-Penny so very exact and scrupulous he was of wronging them And as to the several Places where the said Mr. Dunton lodg'd he not only paid his Quarters according to Agreement but likewise gratify'd 'em for any Trouble that was extraordinary by Sickness or otherwise And that in all his said Lodgings his way of Living was so inoffensive and blameless that he was as Caesar would have had his Wife not only free from blame but from all Suspicion of it And as to the Controversie he has had with Mr. Patrick Campbel we do hereby Attest That Mr. Campbel was altogether the Aggressor for though Mr. Campbel had us'd Mr. Dunton very Barbarously at his first coming over yet Mr. Dunton took no notice of it till Campbel had Taken his Auction-Room over his Head by offering a double Price as Dick the Coffee-man alledged in our hearing and yet even then Mr. Dunton was so fair as to offer to close his Auctions in one Weeks Time more provided he might tarry in it so long though he had then Two Hundred
Pounds â—orth of Books to Sell and that he would Lump the Remainder which Campbel absolutely refused And notwithstanding such his refusal yet we do Attest That Mr. Dunton has been so favourable to the said Campbel that he has not related those ill Things of him which he might have done and which he was urged by several Persons to do Nor is there any thing Mr. Dunton has said of him but what to our Knowledge he has divers Witnesses to prove it if there be occasion Dublin Nov. 23. 1698. Subscribed in the Presence of Fra. Lee Matth. Gunne Matthew Read Samuel Lucas Richard Wilde Heneage Price George Larkin William Robinson Gentlemen THe foregoing Attestation is Printed Word for Word as my Friends brought it to me and is Subscribed by Four Persons of known Integrity and sign'd in the Presence of Four more which I hope will fully convince you that I am as I said in my last Catalogue Dublin Nov. 2â— 1698. Your very Faithful and very humble Servant John Dunton THus Sir you find I am come to the Conclusion of my Three Auctions wherein I have related my Scuffle with Patrick Campbel with as much Sincerity and Candour as I would have done were I now leaving the World but whether I have done so or no is left to your Remarks which I desire by the first Post by which you 'll further oblige Your Hearty Friend and Servant John Dunton Remarks on my Fifth Letter SIR I Am sorry to find that Patrick is not yet reduc'd to Reason though I think there 's no great Cause to wonder at it for I am apt to think his Reason and Religion are much of a Piece I am glad however that his Malice proves Toothless or that at best it is worn to the stumps It is but just that dishonesty should be unsuccessful though many Times we see the All-wise Providence order it otherwise for a while at least Your Farewel Sale demonstrates your Courage and Honesty in that you durst Appeal to the Publick and Patricks own Conscience for the Justice of your Cause The offer you made him of suppressing your design'd Narrative or Character of him if he would publickly own the Injury he did you is highly Generous considering how much you had been a loser by it There are few Men but would have demanded Restitution as well as Repentance but I don't find that Patrick is so good a Christian as to offer you either and therefore I think no Man can justly blame you for exposing him in his own Colours to the View of the World according to your Promise But be sure to keep a steady Hand for though I am of Opinion you can scarcely miss such ugly and course Features yet you know the Proverb Give the Devil his due includes a good Lesson of Morality in it and therefore I hope you will represent him no worse than he really is I must needs also tell you that unless you be satisfied in your own Conscience that it is necessary to do this for the Defence of your own Reputation you will run a great hazard of breaking the Ninth Commandment The Proposals you make to your Buyers in your Farewel Sale are Just and Reasonable and a Proof at the same time that you design'd no Injury to your Brethren the Booksellers by your Auction seeing you are willing to let them have Lumping Penny-worths at Last that they may be Sharers in the Profit of your Book-Adventure as well as others As to the Attestation of your Friends it was kind in them to offer it and necessary for you to have it I question much whether Patrick can produce the like Behaviour in any Respect Your Precaution in this Matter is very commendable for you have thereby in my Opinion stop'd the Mouths of all Cavillers as to every Part of your Conversation since you arriv'd in Dublin and in London your just and scrupulous way of deaâ—ing sets you above Deâ—â—action Or 〈◊〉 worst a generous 〈◊〉 minds not the yelping of every little Cur. I am glad to find that the Ill Treatment you have met with from others has not inspir'd you with the same unjust Sentiments towards them And that it is fully prov'd by this Attestation that Patrick was the first Aggressor and took your Room over your Head and therefore I think that the Publishing of this and some other of the most remarkable Passages of Patrick's Injustice were enough to blacken him and to vindicate you in the Eyes of all Honest Men without your putting your self to the trouble and expence of a Voluminous detail of Particulars which few can Purchase besides Patrick is not a Man of that Character that his Life will be much Regarded though it had been writ by Plutarch himself and therefore it will be your Wisdom and Interest to be Brief I am SIR Your Friend and Servant The Sixth Letter SIR IN the History of the Dublin Scuffle I am come so far as to acquaint you in spight of all the Opposition made against me by Patrick Campbel that I was got to the Conclusion of my Three Auctions and Farewel Sale I have had many a weary step as well as the Impudence of Campbel to Cope with in the disposing of this Venture but through God's Blessing on my Undertaking I am now come near the winding up of my bottom in this Countrey for Yesterday I Publisht a Paper which I call'd The Packing Penny a new Phrase to invite Company Sir As this Paper has some Relation to Patrick Campbel 't is fit I should send you a Copy of it that nothing relating to my Scuffle with him might 'scape your Censure This Paper was my Fifth Letter to those Gentlemen that attended my Auctions and was Entituled The Packing Penny And is as follows viz. Gentlemen THough my Three Auctions and Farewel Sale are now ended yet I have still quantities of Books left which for a Packing-Penny I 'll Sell at very Reasonable Rates the Sale to begin Tuesday December the 13th in the Morning and to end the same Evening Gentlemen I shan't sell these remaining Books by way of Auction but at such easie Rates as shall be agreed upon between Mr. Wilde and the Buyer 'T is true when I consider I had no Setter in any of my Four Sales I could not have thought that any would have been so Vnjust as to Buy what they won't Pay for but I was mistaken But to the Honour of the Tribe of Levi no Clergy-man in Ireland has treated me in this Manner I mention this that the World may see I design'd no Reflection on those Learned Gentlemen in my Advertisement of Iuly the 9th for though the Enemies of my Undertaking wrested my Words to that purpose yet nothing was ever further from my Thoughts for besides that I my self have the Honour to be the Son of a Clergy-man who as a Poet says Do all breathe something more then common Air I dare boldly assert that no Man in
as good Latin Though those who are Enemies to the Order may please themselves with the Reflection the common Experience of Mankind demonstrates the falshood of it for if the number of Clergy-mens Children be compar'd with those of others and their Morals Religion and Success in the World laid in the Ballance with those of the Children of other Ranks of Men it will appear to have been a meer Forgery of those who were against the Marriage of Priests of Old and lick'd up and improved by such who if not professed are at least Crafty under-hand Enemies to the Christian Religion I wish from my Heart that all Clergy-men themselves took more Care to obviate this Reflection by a careful looking after their own Practise and their Childrens Education and then the Injustice of it would be more apparent And I am sorry to find that tho the Irish Clergy have been just to their Bargains that yet any one of 'em should have taken indirect Measures to injure you in your Auctions but they are earthen Vessels as well as others Therefore I would advise you not to be sharp in your Resentments upon them Some of your Books might perhaps be disrelishing to them but that was their fault Your design was to serve the Interest of Learning in general and not to please every Mans humour which you knew was impossible You Vindication of those concern'd in your Auctions from having any share in what you Printed against Campbel is generous and just and no less can be said of Mr. Wilde's Advertisement ' concerning the design of an Auction of his own and publickly avowing Patrick's Injustice to you which makes it so notorious that I think there is the less need of your Printing much more about it I am SIR Your Humble Servant The Seventh Letter WEll Sir I 'll tell ye News my Adversary Campbel has now sent a Trumpeter a few equivocating Lines with a Parley or rather with Articles of Peace but I fear his Message is rather to sham off a Debt he owes me then any Design to be reconcil'd However I here send you a Copy of his Letter for I 'll keep the Original that you may the better Judge of the Proposals he makes His Letter is as follows viz. December 9th 1698. Mr. Dunton YE have begun to dun me though I find you to be in my Debt and easily able to make it appear as for any Letters ye have under my Hand I will not give you one Farthing to burn it For I will own what is Iust and Right though not under my Hand I have no mind either to Write or Print my self a Lyar as some Men has done But I shall be pleased very well to meet you either before a Magistrate or any other creditable Citizen and what is thought Iust I will perform on my Part I do not intend to render Railing for Railing and am sure have rendred you Good for Evil and shall continue to be Just to every Man and for your Iustice your self may boast of it as much as ye will but other Men must believe as they find I shall only adde Evil to them that Evil thinks Pa. Campbel My Answer to Campbel's Proposals Dublin December 10th 1698. Mr. Campbel I Received yours which is still the second Part to the same Tune