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
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
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
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
hour I usually digest the future business of the day Yet Madam as sound as I sleep I dream often You know Madam Thought must be active but I take little heed in the Morning what the Visions of the Night have been unless that Night when I dream of D ne'â— appearing to me and much less care to remember them but my Experience teaches me that the over-night Thoughts come fresh upon me the next day and how to digest and settle them was the Morning business the main whereof next after my Mornings Devotion was to answer those Letters I had receiv'd from England My Custom always is to begin with that of my Wife 's and then to proceed to D ne's and then to my other Relations and 〈◊〉 as near as I can in due order oâ— Place and Affection I seal them in the same manner only I retain that of my Wife 's to be the first perused and last closed Thus Madam I have given you a brief but true Account of my general Method of Living And by such Steps as these through the help of Divine Grace I strive to climb to Heaven and sometimes find my Soul upon the Wing thither before I am aware There is methinks no Object in the World that 's more delightful than when in a Star-light-night I survey the spangled Canopy of Heaven for if my Mind happen to be o'ercast with Melancholy when I look up and view the glittering Firmament and hope in a short time to soar above those starry Regions methinks I breath already the Air of a New World and all those black Vapors that o'erwhelm'd my Soul are fled in an instant I then scorn this Transitory World and all its fading Pleasures considering the Vanity of the one and the Emptiness of the other Tâ—us still my Soul moves upwards as all the heavenly Bodies do But yet as those Bodies are often snatcht away to the West by the rapid motion of the Primum Mobile so by those Epidemical Infirmities incident to human Nature I am often turn'd a clean contrary course though my Soul still persists in her proper Motion And I have oft occasion to be angry with my self when I consider That whereas my bountiful Creator intended my Body tho'a lump of Clay shou'd be a Temple of his Holy Spirit my corrupt Affections shouâ—d turn it so often to a Bedlam and my Excesses to an Hospital But as my Sin troubles me so my trouble for Sin comforts me And I believe there is less danger in committing the Sin I delight in than in delighting in the Sin I have committed In a word Madam I have experienc'd that the way to God is by my self and the way to my self is by my own Corruptions If I baulk this way I err If I travel by the Creatures I wander For the Motion of the Heavens will give my Soul no Rest nor will the Vertue of Herbs increase mine the height of all Philosophy both Natuâ—â—â—â— and Moral being to know my self and the end of this Knowledge is to know God the knowledge of whom is the Perfection of Love God being our chiefest good and the Enjoyment of him our highest Happiness And now Madam having given you a Specimen of my way of Living in Dublin both on the Sabbath and on the Week days I come in the next place to give you a Iournal of my Conversation with respect to the Occurrences I met with here by which you may see what little occasion I gave for the Dubliâ— Scuffle or to the false Dorinda to tempt me to her lewd Embraces It was in April when I came to Dublin and near Eleven a Clock at Night when I landed so that it was with some difficulty that I got a Lodging for that Night for which I own my self beholding to Mrs. Lisle the Widow at the Dukes-head Tavern in Castle-street the first Place I drank at in Ireland I have always the Vnhappiness of being sick at Sea which though it be very irksome to bear yet I find this good in 't that it endears the sence of God's Goodness to me when I come to Land and makes me the more thankful for my Preservation Which having perform'd as well as the Fatigue I had been under would permit I betook my self to my Chamber and slept that Night without Rocking though in the Morning both my Bed and Chamber seem'd to me to have the same motion that my fluctuating Cabin had the day before Being got up the next Morning I again renew'd my Thanks to God for my Preservation at Sea and safe arrival at Dublin And now being drest as it were in Print for my business now was to see and be seen I marched very methodically out of my Lodgings with two I can't say a pair of Gloves in one hand and a Cane in t'other and 't is not long since I had done sowing my wild Oats and now I am earnestly hunting after Gaup-seed You wou'd smile Madam if you had the Picture of your quondam friend at the black Raven like an over-grown Oaf newly come to Town staring and gazing at all the Signs and every thing else in the Strâ—ets pacing out their length and enquiring ever and anon What call ye this Street Who dwells in you great House Whose fine Coach is that For thus I rambled through every Street Alley and corner of this spacious Town as you 'll find at large in my Summer Travels where 200 Persons will see their Pictures that at present little expect it but I leave 'em here to tell ye the first visit I made in Dublin was to Nat. Gun a Bookseller in â—ssex-street to whom I was directed by my Friend Mr. Richard Wild whom I had left behind me in London This Son of a Gun gave me a hearty Welcome and to do him Justice he 's as honest a Man as the World affords and is so esteemed by all that know him He is a firm adherer to the established Government and a declared Enemy to Popery and Slavery So far from dissembling that he knows not how to go about it and will speak his Mind how much soever it may be to his Prejudice He understands Stenography as well as Bookbinding and he himself is a sort of a Short-hand Character for he is a little Fellow but one that contains a great deal And as he is a most incomparable Writer of Short-hand so he speaks it as well as writes it and to compleat his Character He is a constant Shop-keeper without earnest Business calls him to the Drumcondrah This Gun was a constant and generous bidder at my Auctions where he bought a great quantity of Books which he as honestly paid for At Mr. Gun 's Shop I met with Mr. 〈◊〉 another Bookseller but his principal Business is Binding whom I afterwards employed considerably He is a very honest Man but has met with Misfortunes in the World by thinking some others as honest as himself who did not prove so I ask'd Mr.