for instead of being Penitent for the great Injuries you did me you do but Iustifie your self so that you are the Railer and not I neither have I Writ or Printed any thing against you but plain Matter of Fact and drest in softer Terms then you deserve And as to my being in your Debt 't is all Patrick Campbel I mean a piece of Nonsence for you are certainly in mine if Four Pound be more then Forty Shillings However I 'll meet you if you please before a Magistrate for I 'm so much for strict Iustice I would talk with you there about Hodder or where else you please I shall Name Thursday Night at seven of the Clock at the Keys in High-street and shall bring a Friend with me and I am willing you should do the like but I tell you before-hand you must resolve upon a Printed Confession of the Publick Injuries you have done me or you 'll dearly repent your abusing Iohn Dunton SIR Thus have I sent what must needs surprize ye Patricks Proposals about a Peace with my Answer to him I shall send you more of his ill Practices by next Post but at present your Thoughts upon the Parley is what is desired by Yours to Command John Dunton Remarks on my Seventh Letter SIR I Have received yours with the Copy of Mr. Campbel's Letter proposing a Meeting and Reference Sir This Proposal of Campbel's is cunning and Picquant enough and demonstrates what I always thought that he is a Crafty Intriguing Man It carries an Air of Religion and Ingenuity at first view but by the Railing mixt throughout and the Reslecting Conclusion he does not seem ever to have design'd any Meeting with you for if he had there 's Reason to think he would have propos'd it in fairer Terms and not have aggravated Matters to incense you if he had design'd an Amicable Accommodation This may partly justifie the sharpness of your Reply and serving him in his own Coin by proposing such Terms of Agreement as you might reasonably think he would never comply with For I find nothing less would serve your turn than Publick Repentance and he tells you plainly that he was not willing eitherâ— to Print or Write himself a Liar So that it was impossible to reconcile you This if Patrick be conscious of his Guilt argues an obstinacy inconsistent with Christianity Yet I cannot wholly approve your Conduct nor Policy in your Reply Had you accepted of a Meeting without any thing of ripping up Sores or telling him the Preliminaries you might possibly have had either an opportunity of bringing him to a Sense of his Fault or of having further Evidence against him and indeed I see nothing that can excuse your oversight in this Matter but that Letter to Mr. Wilde giving an Account of Patricks further ill Practises against you which you Promise to send me I am Your Hearty Friend c. The Eighth Letter SIR I Am now to acquaint ye that Campbel's Proposal about a Treaty of Peace was all Trick and Delusion for notwithstanding his seeming desire of Meeting before a Magistrate or any other creditable Citizen and my readiness to comply with his Motion herein yet he never once came to the Keys in High-street the Place appointed to Meet at but I was there my self according to Promise as Mr. Servant his own Binder and several others can testifie so that our Dublin Scuffle continues still and if Campbel remains as obstinate as he is at present for any thing I can yet see 't will be left to our Posterity to Fight it out And that as I formerly sent you the Sentiments of the Clergy of Ireland upon
this Encounter so I shall now send you an Account of what the Citizens of Dublin the daily Spectators of this Scuffle think of it and of Campbel's Proposal to me about a Peace and this can't be better done than by inserting here a Letter directed To Mr. Richard Wiâ—â—e at Patt's Coffee-House in High-street Which Letter was this following viz. December 16th SIR NOw Campbel finds Mr. Dunton's Reputation above his reach like himself he would fain put to Reference the Ruine he intended but if Mr. Dunton does not compel him to publick Acknowledgement he will hereafter repent it for in the first Place he did not only incense all that he had opportunity against him but forbid all his Auction telling that hâ— employ'd Foster and others as Setters which he would prove by Weir and in the next Place he made a Faction against him because he was an English-man and he took all Mr. Dunton's Papers to Council and advised on them with Intention to prosecute him at Law and getting no Incouragement he proceeds this way which I hope Mr. Dunton does not take to proceed from a Prick of nor from Friendship but meerly for want of I will say no more that Gentleman having Iustice to vindicate himself as well as Sense to know Campbel whose best word was You were all Rogues I shall say no more but assure you that I have been a good Customer and have given all Incouragement to you and am Mr. Dunton's and your real Friend SIR THough you see by this Letter directed to Mr. Wilde what Opinion the Citizens of Dublin have of the Treatment I have from Campbel and of his Proposal of his being Friends with me yet seeing Peace is a desirable Thing if to be had upon Honourable Terms I desire your Sentiments upon this Letter to Mr. Wilde and how you 'd advise me to Act in this Critical Iuncture your speedy Answer will greatly oblige Your very Humble Servant John Dunton Remarks on my Eighth Letter SIR I Have received by the last Post the further Account you promised me of Patrick's ill Practises his deceitful Dealing with you about a Peace and the Letter to Mr. Wilde giving the Sentiments of the Citizens of Dublin upon this Scuffle I must say the Writer of this Letter is much your Friend and if you be sure of the credibility of the Informer I see no Reason why you should not Publish it but you ought to be exactly careful in enquiring whether the Writer of it can be relied upon and if you be satisfied in that Publish it with all the Corroborating Evidence you can for there 's nothing can be more effectual to prove the Justice of your Cause and the Baseness of your Adversary I am the rather indeed inclin'd to believe it because it corresponds with the Preceding Part of your own Information and is confirm'd by his declining to meet you according to appointment for Truth is always bold and never seeks Corners as it is evident Patrick has done all along I adde no more but referring you to the Direction of the Almighty who knows the Justice of your Cause I am SIR Yours The Ninth Letter SIR I formerly told you of Patrick's sending a Trumpeter with Proposals of Peace and how he serv'd me on that Account you have also had the Sentiments of the Citizens of Dublin with respect to my Scuffle with him and his seeming willingness to make an end on 't but tho' I met at the Place appointed he never appear'd as I formerly sent you Word yet he has the impudence to give out that I refuse to meet him which I no sooner heard of but I sent the following Letters the one directed To Mr. Thomas Servant a Binder in Golden-Lane And the other directed To Mr. Patrick Campbel at the Bible in Skinner-Row My Letter to Mr. Servant was in these Words viz. December 20th 1698. Honest Thomas I writ the following Letter with a design to send it to Patrick Campbel just as I was going to limbark but hearing he reports I refused to meet him which he durst not do but that he thinks I am Ship'd off I desire that you would read the following â—ines that you may see his Baseness for your self was present where he refus'd to meet me and can testifie to what I write As soon as you have read my Letter deliver it with your own Hand for if Patrick should still fly me 't is design'd as 〈◊〉 Farewel to him You know Sir though you are his chief Binder and would favour his cause as much as possible that I offer'd to make you the sole Iudge of the Debt he owes me but for the Slander and taking the Room over my Head it was a publick Injury and tho' I forgive it my self the World expects a publick Acknowledgment of the Injuries he has done to Your hearty Friend and Servant John Dunton My Farewel Letter to Patrick Campbel Mr. Campbel THo' I have one foot in the Boat in order ' to Embark for England yet I here send a Messenger to tell you I 'll wait an hour to shake Hands with you if you 'll confess the Wrongs you did or there were any hopes of your Penitence And isn't it strange that Patrick Campbel who is so Religious as to say Grace over a dish of Coffee should have no Qualms after slandering his Neighbour or refusing to pay his debts I say debts for I sent your Account fairly stated and prov'd you owe me a round Sum without receiving your Answer to it Then with what Face but you suppos'd I was Ship'd off could you tell Bently I was your Debter and refus'd to meet you before a Magistrate or at the Keys in High-street where I waited for you above an Hour But tho' you durst not appear then I 'm now waiting in the Boat for you in hopes you 'll appear at last and to engage you to it if you 'll ask Pardon I 'll even here receive you with open Arms. 'T is true you have given great Provocation and had I not been tender of you I had long since sent you the Length of my Sword or as you 're beneath my Notice some Porter to have broke your Pate Sir put on your Sword if it be not in trouble and let me see your Face for your private slandering is very sordid and I am sure deserves to be soundly drubb'dâ— for by backbiting of me you still sneak your Head out of the Collar and I am hurt by I don't know who 'T is true 't was Palmer's Saying the Martyr That no Man ought to be counted Valiant but such as contemn Injuries I confess I am not so humble as this comes to yet I forgive Patrick with all my Heart but Sir I think it my duty to Print the Scuffle you engag'd me in for you justifie your barbarous Treatment so that to forget and forgive you too will but encourage you to abuse others or perhaps my self again for such tenderness