Bently whether there was not some Eminence in the City from whence I might survey it He told me there was and that from the top of the Tholsel the whole City might be seen so we went to the Tholsel where we ascended about half a score Stairs from the Street which brought us into a spacious Roâ—m supported by great Pillars and flagg'd as they term it here with free Stone with open Banisters on each side towards the Street its figure is rather an oblong than a square This is the Place they call the Change where the Merchants meet every day as on the Royal Exchange in London In a corner at the South-East part is a Court of Iudicature where they keep their publick Sessions for the City Having view'd the lower part we went up a large pair of Stairs into a publick Room which had a large Balconey looking into Skinner Row and from this Balcony I spoke with my Friend Mr. Geo. Larkin who was then at Mr. Ray 's Printing-house over-against it He no sooner saw me but came over to congratulate my safe arrival expressing himself very joyful to see me and I was as glad as he we having a long time had a kindness for each other and convers'd by Letter even when I was in America Having said so much of him you 'll not wonder Madam if I send ye an Epitomy of his Character intending to do it more largely in my Summer Ramble He is of a midling Stature somewhat gross of a Sanguine Complexion and a hail Constitution both of Body and Mind and which I admire where ever I find it he is of an even Temper not elated when Fortune Smiles nor cast down with her Frowns and though his Stars have not been very propitious to him with respect to his outward Circumstances he having had great Losses yet he has born all with such a presence of Mind as shew'd his Losses to be the effect of his Misfortunes and not his Faults His Conversation is extreamly diverting and what he says is always to the purpose He is a particular Votary of the Muses and I have seen some of his Poems that can't be equall'd But there is one thing more peculiar to him which is That whatever he does is upon the Account Civil I went up with my Friends Madam to the top of the Thâ—lsel and there had a View of the whole City but a Storm that then arose took from us much of the Pleasure of the Prospect But of that and the spacious Chambers over the Change where the Lord Mayor and Aldermen meet and other Curiosities which I saw there as also oâ— the Government of the City by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Assemblies I shall give a more particular Account in my Summer Ramble But this I will say here Madam That of all the Cities in the Kings Dominions Dublin next to London does justly claim the Precedence 'T was at the Tholsel I met Mr. Dell a Person whose Understanding and generous Temper set him above the common Rate of Men and shew him to be every way a Gentleman I could not but love him for these Qualifications but much more as he was an old Acquaintance of my Honoured Mother-in-law and Madam you can't blame me for this as she treats me with that Tenderness that I think her my own Mother Reviv'd and I find shall love her as much Mr. Dell shew'd me a most particular Respect at our first Meeting and continued his Favours to the last Minute I staid in Ireland being one of those that were so obliging as to see me a Ship-board From the Tholsel Mr. Dell Mr. Bently and I were going to the Tavern but Mr. Larkin by the way wou'd have me go into Dick's Coffee-house where I had been advis'd by Mr. Wild to keep my Auctions I readily agreed to his Motion and went up saw it and liked it as proper for my Purpose Dick shewing me all the Civility I could desire And I must say this of Dick notwithstanding our after Quarrel That he is a Witty and Ingenious Man makes the best Coffee in Dublin and is very Civil and Obliging to all his Customers of an open and generous Nature has a peculiar Knack at Bantering and will make Rhymes to any thing He 's of a chearful facetious Temper and generally speaking fair in his Dealing And had not Patrick assaulted him with the Temptation of a double Price he and I shou'd never have quarrel'd and yet for all that I must do him the Justice to say he carry'd it civilly to me to the very last and was so kind as to come with my Friend Mr. Dell to give me a Farewell when I left Ireland thus much for Dick As for his Wife I shall say this She 's an Industrious Woman handâ—om enough one that knows her Duty to her Husband and how to respect her Customers and in a word is what a Wife ought to be and I must own though her Husband and I scuffled she treated me always with much 〈◊〉 From Dicks we went to the Tavern where having â—rank a Bottle or two and related the Fatigues of my Dublin Voyage we parted and went each to our several Lodgings In my way home I was attackt by an impudent 