For save a from the Gallows and he 'll cut your Throat But for all this I 'll burn the Scuffle if you 'll come hither and shake hands and tell the World when I am gone that you did abuse me but are sorry for it 'T is reported of St. Kâ—therine That she sucked the invenom'd Wounds of a Fellow who had impudently wrong'd her I don't pretend to such flights as these but if you 'll come to the Boat and remember 't is the last Offer and own your Errors I 'll be more your Friend than ever I was your Enemy And though Pickance the Master of the Diamond waits for his Ships Crow yet if you 'll do me Justice I 'll return to Dublin a second time to drink your Health in the first place and another to honest Gun Servant Bently and the rest of our Learned Brethren and by coming thus to Confession you 'll cease being a Trouble to your Friends and a scandal to your self But if you will not repent as a wounded Roman said upon a set Challenge the Scuffle must appear and shall be followed if you dare answer it with the History of your Life from the hour the Parson Christen'd you to mark you me that the very hour you Christened your self and pray remember that one blot many times stains a whole Generation But my Scuffle is just and without your publick Repentance I resolve to Publish it for truly St. Patrick I have a greater Regard to my Honour than my Life And tho' my Arms should fail me to fight they are the words of this Noble Roman yet my Heart still encourages me to dye in Vindication of a good Name And so Patrick Farewel for you don't appear and our Ship is under Sail but if you repent at last and I 'll press you to it in the Dublin Scuffle I hope we shall meet in Heaven but scarce in Ireland whilst you are afraid of Dublin Decemb. 20th 1698. Iohn Dunton SIR ABout three hours after I had sent the aforegoing Message to Honest Thomas and my farewel Letter to Patrick he sends me by Order from Campbel the following Letter SIR I was with Mr. Campbel last Night and told him as you desired that you would meet him when and where he pleased c. His Answer was That he was ready to meet you at any time or place and that if you bring one Citizen with you he will bring another therefore if you please you may let 〈◊〉 know your Mind as to Time Place and Person and if this will any way contribute toward your Peace and Friendship it will be very satisfactory to Decemb. 20th 1698. Your Humble Servant Tho. Servant I no sooner receiv'd this Letter from Mr. Servant but I sent Mr. Robinson to him with the following Answer Mr. Servant SInce my writing a Note to you and my farewel Letter to Campbel I receiv'd yours intimating Mr. Campbel will now meet me I am glad to hear it with all my Heart and I do again resolve to meet him at the Keys in High-street at five in the Afâ—â—â—noon tho' he disappointed me once 〈◊〉 very Place and will only bring one Citizen with me for that 's enough with a good Cause but as for Patrick if he will he may bring forty or if he pleases the whole City Sir could you have thought that Campbel wou'd now have bantred me a second time but so it was for having a bad Cause he durst not appear as Mr. Fisher the Earl of Meath's Chaplain and Mr. ton the King'â— Stationer can testifie However I thought it proper whilst on the Spot to send him the following Note viz. Mr. Campbel I Am now at the Keys and you send word you will not come though I came hither by your own appointment and this is the second time you had notice I was willing to Treat with you Sir I have given you liberty of bringing forty men or a whole City against my self and but one more and he too of your own Trade but I have other business to do than to wait long for an Enemy that dares not face me However I have several to Witness I came to meet you as you desired this Night and you refuse coming so that now I shall put my Debt into a Lawyer 's Hands and for your other Treatment the World shall know it for I 'll dance 〈◊〉 more after ye but will wait here 〈◊〉 Hour longer to prove my Charge 〈◊〉 give you Time to match Mr. Thornton I am Decemb. 20th 1698. Your abused Friend John Dunton SIR YOur Thoughts upon this New Parley Mr. Servants Mediation my Farewel Letter to Campbel and his refusing to meet this second Time though 't was an Appointment of his own making is earnestly desired by Your Humble Servant John Dunton Remarks on my Ninth Letter SIR I Have received yours with the Account of a New Parley offered by Patrick Mr. Servant ' s Mediation your Farewel Letter to him and of his disappointing you again though the Appointment was of his own making I must needs tell you that were you as much surfeited with the Scuffle as I am with hearing of it you would have given over long e're now I don't think it worth your while to buy Patrick's Confession at so dear a Rate as to take so much Pains for it If he were truly sensible of his fault you need not dun him to Repentance and how great soever his Hypoerisie may be in other Instances I don't find he has a mind to play the Hypocrite in this that is so much as to feign a Repentance You have I think over-done it in solliciting him so much nor do I think his Publick Confession considering how you have Characteriz'd him would be much for your Advantage To be commended or slander'd by a false Tongue is much the same thing for they that know a Liar will believe him in neither You have done well however to follow Peace as much as you could and it was Prudent to have so many Witnesses of your having kept your Appointment and made such fair Proffâ—rs of Reconciliation but I perceive Patrick's Resentments are become down-right Rancor and that the sore is so much Fester'd that there 's no hopes of Cure Take care that you your self don 't learn to be froward by conversing with the froward Be sure to keep a calm and ev'n Temper within your own Breast that you have not raging Waves to deal with within as well as without when you Cross the Main You have sufficiently prov'd him to be an ill Man and his declining to meet you and to offer what he could say in his own Defence seems to be a Tacit acknowledgment of the Guilt Nay I may say a direct proclaiming it on the House-Tops seeing he durst not refer the Trial of his Debt to his own Friend and refus'd to come to a hearing though so often and so publickly invited to it All I have more to adde is that you have
is the Account you sent in Answer to the Debt you owe me less false or ridiculous than your other Actions for you make your self Debtor but for three Turners when I can produce a Letter under your Hand declaring you owe for seven does my great Civility ungrateful Man as you are of taking two of them back again discharge you of the other two Thus have I fairly told you what I will do and what the World will say if you belie me after I am gone And have as fairly answer'd the Account you sent me Wherein my Lawyer shall prove since you durst not meet me whilst I was here that you are still about Forty Shillings in my Debt When your Cowardly Reflections appear I have order'd this to be Printed but have yet to tell you That I can still forgive you when I see you Penitent And so farewel tho I am Your Abused Friend John Dunton SIR CAmpbel was no sooner inform'd that I was certainly gone for England but he had the Impudence according to what he told Dick to Print the following Advertisement notwithstanding my sending the foregoing Letter and his constant refusing to meet me The Advertisement Campbel Printed as soon as I left Ireland was this following viz. MR. Ioh Dunton having Publish'd several scurrrilous Lybels against me thes 2 Moneth past I havâ— taken no noticâ— of them till last Week I sent both by Writ and a Friend that I was ready and willing to meet him either before a Magistrat or any honest Gent. or creditabel Citizen and if after a fair hearing of both Parties it should apear that I did him wrong I wold submit And if it apear that I havâ— not wronged him it must necessarily follow that he hes don me mach wrong First in averring that I took the Auction-Room over his Hend which I affirm to be a fals impudent Lie And nixt in setting upe in his long Lybel in the Cofee-Hoase that I owe him several Pounds whereas it shall easily apear that he is in my Debt The desired Meeting he refused and I declare my self readie to give said Meeting upon the Terms abav that is either before a Magistrat or any creditabel Gentleman or Citizen but I do not think the Crew that Mr. Dunton ordinarily Converses with sit to bring any such into their Company Patrick Campbel SIR BY this Advertisement Publish'd after I left Ireland you may observe Three Things First Patrick's Noble Education how finely he Writes and Spells for I have not alter'd a Letter from the Copy my Friend sent me Secondly His great Cowardice in not daring to Publish this till I left Dublin And Thirdly His great Honesty in handing privately to the World a Paper fill'd with nothing but Lies as I have prov'd already so need not do it again but as base as he was in Printing such notorious Lies when I was n't or the Spot to disprove 'em yet I must own to his Honour for he has not a Vertue but I blaze it abroad with greater Pleasure then I do his Vices that he did not Publish 'em openly but only caused three of 'em to be Printed off to shew to some particular Friends or perhaps as my Friend observes to his Beautiful Wife to convince her she had Married a Wit Thus Sir having sent you the remaining Part of the Scuffle 'tween Patrick and I and all I shall send ye about Campâ—el your Thoughts as formerly are desired by Your Obliged Friend and Servant John Dunton Remarks on my Tenth Letter SIR I Am Sorry that you are still haunted with Serpents in Ireland where the World hath always thought there were none It seems Patrick is a Man of Interest as well as Intrigue when you are no sooner rid of one of his familiar Spirits but you are straight ways attack'd by another Patrick has gnash'd his Teeth as you word it so long that I wonder his Grinders are not worn to the stumps by this Time You tell me you design speedily to conclude your Scuffle which is very well but I am sure it had been much better you had never begun it or at least that you had giv'n it over sooner You say that he now threatens you with the Law which if he do you are like to be a good Booty to the Gentlemen of the Long Robe and I dare say they will not turn you out for Wranglers so long as the Cash holds and therefore I hope Patrick and you will be both better advis'd I do believe it is only a Copy of his Countenance for he will be as unwilling to be Expos'd before the Bench as to come to the Stool of Repentance and in that Sense I doubt not but its true that you fear his Law as little as he Minds the Gospel It 's unhappy for Patrick that he fell upon such an Adversary as is ready to Answer him at all Weapons I must needs commend your Courage though perhaps it had been more Prudent and some will say more Chirstian too if you had rather put up the Wrong for there 's a great deal of Truth in that North-Countrey saying That its the second Blow makes the Fray However your own Conscience is the best Judge of your Circumstances and to that I leave you as to this Matter but thus far I think I may venture to say that it is no ill Policy in you to make Patrick sensible of the Advantages you have against him that way too if he have a mind to change the Scene It was both Generous and Christian to offer a personal Conference and to stand the Test of his Warrant with which he threatned you and his declining it is an Argument of his being highly defective in both Respects Your Letter to him from on Board I think all things considered was needful enough and I perceive your Pen was nothing blunted notwithstanding you had wrote so much your Threats are terrible like those of an Almanzor and I perceive you had a mind to convince Patrick of the Truth of what you have formerly asserted that you Wear your Pen as others do their Sword all that I can say to you further on the Matter is this That seeing you are engaged be sure either to give over or else let your Thrusts be â—ome and your Blows keen for Boxing and Caning is Porters way of Fighting and I would not have Booksellers do any thing that may forseit their Right to the Title of Gentlemen Thus have I sent Remarks upon Patricks pretended Warrant your Answer to it and the Letter you sent him whilst under Sail I shall next adde for I now Answer two of your Letters together that I perceive by yours on the Road that you have left a Correspondent behind you in Dublin to observe Patricks Motions by the Account you give me of his Printing and not Publishing his Advertisement I perceive your Letter from on Board had some though not all the desir'd Effect upon him His Printing after you
a Time lest your Name be made use of in future Ages to frighten peevish Bantlings into a better Humour for it s too too much for one Man thus to Triumph over the Irish Men Women and Children all at once I am SIR Yours The Twelfth Letter SIR I Sent you Word by the last Post how Campbel and I parted when I left Ireland I have also told ye of other Enemies who continued Scuffling after Patrick had done his worst I shall now as I promis'd send ye a Copy of my Last Farewel to my Friends in Dublin that stood by me in every Skirmish and here likewise I shall Point at my worst Enemies I mean those that have sharl'd at the second Spira have been very Zealous to cut my Throat for Private-slandering is of that Nature or which is worse have bought what they won't pay for and with this Farewel to both Friends and Enemies I shall conclude the Dublin Scuffle I don't doubt but in this Farewel I shall say something that will vex the Guilty yet I find it necessary for my Reputation and Sir you 'll find I fear nothing in Defence of that 'T is true I can't fight my way in Tropes and Figures but Truth needs no Varnish it shines brightest in its Native Dress and therefore in this Retreat which is the most difficult Part of War I face all my Enemies at once and if I cou'd not spell my Name I 'd venture at 'em for I 'd rather be thought a poor Scribe then a Coward as you 'll find by the following Lines which I call MY Last Farewel To my Acquaintance in DUBLIN Whether Friends or Enemies And is as follows viz. Gentlemen HAving now Sold the Venture of Books I brought into this Countrey maugre all the Opposition I met with from Patrick Campbel and other Enemies and being to Embark an Hour hence for England I send this as my Last Farewel to my Acquaintance in Ireland whether Friends or Enemies and with this shall conclude the Dublin Scuffle Gentlemen I Told you in my First Letter That I had brought into this Kingdom A General Collection of the most Valuable Books Printed in England since the Fire in London in 66. to this very time to which I told you was added Great Variety of Scarce Books A Collection of Pamphlets in all Volumns And a Parcel of Manuscripts never yet in Print and that I have made good my word is acknowledged by all that have seen my Catalogues and Printed Bills of evedays Sale for near Six Months Neither can it be thought that the Gentlemen of Ireland who are own'd to be very ingenious would give one Thousand Five Hundred Pound for a Parcel of TRASH as my Venture was call'd by some selfish People of which more anon except Bibles Common-Prayer Books Pools Annotations Clarks Bible Hammond on the New Testament Book of Martyrs the best Edition Duty of Mans Works Dupins Ecclesiastical History Josephus the best Rawleighs History of the World Heylins Cosmography in Folio Eusebius the best Edition Bakers Chronicle Stanleys Lives Cambdens Brittania Terryls History Lock of Humane Vnderstanding L'Estranges Aesop Seneca's Morals Cambridge Concordance The Great Historical Dictionary Greoads Dictionary Littletons Dictionary Gouldmans Dictionary Coles Dictionary Screvelius Lexicon Speeds Maps Mordens Geography The Irish Statutes Cook upon Littleton Wingates Abridgment Ben Johnsons Works Shakespears Works Beaumont and Fletchers Works Cowleys Works Oldhams Works Drydens Works Congreves Works Westleys Life of Christ Prince Arthur Iudge Hales Works Mr. Boils Works And the Works of Archbishop Usher Archbishop Tillotson Bishop Taylor Bishop Patrick Bishop Sprat Bishop Barlow Bishop Fowler Bishop Wilkins Bishop Stillingfleet Bishop Burnet Bishop Kidder Dr. Barrow Dr. Sherlock Dr. Scot Dr. Horneck Dr. South Dr. Wake Dr. Lucas Dr. Claget Mr. Norris Mr. Edwards Mr. Dorington Dr. Amesley Dr. Bates Dr. Mâ—â—ton Mr. Charnock Mr. Howe Mr. Alsop Mr. Clarkson Mr. Williams Mr. Mead Mr. Baxter Mr. Flavel Mr. Boyce Mr. Showers Mr. Rogers Mr. Calamy and such like may be reckon'd into that Number And Gentlemen as I have fully answered your Expectations as to the Goodness and Variety of the Books that I brought over so I find you are all pleased with the Candour you had in the Sale you may remember I told you I thought it a sort of Picking your Pocket as you came to my Auctions supposing to buy a Pennyworth to advance the Rate upon you by any underhand Bidding and to shew this was not to serve a Turn I again declare though I 'm leaving Ireland that for every Penny I got that way I 'll restore a Pound But the Dignity of Truth is lost by much Protessing so I 'll say no more to prove my Innocence for 't is what you all believe And Gentlemen as you have been all satisfied with the Part I acted in this Matter so I hope you have been all pleased with the Genteel Treatment you had from Mr. Wilde throughout the whole Sale The Truth is he has shewn a matchless Command over his Passions under very great Provocations and therefore 't is my Design in these Adventures being to please the Buyer and my Self too that I have engaged him in a second Auction I design for Scotland and were I to make a Third as far as Rome as who knows but I may for I design to see his Holiness Mr. Richard Wilde should be the sole Manager not only as his Vniversal Knowledge in Books renders him fit for it but as I have found his Condour and Diligence to be as great as his Knowledge And Gentlemen as Mr. Wilde has treated you with the greatest Respect imaginable so I hope he has done you as much Justice as he has me in the whole Management And I hope you have been as much pleased with my Book-keeper Mr. Price as to his great Fidelity in prizing what you bought as I have been with his accounting with me for all the Moneyâ— receiv'd or if you can prove any Mistake for no Man's Infallible I shall be forward to have it rectiâ—â—ed though ne're so much to my Loss And as Mr. Wilde Mr. Price and my Self have labour'd to give you Content so I hope so much as Honest Rohinson Trushy James and my very Porter Bacon who brought the Bill of every Days Sale to your Doors have not been wanting in their respective Place In a word I suppose you are all Content for we all endeavoured to make you so but for all my Care in these Particulars I find I have some Enemies but Gentlemen my Comfort is that I have no Enemy that 's acquainted with me or has Bought a Book in my Three Auctions 't was said of a Bookseller lately Dead that he had no Enemies but those that knâ—w him but I Thank God if I have any Friends they are chiefly those that have dealt with me But I find 't is impossible to please all for though Mr. Wilde and my Self managed the whole Affair from
are of small Account as I formerly hinted and I hope to get more by Travelling abroad then by staying at home Then if Valeria consents for without that I 'll not stir an inch I 'll soon be on this Grand Ramble and when I Return for I go for Profit aâ— well as Pleasure I mean for subject matter to write on will fall to Printing as much as ever Gentlemen This Long Ramble will be Ten Volumns of a Crown each the first of which will be Publisht in few weeks and will contain my Amâ—rican Travels The Second My Trip to the Low Countreys The Third My Ramble to Ireland wherein you 'll find the History of my Sea-Voyage the Conversation on the Road at the Inns and Towns I staid at with particular Characters of Men and Women and almost every thing I saw or conversed with but more especially in the City of Dublin where Two Hundred Persons will see their Pictures that at present little expect it The Non-Paymasters too shall have a share in the History neither will I forget the Extortion of Copper-Alley nor my Geud Friend at the Bible in Skinner-Row This Ramble through Ten Kingdoms will contain about a Thousand Letters which I 'll write in my Travels and send 'em to my Friends in England I shall intermix 'em with Characters of Men and Women c. according to the method in my Ramble to Ireland and hope I shall receive Remarks upon what I see by those to whom I direct my Letters and I desire they 'll treat me with the same freedom as my Correspondent does in the Dublin-Scuffle Gentlemen This Rambling Project owes its Rise to something I found in the Athenian Mercury which being an Invention of my own that has pleased the Age for 't was continued to Twenty Volumns I hope the same by this for 't will be as Pleasant a Maggot and I 'll endeavour to make it as Useful Gentlemen If you ask me How I can think of Rambling thus having lately Marryed a Second Wife To this I answer I am Marryed indeed but 't is to One to use the words of my first Wife Who knows it her Prudence and Duty to study my humour in every thing I mean every thing that en't sinful and finding I am for Travelling to shew the height of her Love is as willing I should see Europe as Eliza was I should see America so that you see Gentlemen neither my First nor my Second Wife have been She-Clogs as St. Austin call'd his Spouse they were both pleased as it pleases me with my Rambling Humour then to be sure this Temper is so Obliging as soon as my Eye is satisfyed with seeing I 'll hasten home to the Dear Valeria