〈◊〉 who desired me to bestow a Glass of Wine upon her I made her no other Answer than that the House of Correction stood not far off at which she scower'd away with all the Heels she could make seeming as much scar'd as if she had been in the most eminent danger of losing her Chastity when perhaps she could scarce remember the time when she had it I hope Madam you do not esteem any thing I have said here to be designed for the magnifying of my own Vertues it 's practicable enough for a man to make his Reputation clear and not sin and assure your self I am not unsensible that self-Praise is a most odious thing in any and I shall ever account it much more so in my self However it be Madam all my Mistakes are entirely submitted to you who are the best Judge of ' em The next day I removed to more convenient Quarters and deliver'd some Letters which I had brought from London This day Mr. Dell gave me a meeting at Dicks from whence we went to the Castle the Place of Residence for the Chief Governors by Mr. Dell's Interest I had here a view of the Lord Galway's Bed-Chamber and other 〈◊〉 Apartments but I wave 'em here designing to speak of 'em in my Summer Ramble however I 'll here attempt his Lordships Character and hope my honest Intention herein will something attone for my great Defects and the rather still as his Lordships Merits are above a Dryden's or a Cowley's Pen. I own 't is a bold Undertaking to offer at the Character of one of the greatest Men which our Age has produc'd especially for one who has not the Honour of being personally known to him however though I
that in my Father's Will was this Expression Item I bequeath unto Mrs. Mary Hall servant to Sir Henry Ingoldsby when I was in Ireland Five Pounds if ever demanded or she be not dead for her friendly Offices to me during a great sickness I had in that Kingdom I told Sir Henry I was not put upon this Enquiry by the Executrix but that Providence having brought me to Ireland tho' Twenty Years after my Fathers Death I cou'd not be satisfy'd without enquiring whether this Mary Hall were alive or dead To which Sir Henry did me the Honour to reply It was a Great piece of Iustice in me if I had no Advantage in it my self To which I return'd I had not any farther than to see to the Execution of my Father's Will But as to this Mary Hall Sir Henry told me he suppos'd she dy'd at Limerick she marrying thither from his House to a Rich but ill-natur'd Man which soon ended her Days Pardon me Madam for the digression of this Story I had some Hesitation in my own Breast about making this Enquiry I was not satisfy'd that Conscience oblig'd me to it but not being satisfy'd without doing it I did it and it yet appearing to me a moot Case because I was none of the Executor I leave it to your Determination Whether I cou'd be under any Obligation in that case or no This Discourse being ended I gave Sir Henry an Account of the Reason of my coming for Ireland with which he was so well pleased that he promised to give me and my Auction all the Encouragement he cou'd for which I return'd him my humble Thanks and so took my leave of Sir Henry for that time Madam I dare not presume to give Sir Henry's Character to describe so great a Man would be a Theam big enough for my Ingenious Friend Mr. Charles Wormington a Person of great Modesty and Worth and perhaps the most Ingenious Poet in all Ireland but tho' I shan't presume to Characterise this ancient Knight yet I shall say what every one does That he has the Repute of a Person of Great Honour and Probity and of that great Judgment and Experience in Affairs of State as renders him worthy of the Dignity of a Privy Counsellor which he has been for many years and tho' he is now arriv'd to Fourscore Ten more than the Age of Man yet he enjoys his Health and Strength to Admiration which shews him to have been a Person of great Temperance and perhaps on this Account he has no Equal in Ireland or it may be in the whole World But to proceed in my Rambles Having taken my leave of Sir Henry Ingoldsby in my way home I met with Lieutenant Downing my former Fellow Traveller to New England You can hardly imagine Madam how agreeable a thing it is to meet with an old Friend in a Foreign Country It was some thousands of Miles off that we were last together and we were equally surpriz'd to meet each other here There was in his Company at that time Captain Annesly Son to the late Earl of Anglesey to whom I had the Honour to be related by my First Wife We stay'd not long in the Street but went to drink at the Widow Lisles in Castle-street whither 〈◊〉 to go out of a Principle of Gratitude hers being the first House that receiv'd me in Dublin After a Health to the King and some others of our Friends in England we talk'd over our New-England Ramble After this I told the Lieutenant