Run to meet her with Devouring Arms and then Live and if possible dye together 'T is true the Man in the Gospel had married a Wife and he cou'd not leave her but he was not born to Ramble or he must have pursu'd his Destiny Sure I am if any thing cou'd keep me at home 't is a Tender Wife such a one as I NOW enjoy for there is such an Union between us that we seem but as Two Souls Transform'd into One and I must say Were her mighty Tenderness known to the World it wou'd once more bring into Fashion Women's Loving and Trusting their Husbands But tho' Love is strong as Death and ev'ry good Man loves his Wife as himself yet I cann't think of being confin'd in a Narrower Study than the whole World He is Truly a Scholar who is vers'd in the Volume of the Universe who doth not so much Read of Nature as Study Nature her Self who 'd ha' thought I cou'd ever have left Eliza For there was an even Thread of Endearment run through all we Said or Did I may truly say For the Fifteen years we lived together there never passed an Angry Look But as Kind as she was I cou'd not think of growing Old in the Consines of one City and therefore in Eighty Six I Embark'd for America Holland and other Parts But tho' we parted a while 't was by Free Consent of FATHER and WIFE as my Coming now to Ireland was by Consent of Mother and Daughter I found then that the Arms of Love were long enough to reach from London to the West-Indies and to encourage me to Ramble now they are as long as ever What tho Scotland France and Italy c. part our Bodies yet we have Souls to be sure and whilst they can meet and caress we may enjoy each other were we the length of the Map a sunder So that you see Gentlemen tho' I have Marryed a Second Wife yet that I Love her never the less for Rambling but were 't possible a great deal more for Distance endears Love and Absence makes it thrive If a Wife don't give me some proof of her Love for Fine Words are but painted Babies to play with how shall I know she loves me at all And can she give me a greater Test then by telling of me in a Thousand Endearing Letters That to be out of her sight is to be still the more in her mind When I was in New-England I sent Eliza Sixty Letters by one Ship as you 'll find in my Ramble thither Were Valeria and I always together these sort of Endearments were wholly lost and we to seek for want of a Touch-stone whether we Lov'd in earnest So that I think to Ramble is the best way to endear a Wife and to try her Love if she has any which is so rare a thing since Women have marry'd for Money that for my own share I 'd Ramble as far as Chinâ— to be convinc'd of the least Scruple 'T is true for a Wife to say as Eliza did My Dear I Rejoyce I am able to serve thee and as long as I have it 't is all thine and we had been still happy had we lost all but one another this indeed is very Obliging and shews she loves me in earnest but still there is something in Rambling beyond this for this is no more if her Husband he Sober then Richer for Poorer obliges her to but for a Spouse to cry Travel as far as you please and stay as long as you will for Absence shall neâ—er divide us is a higher flight abundantly as it shews she can part with her very Husband Ten times Dearer to a Good Wife than her Money when it tends to his Satisfaction Since to Ramble then from my Second Wife is the best way to express my Love and Endears like any thing I say considering this I 'll soon be on my Scotch Ramble and if I Return Rich in Valeria's opinion tho St. Andrew Frown as much as St. Patrick I shall think I make a Good Voyage on 't Thus Gentlemen have I fairly prov'd That Absence Endears a Wife if she 's good for any thing and that Rambling becomes a Duty to him that 's well Marryed A Duty
with the contrary Distemper if the saying be true that jecore Amamus It may perhaps be ill taken by those of the Higher sort of your Friends that you should joyn so many of an Inferiour Rank as sharers with them in your Valedictory Elogiums but I see no great Reason for it No Man can live without the Services of the meanest Vulgar and therefore Justice obliges us to owe no Man any thing but Love But it seems you have a mind to Supererrogate and to owe none of that neither but to pay it all before hand or on sight I must confess that for my own share I never could think there was any thing of Barbarity or want of Cultivation in that Good Nature of some of the Indians which Travellers ridicule them for viz. That they will not only enquire after the Welfare of their Friends and their Families but very kindly ask how their Horses and their Dogs do which in my opinion includes this principle of Natural Justice in it That we ought to be Grateful to all sorts of Creatures that yield us Lawful Profit or Pleasure And thus I bid Farewel to your Farewel to all your Dublin Friends I come next to your Project of Rambling as to which I must tell you That you have Rambled more with your head in one Year than you will be able to do with your Heels in seven therefore would advise you to make use of the Curb a little and not to be altogether on the Spur. You say Your Raven was gone to Roost a pretty while ago and I know no reason why his Master should Ramble But if the sight of four Kingdoms and the Marrying of two Wives be not enough to qualify this Rambling Humour you must rectify your Geography a little better and not Talk of Crossing the Hellespont to see Greece for you must either Sail by Greece or travel through it before you can come at the Hellespont except you design to take a round and to repay the Czar his Visit or if you be for a nearer cut Sail down the Danube and fall into the Black-Sea Methinks the Good Entertainment you boast of at home should intice you to stay there If Valeria's Arms be so Charming She shall if she take my advice transform them into Chains and hold you so fast that you shall not have leave to stir if Love won't oblige her to it I am resolv'd that Fear shall And therefore Valeria for it 's to you that I now address my self Don't trust the Raven too often abroad You know that Noah 's when once sent out never came in again and for any thing I perceive yours has a great mind to be following his it was beyond the Hellespont where that was let loose and I don't know if yours once pass the Dardanelles but they may meet and so ramble on and never think of returning to their Roost again Noah 's has none to return to except it be an old rotten piece of the Ark on the Mountains of Arrarat or as some say of Armenia and I am satisfied the Raven in Jewin-street has better quarters If nothing else will prevail with him to stay and roost there tell him That Noah 's Raven feeds upon Carrion and you know very well by his rejecting Dorinda's Billet Doux that he hates such entertainment But now I return again to your Husband must tell him He exposes your Vertue too much first by Rambling from you and then by giving such a High Commendation of you as were enough but that you are beyond the reach of Temptation to endanger you or at least to make you run Lucretia 's Fate Wherefore Sir Let me tell you that as some will charge you with impertinence in troubling the World with an account of your Happiness in two Wives successfully when there are so many Thousands that to their grief can never say they were happy in one if any misfortune should befal you on that account you must blame your own Imprudence for it Had Tarquin never heard any thing of Lucretia's Vertue and Beauty he would never have tempted her and therefore my advice to you is To stay at home and guard your Treasure and don 't both Fare well and cry Roast Meat too Remember the Old Saying Sed tacitus Pasci si posset Corvus Haberet Plus dapis et vixce multo minus invidiaeque I am Sir Your Faithful Friend c. Advertisement ☞ The Three following Letters in the Billet Doux which are called the Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth Letters are Mis-Printed and ought to have been Printed the Thirteenth Fourteenth and Fifteenth Letters THE BILLET DOUX Sent by a Citizens-Wife IN DUBLIN Tempting Me to LEUDNESS With my ANSWERS to Her EPHES. V. xii It is a shame even to speak of those Things which are done of them in Secret LONDON Printed by George Larkin Jun. for the Author and are to be Sold by A. Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane and by the Booksellers in Dublin 1699. The Eleventh Letter SIR I Formerly gave you an Account of my Scuffle with Patrick Campbel who is none of the best of Men and now shall entertain you with a surprizing Adventure that hath befall'n me with a Leud Woman 'T was a Billet Doux sent me by a Citizens Wife in Dublin as I judge by a Passage in it both Enticing and Threatning me to her wanton Embraces Your Remarks on this as on my former Letters will adde to all the Obligations which you have already laid upon SIR Your very much obliged Servant John Dunton The Billet was directed thus To Mr. John Dunton at the Auction-House at Dick's Coffee-House in Skinner-Row And is as follows viz. SVre Philaret you are not always guilty of disrespect to your Friends can't you be more punctual to an Assignation I can assure you I was punctual both to Place and Time and waited more than two Hours in hopes of your Happy Arrival but when I found my Expectations frustrated and my self only Banter'd and Abused and forced to Retreat without so much as the bare Aspect of what I so longed for none but one in my Circumstance is able to imagine the various Passions that moved me Fear Hope Love Revenge all acted their several Parts and so pass'd off the Stage only Love remain'd to plead Excuses for you Some of them so frivolous that I am ashamed to mention them only to tell you that senceless as they were they had Power enough to prevail with one willing to believe though against Sense or Reason any Things that pleads in Philaret's Favour â—ome I went where I attend your Answer and am longing with Impatience till I see what Excuses the false Philaret can frame for himself for so the present Passion stiles him though that Sentiment too was over before I had finish'd the Sentence and I could almost find in my Heart to burn my Letter but that I should not have time to write another before the watchful Argus