of my Brother Aanesley's Death at which he was highly concern'd This Discourse being ended Captain Annesley told me That the Earl his Father had writ an Excellent History of Ireland but it was in such hands as he believ'd wou'd strip it of some of its choicest Remarks and Madam this is likely enough for there are some Men in the World which are afraid of following Truth too close lest it shou'd dash out their own Teeth I then told Captain Annesley I had Printed his Father 's Memoirs the Copy of which I purchas'd of Sir Peter Pett and he cou'd not but think 'em genuine because of that great Amity which was be tween the Eail his Father and Sir Peter Pett To give ye Madam the Captains Character He is a most accomplish'd Gentleman not as a Wit Observes that thin sort of Animal that flutters from Tavern to Play-house and back again all his Life made up with Wig and Cravat without one dram of Thought in his Composition but a Person made up of Solid Worth as Grave as he is Witty Brave and Generous and shews by his humble and courteous Carriage that he is and was born a Gentleman And for the Lieutenant my old Fellow-Traveller I must say he has much Address and as great a Presence of Mind as was ever seen he is most agreeable Company and perhaps the best Friend I had in America After three hours spent in this Conversation I went to Visit Captain Townley and his Lady as also one Madam Congreve who were all three my Fellow-Travellers in the Coach from London to Chester The Captain is a Person of Great Honour and Worth and so is his Lady but of these I shall say more in my Summer Ramble but more particularly of Madam Congreve In my way home I call'd upon Mr. 〈◊〉 and his Wife stil'd The most Ingenious Who tho' she has Enemies perhaps as little deserves 'em as any Woman in Dublin and tho' I shou'd get hatred by saying this yet my way is to do as I 'd bi done by and to speak as I find but having Charactarized the most Ingenious 't is fit next that I speak of her Lord and Master He 's a very honest sober Man and one of that great Modesty that I heard he went Forty Miles to demand a Debt which yet he was so civil and courteous as not to ask for when he came there But it grew late so leaving this loving Couple at their Fine Embroidery I went next to pay a Visit to Mr. Lum in Castle-street a Member of Parliament and one of the chief Bankers in Dublin whom I made use of to remit my Moneys to London He is a Person of great Integrity has a good Estate and is punctually just and honest in his Dealings And to compleat his Character He 's a Gentleman of Extraordinary Sense which he has the Happiness of being able to express in words as manly and apposite as the Sense included under them He treated me with much Candor and Respect as long as I stay'd in Ireland His chief Manager of his Business Mr. Purefoy was also very obllging and ready to serve me upon all Occasions Captain Davis who was also a Member of the House of Commons gave me a most obliging Welcome to Dublin at the Garter-Tavern in Castle-street If I shou'd attempt this Gentleman's Character it wou'd be to his Prejudice for all that I can say will come far short of
which had been dead several years at which being somewhat surpriz'd she aâ—k'd him how he did And he on the contrary ask'd her What was the reason she did not christen the Child She told him it was because her Husband promis'd two Ladies shou'd be Gossips to it and they were both yet indispos'd and cou'd not come The Spectrum then call'd her to come to him which she accordingly did and he embrac'd her in his Arms and kiss'd her naked Bosom which she said she felt extream cold He then ask'd her where her Husband was And she told him where After which he charg'd her to let the Child be christned the next day at three a Clock 〈◊〉 â—he Afternoon and then went away she knew not how When the Doctor came home his Lady told him what she had seen and desir'd the Child might be Christen'd according to the Charge given by the Spectrum but the Doctor was Unbelieving and still resolv'd to defer it till the two Ladies could come to be Gossips But the time prefix'd by the Spectrum being past and the Child not Christen'd that Night the Bed-Cloaths were attempted to be pull'd off she crying out to the Doctor for help who pull'd the Cloaths up with all his Strength and had much ado to keep 'em on his Wife in the mean time crying out grievously that somebody pinch'd her And the next Morning viewing of her Body they found she was pinch'd black and blue in several places This did not yet prevail with the Doctor to have his Child Christen'd till the two Ladies cou'd come to be Gossips But a day or two after when the Doctor was again abroad and his Lady alone in her Chamber there appeared to her another Spectrum in the likeness of her Aunt who had been dead near 20 years before with a Coffin in her hand and a bloody Child in the Coffin asking her in a threatning manner Why the Child was not Christned She reply'd as she had done to her Unckle before that her Husband delay'd it on the Account of two Gossips which could not yet come Whereto the Spectrum with a stern Countenance said Let there be no more such idle Excuses but Christen the Child to Morrow or it shall be worse for you and so disappear'd The Lady all in Tears tells the Doctor of the Threatning of this She-Spectrum and prevails with him to have it Christned the next day and in three days after the Child was over-lay'd by the Nurse and brought home in a Coffin all bloody exactly like that which was shewn her by the last Spectrum The Doctor confirm'd that part of the Story which related to him and as to the Spectrums his Lady aver'd before my self Mr. Wild Mr. Larkin and Mr. Price that what she related was nothing but Truth The Doctor after the Story was ended made this Inference from it That the Baptizing of Infants was an Ordinance of God or else it had not been so much inâ—ulâ—ated by two Persons or Spirits risen from the Dead But my Friend Mr. Larkin reply'd to the Doctor that he was of a quite contrary Opinion and said it was a great Argument against Infant Baptism that the Devil was so earnest to have it done And when they both referr'd the Matter to the Dean he put it off by saying We had some Discourse before Dinner of the Power of Imagination and this seems to be some of the Effects on 't After this Discourse was ended Dr. Phoenix caus'd a Robbin-red-breast which he had in a Cage to be brought into the Dining-room where it entertain'd us whilst at Dinner with singing and talking many pleasant things as sweet Lady Is the Packet come What News from England and several such Expressions which the Doctor 's Lady had taught it The smalness of this Bird renders its talking the more remarkable and perhaps Madam this Robin-red-breast is one of the greatest Rarities in Ireland if not in the whole World and I believe Dr. Phoenix thinks so for as small as this Bird is he told me he 'd not sell it for 20 Guinea's and I do think were it sold to the worth of its pleasant Chat 't wou'd yield a thousand After I had stay'd the utmost Limits that my Time would allow me I took my leave of the Dean and then returning the Doctor and his Lady Thanks for their Kindness both to my self and my Friends we took our leave the Doctor wishing me a boon Voyage to England and a good Iourney to London But the Doctor is a worthy Person and I can't leave his House 〈◊〉 I have given Character of him besides his Civilities to 〈…〉 so many and grâ—â— that not to acknowledg◠〈◊〉 in a just Character of him wou'd be very 〈◊〉 for he was a great Encourager of my Auction and a very generous Bidder But to proceed to his Character Dr. Phoenix is a little Jolly black Man but so very conscientious that he 's as ready to serve the Poor for nothing as the Rich for Money His great Skill in Physick has made him famous and which renders him the more Eminent his Prescriptions are generally successful and his Aurum Potabile never fails His wise Advice has rescu'd more languishing Patients from the Jaws of Death then Quacks have sent to those dark Regions and on that score Death declares himself a mortal Enemy to Dr. Phoenix whereas Death claims a Relation to meer Pretenders to Physick as being both of one Occupation viz. That of killing Men. But tho his great Success makes Patients throng to him yet is he a modest humble and very good Man as appears by this at his first coming to a sick Man he perswades him to put his trust in God the Fountain of Health The want of such seriousness hath caus'd the bad success of many Physitians for they that won't acknowledge God in their Applications God won't acknowledge them in that Success which they might otherwise expect I wou'd be larger in the Doctor 's Character but after all must come short of it so will add no more about him but shall now attempt his Ladys Character of whom I might say many pretty things but Madam I fear I shall tire you however I say 'em all in little by only telling your Ladyship that the Person I 'd here describe is Doctor Phoenix's Wife I say Madam 't is Praise enough to say she is Dr. Phoenix's Wife and that she merits so good a Husband Then let the learned World debate as long as they please about the Nonsuch Bird this Lady proves by her great Vertues that in Dublin if no where else is to be seen a She-Phoenix Leaving Dr. Phoenix's House our next Visit was to the College of Dublin where several worthy Gentlemen both Fellows and others had been great Benefactors to my Auction When we came to the College we went first to my Friend Mr. Young's Chamber but he not being at home we went to see the Library which is over