would inspect into my Privacies then I was about to blot it out only that I fear'd would spoil the Phiz of my Billet so I resolved to let it stand as a mark of my Courage that I dare aâ— sometimes adventure to think Philaret false yea and that I was once bold enough to let you know it Well Philaret I shall one Day be even with you and it may be you may Repent when it may be too late to retrieve the slight Value you have had for the most sincere and cordial Friendship laid at your Feet by Sept. 2. 1698. Your ever faithful Dorinda POST-SCRIPT DIrect your Answer to me to be left at that which was St. Lawrences Coffee-House on Cork-hill under the borrowed Name of Captain Iohn Seamore and I will order it to be call'd for by one that will safely deliver it to Your own Dorinda if you please The First Answer to the Citizens-Wife SEpt. 5th 1698. I Received a Letter subscribed Dorinda but am wholly a Stranger both to your Person and Meaning your two Hours your Time and Place are Arabick to me who approve of no Assignations but what are Just and therefore 't is very certain your Letter was wrong directed and should have gone to some of your Leud Companions who in your Drink for there are such Monsters as drunken Women or by the likeness of Garb you mistook for me or perhaps you 're some Suburb Impudence who would abuse an Honest Man in hopes of getting a Penny to conceal your Slanders If this is your Design as I am told 't is usual with common Strumpets you are as much mistaken in my Humour as you are in my Person and therefore go about your Business for till you 're Vertuous I can't Love ye and 't is not in my Nature to fear any Thing But you say you 'l be even with me if I fly your Leud Embraces and that if I don't meet you I shall repent when 't will be too late the slight Value I have for you but I Thank God my Vertue is Proof against all your Charms and my Innocence such as I challenge you to do your worst But though the Repentance you threaten no ways affects me yet if you carry on your Jest farther 't will be fatal to Mr. S as he 's the only Person in Dublin that knows me by the Name of Philaret and must expect upon the least Occasion to bear the scandal of being your Friend As to your Care in concealing your Leudness for you say you 're afraid of your watchful Argus it no ways obliges me I should more rejoice to hear that such a wanton as your Billet shews you to be had broke the Devils Fetters and was kneeling to her Husband for Pardon though if he denies it you have no Reason to Pout for if Citizens Wives will C d their Husbands and invent new Fashions and frisking Strains of Disobedience which their Holy Ancestors and for ought we find in the Word even the worst of Women abhorr'd why should not their Husbands either send 'em to the House of Correction or suit 'em with new Forms of Discipline To what end else are they to dwell with 'em as Men of Knowledge Doth this Knowledge think ye import nothing but Pusillanimity and Patience Is the Husband God's Vicegerent for nothing And can he not be a Saint unless a Fool too But though the cold Water your Leudness has â—lung upon Argus Affection is enough to extinguish it yet the way to Amendment is never out of date and who knows if you prove as kind a Wife as you have been to the contrary but Argus may be yet Happy But he is Flesh and Blood as well as you and therefore except of a Wanton you become Chaste he were better Travel than live with a W r if you think of Amendment fling your self at your Husbands Feet Tears in your Eyes may carry the Cause where a Husband is Iudge Without this you do but dissemble with God and Man neither can Argus think you Repent till you discover your Leud Haunts and the Names of those that have defil'd his Bed to act thus is to shake Hands with your Master Sin which I find is Lust and in some measure to repair the Damage you have done to Religion by your Whorish Intreagues As this will prove your Sincerity so 't will make Argus forget your former Leudness and if he 's a generous Husband never to mention 'em more And Argus if she thus repents prithee receive her again for what knowest thou O Husband whether thou shalt save thy Wife Neither are these ungrateful Reflections my own Dorinda as you call your self for there is no Faith in Sin and I ought to slight a Friendship which can't be true and would end in the Ruine of Soul and Body Then go and Sin no more ben't dilatory in these Matters 't is ill vent'ring Eternity upon your last Breath nor suffer your Aversion to Argus to spread abroad for a Quarrel Conceal'd is half Cur'd I have only to add That I wish you Chaste and better Eyes for the Future and then Argus and you will fall a Loving again and remember at Parting 't is your Penitence and nothing else can set you right in the Opinion of c. Thus Sir I have given you a faithful Account of this New Temptation with which I have been Assaulted and of my Reply to this Female Aggressor I desire you to use your accustomed Freedom with me in your Remarks which shall always be taken in good Part by Sir Your very humble Servant John Dunton Remarks on the Billet Doux and I. D's Letter in Answer to it My Good Friend YOUR Last with the Billet Doux is more surprizing to me than any thing that happened in your Encounter with Patrick Campbel I cannot but bewail the hardness of your Fate that you should be condemn'd to Fight with Beasts of both Sexes I find Ireland cannot boast of her being free from the Seed of the Serpent whatever she may say as to her having none of those Creatures in Specie and were I to choose I should rather desire to Inhabit amongst Adders than Lewd Women Happy would it be for Ireland if she could make an exchange of the one for the other but so long as the Popish Clergy are suffered to Nestle in such Numbers there 't is in vain to hope for it Rome may well be call'd the Mother of Harlots when it is the Practice of her Sons to make as many such as ever they can I did not think however that the Art of writing Billet Douxes had been so well understood in Ireland Your Dorinda seems to be so very expert in her Trade That I fancy if there be any thing of Reality in it that is to say if there be not Masculine Knavery and Malice at the bottom of it She must be some Abdicated Retainer to our London Play-houses or perhaps the Off-cast of some Dead
or Reformed Officer who having no pay himself is not able to retain her Nay for any thing that I know She may be the Captain of Kirk 's Troop of Twenty Five that they say he had in that Countrey when so many of the Late King Iames's Atheists were sent to fight against their Brethren the Papists for I can hardly think a She-Cit of Dublin so well vers'd in Ovid de Arte Amandi as your Dorinda seems to be It 's true I might Fancy it were some Green-Sickness Nun that had gone a Catter-wawling from her Nunnery but then it comes into my mind that they are sufficiently provided by the Monks and Fryars for you have heard it was an Observation of Henry the 4 th of France many years ago That the Nunnery was the Barn and the Monks the Thrashers Then give me leave to add one Conjecture more Perhaps it might have been a Trap of Patrick's laying and that he had a mind to try what he could do by Women since he was not able to deal with you by Wit Had you been caught in the Snare there would have been subject of Triumph and there 's no reason to doubt but he would have Trumpeted your Fame This cannot be accounted Uncharitable if I understand the true Character of the Man for he that makes so bold with the last of the Ten Commandments as it appears Patrick has done cannot be suppos'd to have any great value for the other Nine But be that how it will I applaud your Conduct and think you acted the part of an Honest Man in returning such a Sharp and Pertinent Answer and the part of a Prudent Man in doing it with those Precautions You know I never Preach up Merit and therefore you will not be offended if I tell you That it was but your Duty I am not unsensible what many Men in your Circumstances would have pleaded in Excuse of complying with such a Proffer but you knew the danger of yielding to the Passion either of Revenge or Lust none but Weak Men and Fools are Slaves to those Tyrannical Masters Besides the Reward of a Good Conscience your Courage in this Affair will enhaunce your Value to your Family at Home or at least it ought to do so if they be not condemned to perpetual Ingratitude I am the more Confirm'd in my Thoughts that it was a Snare laid for your Reputation when I consider your way of carrying your self the plainness of your Habit and the influence which your Illness and late Scuffle must needs have had upon your outside and especially that the Letter was directed to your Auction-Room for if the design had taken then there would have been ground for Patrick to have Libell'd you in the Irish Flying Post and to have call'd it an Assignation-Room for Strumpets instead of an Auction-Room for Books which would have effectually hinder'd any Mans frequenting it who had but the least value for his Reputation This is all I shall say at present and conclude with my hearty Wishes that you may still continue a Conquerour over your own Passions as well as over your unjust Enemies I am SIR Your Sincere Friend and Well-wisher The Twelfth Letter SIR YOU are so very obliging and happy in your Remarks and Advice that I make bold to trouble you again with my second Letter to the Irish Dorinda I thought it my Duty not to let Her pass without a severer Reproof the Copy of which I here send you to satisfie you how abominable such Crimes are in my Eyes and that I took the most effectual Method I could to prevent a second Attempt of that Nature upon me I am what I always was SIR Your very humble and much obliged Servant John Dunton To Dorinda I Hope you have received my First which because I think not severe enough I send you a Second You see I reject your Courtship as I would shake off a Toad or a Snake that should Crawl upon me for I look upon your Poyson to be worse than theirs Yet because I would not be altogether ungrateful for that which you proffer'd me under the Notion of a Kindness I send you as a suitable present a Treatise of Fornication and a Book call'd God's Iudgments against Whoredom both which were Printed for me I recommend them to your serious Perusal they may through God's Assistance be instrumental to Reform you and at the same time to satisfie you that you mistook your Man when you directed your Billet Doux to me Yet I know not but there may be a Providence in it for you see my Auction affords proper Remedies for your Distemper and I am so generous as to send you them Gratis You must Pardon me however if in my Applications I do something resemble the Quack that is to say if I prescribe Physick without seeing the Patient because I remember Solomon says Go not by the Door of the Harlot less she intice thee that none but Fools follow such and that the Way to her House is the Way to Hell and Death That the Mouth of a strange Woman is a deep Pit and that none but those who are abhorr'd of the Lord shall fall into it I wish you would be at the Pains to Read the fifth and seventh Chapters of the Proverbs You who are Ladies of Pleasure use to Converse much with your Looking-Glass and I will assure you that there is the best Mirror you can make use of it will exactly shew you all your Spots and Patches I doubt not but you are troubled with all the Infectious Distempers that attend those of your Trade and seeing the best way to cure Ulcers is to Lance them well read this Treatise of Fornication it may prove of Soveraign use or if you find it makes your Wounds smart too much apply the softer Remedy of the Book of God's Iudgments against Whoredom which being Historical may please you better perhaps and be no less Effectual for working your Cure To make the Pacquet compleat I likewise send you another Medicine call'd Concubinage and Polygamy displayed which is an Answer to a Parson one Mr. Butler who fell out with his Wife and in with his Maid and therefore muster'd up all the Arguments he could in Defence of the more Genteel Practise of keeping Misses Which you will here find solidly answer'd and condemn'd but much more your own abominable Practise which seems by your Letter to be that of a common Prostitute or next a kin to it I would offer a few Arguments if it were possible to reclaim you and therefore would pray you to consider that Vncleanness dishonours your Body makes you despicable in the Eyes of all Men nay ev'n of those that haunt you so that your usual Reward is an infamous Name Loathsome Diseases Extream Poverty and an End suitable to such a vile way of Living Then it damns your Soul makes you uncapable of receiving any good Advice destroys the Peace of your Family if
one of the Gentlemans Daughters who walked in her Sleep every Night which was at last discover'd by a Stranger 's having Courage enough to lie in the Room said to be haunted This naturally led us in the fourth place to talk of Apparitions and here Mr. Harman ask'd me what I thought of a Spectrum's assuming a Humane Shape I assur'd him they might and to confirm this told him the Story of one Ioseph Chambers who appeard to Mary Gossam with whom I was well acquainted in that very Night-Cap which she put upon his Head when she had laid him out This Story of Chambers appearing after his Death led Mr Larkin to tell another of an Apparision he had seen in Staffordshire in his Youth which he thought had been a living Woman till he saw it vanish adding That he look'd upon the denying of Spirits and their appearing to Persons after Death to be the next degree to Atheism After about two hours spent in such agreeable Conversation we took our leave of Mr. Harman Who is a Gentleman of a fine Presence and of a most sweet and affable Temper He is now in the Bloom and Beauty of his Youth and his great Ingenuity and close Application to his Study do justly render him the growing hopes of his Father's Family and may in time to come render him an Ornament to the College I am afraid Madam I shall tire you with this tedious Relation of my Visits but I hope your Goodness will pardon me for 't is necessary to be thus particular that I may silence the lying Tongue of Patrick Campbel who has had the Impudence to say That I kept Company in Dublin with none but a Kennel of Scoundrels Whereas you see by the Visits I made That I was not acquainted with one Scoundrel in Dublin except himself and the Brass in Copper-Allcy This naturally brings me to acquaint your Ladyship That among those I Employ'd to bind up Books for my Auction I had to do with one that I call Brass a Man poor and Proud unacquainted with Honour or good Manners to supply the want of which he is well furnished with Conceit and Impudence Being thus qualified he was look'd upon by St. Patrick as a fit Tool for him and accordly chosen for his Auctioneer though he knew not how to read the Title of a Latin Book But the Gentlemen of Dublin who had been genteely treated with Wit and Sense at my Auction by Mr. Wilde could not bear with the gross Ignorance of a Brass Hammer so that Patrick was forc'd to discard him in a Weeks time and put a better Man in his Place This Brass knowing the necessity I was under of having my Books bound in order to sale resolves to make me pay a rate for Binding not only beyond what was given in London but even beyond what was given by the Booksellers of Dublin I found Madam I was in his hands and remember'd the Proverb That he that 's in a Boat with the Devil must land where he can There was a Necessity of having my Books bound and I was forc'd to comply with his unreasonable Rates How this consisted with Iustice and Equity I leave you to judge but those were things Brass never troubled his Head about for when he brought me in his Bill he over-charg'd even his own unreasonable Agreement which I refus'd to pay but offer'd to refer it to one Mr. Servant a Binder in Golden-lane with whom I had made the same agreement as I did with him but Servant being a very honest man Brass refus'd to have the thing decided by him because then he was sure 't would go against him And therefore this Fellow who for his Impudence I call the Brass in Copper-Alley serves me with a Token from the Lord Mayor to appear before him which I accordingly did as I formerly hinted in p. 104. of the Dublin Scuffle and having told his Lordship what I had offer'd he was pleas'd to say It was a very fair Proposal I made him and so dismiss'd us both which was all he got by his Two-penny Token Having done with this Scoundrel to use St. Patrick's Phrase I will next give you an Abstract of Mr. Servant's Character who though of the same Function is the direct Antipodes to the Brass of Copper-Alley this being as eminent for Honesty fair Dealing Truth and Iustice as the other is for Pride Conceit and Ignorance But Mr. Servant's Reputation does not need a Foil to set it off For he is well known in Dublin to be all that I here say But I shall add to the good Character he has already that I never met with a more scrupuâ—ous or conscientious Man in my whole Life he 's punctual to his word in the smallest matters and one that manages all his Affairs with Discretion Courteous and affable in his Conversation and ready to do every one what good he can In short his Life is the Exemplar of a Christians Practice But leaving Thomas c. hard at work for he 's a very industrious Man My next Visit shall be to Mr. Iey and Eminent Lawyer in Dublin He was a Benefactor to my Auction and my very sincere Friend And to say the Truth whatever the Lawyers are in other Countries yet in Ireland they are the best Gentlemen and the best Christians From hence to close the Evening I went to take a Dish at Patt's who is a fair-condition'd Man and very obliging to all his Customers Loving to do business without making a noise on 't 'T was here I sometimes met with Mr. Pitts an honest and ingenious Attorney a Man of good Worth and unblemish'd in his Reputation Madam he talks finely dresses his Thoughts in curious Language and has good Nature in his very Looks he is a true lover of the present Government and a brave Assertor of English Liberties in opposition to Popery and Slavery I wou'd say more of the ingenious Pitts but that I shall meet him again in my Summer Ramble Madam just as I left Patts I met with my worthy and ingenious Friend Dr. Wood Physician in Kilkenny with whom and Dr. Smith I spent some agreeable Hours of which expect a fuller Account in the conclusion of this Letter and also in my Summer Ramble where you 'll also meet the Discourse I had with a Gentleman about the Earl of Meath's Hunting Pigg which will be very diverting And now Madam as your several Directions to me inform'd you of the changing of my Lodgings so I think it proper here to give you my Reasons for so doing My first Lodging was at a Counsellors in Wine-Tavern-street who being in some danger of overtaking the Law for he had out-ran his own Practice left his House and as 't is suppos'd the Kingdom too Yet I must say ' As to his Conversation he 's a Gentleman tho' under a Cloud and sings I 'll find out a kinder a better than she beyond any Man in Christendom
'em all as Places I must quickly leave which made 'em all indifferent to me but cou'd I have enjoy'd Valeria there I shou'd have given the Preference to Mr. Orson's his curious Gardens being very delightful and his House a private Country-Seat Thus Madam I have given you a brief Account of my way of Living in Dublin with which had I had Valeria's ' batying Company I shou'd have thought my self very happy for through the Divine Goodness bating my first fit of Sickness I enjoy'd a competent measure of Health those other Indispositions I sometimes met with serv'd only as Memento's to put me in mind of preparing for another Wâ—rld and even under them I was chearful and well contented having tho not exempt from humane Infirmities no guilt of any wilful Sin lying on my Conscience so that all troublesome Thoughts were banish'd from my Breast and I pass'd away my Life with great Delight And now being pretty well I had a mind to ramble into the Country for a little Conversation among the Irish of which more anon and to view the Cabins Manners and Customs c. of the dear Ioyes but the Company I met in Dublin was so agreeable I cou'd not presently leave it and which made it yet the more delightful after my Recovery I sometimes convers'd with Counsellor Kairns Counsellor Stevens Mr. Bourn Mr. Bosworth Mr. Crawcroft Men eminent for Piety Wisdom Learning and all other Vertues by whose Conversation I improv'd my own Understanding and found that the knowledge of my own Ignorance was a great step towards being a good Proficient in the School of Wisdom When I cou'd not have such Company I gave my self to Reading some useful Book or other the Bible having always the preference and afterwards to writing my American Travels and Summer Ramble both which I begun and finish'd in Ireland I enjoy'd also especially when I lay at Mr. Orson's the Pleasure of walking in a delightful Garden well furnish'd with the most curious Herbs and Flowers whose various Colours delighted my Eye and their Fragrancy my Smell Besides which I had the Satisfaction of a lovely Prospect Southwards towards the City of Dublin I had the silent Murmurs of the River Lyffee in my way Westward I had a full view of Kilmanum Hospital which at that distance being seated on the summit of a Hill was a very agreeable Prospect To the Northwards or rather the Northwest I had the pleasant sight of a Village call'd Kabragh which was pretty near and at a greater distance the fine Town of Finglass seated on a Hill where I had a noble Prospect of the Sea and of all the Ships in the Harbor of Dublin Sometimes I wou'd walk down from my Lodging to the River-side which was not a Mile from it where the pleasant Rills of running Water were extream delightful At other times I wou'd walk through those green Meadows from the end of Stony-batter to the Kaâ—ragh which is a Village about a Mile from my Lodging full of stately Trees which gives a pleasing shade and delightful Prospect From whence as I came back I had the Sea and Harbour directly in my View And sometimes Madam I walk to Chappel-Izod to visit the Lord Clonuff who is President of the Illustrious House of Cabinteelee and confers Honours as freely as a Prince tho' with more Ceremony than those of the Round-Table During the time of my last being there he created no less than Four Noble-Men of which the Duke of Frâ—om was one the Marquess of Swan-Castle carrying the Sword and assisting at the Ceremony but more of this in my Summer Ramble where you 'll have the History of my Lord Clonuff at large with a merry Account of the Original of the House of Cabinteeiee and the Honours the President has conferr'd with an exact List of the Nobility created by the said President Sometimes I wou'd for my Diversion ride out a few Miles either to Santry Swords or Mallahide a Place as Eminent as Billinsgaie for Peoples going to eat Oysters there And that which made these little Iourneys more delightful was that I had now though at a distance the Sea within my view which I like well enough on shore but not on board for I am always sick on the Ocean Sometimes I walk along the Strand up to Clantarff which when the Tide is in is very pleasant and the next day perhaps I take a Ramble to Donnibroeâ— Dumcondrah Repharnum Palmerstown and whither else my Fancy leads me And sometimes I went to the Dublin Bowling-Green perhaps the finest in Europe either to divert my self by Playing or look on those that did where I have seen the Gentlemen screwing their Bodies inâ— o more Antick Postures than Proteâ—s ever knew as if they thought the Bowl wou'd run that way they screw'd their Bodies and many times wou'd curse it when it did not And while I thus look'd on I cou'd not but reflect how like the Iack is to the World which most men covet with the greatest Earnestness but very few obtain And when sometimes I saw a Bowl play'd by a skilful hand lye very near her it has in one small Moment by the unlucky knock of a succeeding Bowl lain at the greatest distance from it and others have in the sâ—me instance been laid by the Jack that never thought of it just so 't is with the things of the World some that with Toil and Industry have gotten an Estate by one or other unforeseen Disaster have in a Moment lost it all when some perhaps that never expected it by the same Accident that quite undid the other were made Rich. So sickle are Riches which as the Wise Man tells us Make themselves Wings and fly away At other times I have gone further off and visited some of the Irish Cities and the first I rambled to was Kilkenny where I was introduc'd to the Acquaintance of my worthy and ingenious Friend Dr. Wood by the following Letter written by an Eminent Person in Dublin and which I 'll insert here not out of vain Glory for the Praises he gives me shews that his Love had blinded his Iudgment but that your Ladyship might the better see by that Inquisitive Temper which he found in me what variety you are like to have in my Summer Ramble The Letter I deliverd to Dr. Wood from my Friend in Dublin was this following viz. Dear Doctor THE Bearer hereof Mr. Dunton is my Friend and as such you will look upon him as a very good and honest Gentlemâ—n he goes to your Town to look about him and see the place for some days I pray oblige me so far as to let him have your Assistance to see the Castle and such other things as his Curiosity leads him to for he is an inquisitive Person and a Man not unâ—it for Travel All the Favours you do him shall be thankfully acknowledg'd as done to Dublin Septemb. 12. 1698. Your Humble Servant c. This Letter
Bottle but I am tyr'd with my days Ramble and the Sun has got on his Nightcap and if I don't hasten will be gone to his bed before I am got to my Chamber But I engagâ—d Mr. Wild to make an Apology to Dr. Robinson and Mr. Shepherd and to present 'em in my Name with a Farewell-Token This Saturday night concluded my Dublin-Farewells and if the Wind be fair on Monday I shall embark with Owner Pickance and then farewell to the Kingdom in general farewell for ever and when I get to London I 'll fall to Printing this Account of my Conversation and also my Scuffle with Patrick Campbel for 't is expected in Dublin as appears by a Letter directed to Mr. Larkin which begins thus viz. SIR WE or many of us here wou'd be glad The Dublin Scuffle was out which Dick Pue says he will buy one of and chain to his Table that the sale may be spoyl'd by every body 's reading it for a Penny a piece and THAT he shall get I am sorry therefore he is not like to have a severer lash then I am afraid he will without it be suhjoyn'd in a Postscript for Dick and I now are two and for want of yours made a Dublin Scuffle of our own t'other Night Thus far the Letter to Mr. Larkin And an hour ago I receiv'd my self a Letter from Sir Hackney I call him so as he 's Campbel's Tool wondering the Dublin Scuffle is not yet out but withal threatning I know not what if I omit the inserting some of his own Maggots 'T is true Madam such a Scoundrel as this is scarce worth my notice yet I wou'd tell ye his Name but that he 's asham'd on 't himself and has turn'd it into a Bog-house but to shew this hectoring Tool how much I defie him and all his Abettors I 'll here insert the Character of Robin Bog-house for so he calls himself His Face is full of a certain briskness tho' mixt with an Air a little malicious and unpleasant he has a large stock of Ill-Nature Pride and Wit in which lies his chiefest Excellency tho' a very unenvy'd one His Face is made of Brass and his Tongue tip'd with Lyes for there was not a true word in all his Letter yet as leud as that and his Tongue is they are the two best Accomplishments he has I find in his Letter he has not a dram of tenderness for his best Friends I mean those that pay him for Scribling for I guess by his Letter he 's going to expose one of 'em for buying and selling a Whore a second for having a Bastard a third for being shamefully Hen-peckt a fourth for being a Town-Bull and a fifth for puting a Cheat on the World But no wonder he abuses the Men for he 's so unmannerly as to revile even the fair Sex he lately call'd a Lady Whore for no other Reason as 't is suppos'd but because she 'd not give him a Nights Lodging Then where shall a Man find him for he slanders every body and Proteus like appears in all manner of shapes sometimes he calls himself a Student of Trinity College near Dublin at other times a Kt. Errant and fights every thing and the next moment owns himself a poor Labourer and desires his Wife wou'd make him a C d in meer Charity to his hungry Belly for he good Man is willing to hold the door even to his own Flesh and Blood invent Lyes slander innocent Virgins swear through an Inch board and do any thing rather then starve so that if two Irish Justices and my self ben't mistaken Robin Bog-house will dye looking through an Hempen Casement or if he 'll kneel low enough for it perhaps he may come off for I 'll stand his Friend when I see him penitent with being only whip'd at the Garts A And as to his Wife tho' she 's a vertuoas Woman yet I 'd advise the honest Cits of Dublin never to go to Refarnum with her for Robin is so leud himself that he thinks no man travels with her but makes him a Câ—d Now if Bog-house is not the Person I here describe yet if he that is will answer this Character fairly I mean put his Name to 't as I shall do in my reply to him for I hate a Coward I 'll answer his Letters ev'ry Post and if Patrick Campbel will petition for it he shall be my Bookseller and his opposite Neighbour the Printer of this Skirmish Thus Madam having sent ye the History of my Conversation in Ireland and some hints of my Summer Ramble from the time I landed to the Sunday I left it and having also as truly related how I came to be ingag'd in a Dublin Scuffle and why the said SCVFFLE is so much desir'd by Dick Puâ— and his Cousin Boghouse Perhaps you 'll expect my Remarks on the Impatience of these two till my Scuffle arrives in Dublin Then first as to Dick Pue I can't find by the Letter sent Mr. Larkin whether he so impatiently desires my Scuffle that he may spoil the Sale on 't by chaining 〈◊〉 to his Table or THAT to use the Word in Mr. Larkin's Letter he may get a Penny by Peoples reading it but I rather incline to this last Opinion for Dick hopes by the many Pence he shall get by it that he might reimburse himself of that Money he paid for some Body for Secret Service and I know to whom and what Summ and so shall the World too except he 'll bring Boghouse to light that the World may know the Man that Begets Actaeon's and that 's all I shall say at present concerning Dick or his Dear Cousin And now Madam having in this Letter sent ye the Characters of almost every thing I convers'd with in Ireland I hope you 'll pardon me if in the last place I allow my self a Character amongst the rest 'T is true Cowley says The Voyage Life is longest made at Home however from that small Acquaintance I have with my self I may venture to say As to my BIRTH I account it no small Honour that I descended from the Tribe of Levi and I find an Ingenious Author of this Opinion who says I reck'n it amongst the Felicities of my Life to have been a Prophets Son nor wou'd I leave a Pulpit for a Throne To be Ambassadors of Jesus is matter of Glory and if you have Faith to believe a Poet Their Childern Do all breath something more than common Air. And Mr. Robbinson is of this Opinion or wou'd scarce have set on the great Pot for the Sons of the Prophets Then I 'm honour'd as much to use the words of the same Author in having a Minister for my Father as if he had been a Lord and this Happiness was continued to me a great while for my Reverend Father was Rector of Aston â—linton for twenty years and those Principles he instill'd into me in