Being the Fourth Part of Law is a Bottomless Pit1. On the 7th of August Swift wrote: 'Have you seen the fourth part of John Bull? It is equal to the rest, and extremely good. This pamphlet dealt further with the discussions at the meeting at the Salutation Tavern (Congress of Utrecht); with the settlement of accounts between John Bull and Nic. Frog; with the uproar at home about the Succession; and with the private negociations with the French. These negociations led to the Duke of Ormond withdrawing his troops from those of the Allies (who afterwards sustained several defeats), and to the occupation by the English-in spite of remonstrances from the Dutch-of Dunkirk, which was handed over by the French as a pledge of good faith. At the end of the pamphlet was a note referring to matters reserved for the next Volume'; but when the work appeared in a collected form in 1727 this note had given place to a postscript containing the headings of a number of chapters which, if written, would have formed a continuation of the History 3.

In July Swift wrote to Mrs. Hill, 'We are assured that you keep a constant table, and that your guests leave you with full stomacks and full pockets; that Dr. Arbuthnot sometimes leaves his beloved green cloth to come and receive your chidings, and pick up your money.'

1 Examiner, July 24-31; Post Boy, July 29-31 ('This day,'-Thursday, the 31st).

Peter Wentworth wrote to Lord Strafford: 'I have heard this part much commended, but in my poor opinion I think the humour flags and does not come up to the two first, tho' the Author is the same, who I din'd with t'other day and by his friend's sly commendation of the admirable banter, and his silence, 'twas plain to me he had a secreet pleasure in being the reputed Authour' (Wentworth Papers, p. 294).

3 In 1712 Curll published A Complete Key to the Three Parts of Law is a Bottomless Pit, and the St. Albans Ghost, and afterwards A Complete Key to all the Parts of Law is a Bottomless Pit, &c. This pamphlet contained an Epigram on John Bull's Law-suit, a key to all the parts of 'John Bull' and the Story of the St. Alban's Ghost,' and keys to 'The History of Prince Mirabel' (3 parts) and to 'The History of the Proceedings of the Mandarins and Proatins of the Britomartian Empire,' two lengthy political allegories.

Next month Swift wrote to General Hill, Mrs. Hill's husband, and now Governor of Dunkirk, about a fine snuff-box which the General had sent to him. 'My Lord Treasurer, who is the most malicious person in the world, says you ordered a goose to be drawn at the bottom of my box as a reflection upon the clergy, and that I ought to resent it. But I am not angry at all, and his Lordship observes by halves; for the goose is there drawn pecking at a snail, just as I do at him, to make him mend his pace in relation to the public, altho' it is hitherto in vain: And besides, Dr. Arbuthnot, who is a scholar, says, you meant it as a compliment for us both; that I am the goose who saved the Capitol by my cackling; and that his Lordship is represented by the snail, because he preserves his country by delays.'

The elections were to take place in Scotland on the 14th of August, consequent upon the excitement caused by the introduction of Bills for the toleration of the episcopal clergy and for the restoration of patronage, and on the Ist the Earl of Mar, Secretary for Scotland, received orders from the Lord Treasurer to set out at once for Edinburgh, in the Queen's service. It appears from a letter to Arbuthnot (Good Doctor'), written on the 2nd, that this mission interfered with some plans, the precise nature of which is unknown to us1.

1

The two following letters to Dr. Charlett refer to his

'This bauks my fancy mightily, for I thought of being with you at Windsore to-morrow & you may easilie believe I'm very impatient to wait on my L Mashame &c., and know what I'm to expect in that affair. I beg you may give the inclosed to my Lord Mashame & let him know the reason of my going so abruptly & indeed unmanerly to him. It was not in my power to help it, for on the one hand I could not tel Ld Treasurer the reason of my aversness to going & on the other

E

I was affraid the Queen wou'd have been angrie wth me, thinking it was wt designe to make the election fail in what she inclined to.' Perhaps, Mar continued, his absence for a little time would do no hurt, as it would enable Lady Masham to 'prepair the two great people for that affair the better,' with less noise. He sent his humble duty to her, and, if it be not offensive, to Mrs. Hill'; and thanked Arbuthnot for his good offices (Mr. Baillie's MSS.).

attempt to obtain a bishopric1. He did not succeed, for Oxford and Somers resented a piece of double dealing in connection with the dedication to Hickes of Thwaites' 'Saxon Heptateuch.'

Dear Sir,

I deliverd your letter to My Lord Treasurer & backd it with the best Rhetorick I was capable off; the Answer My Lord was pleas'd to give was, that he would be glad of an opportunity to serve yow, that he would speak to the Queen, that he remember'd something of a Clergyman that the Queen had spoke to him about relating to a preferment in the Church of Worcester, he concluded with great complements to yow. This was the summ of what pass'd and I cannot say that I can give yow great reason to hope much for success in this matter; if ther is any thing I can serve yow in I will do it with great readiness having many particular obligations to do so. The talk yesterday was that My Lord Godolphin was dead, I don't know if the report holds this morning.

I am with great respect, Sir,

Your most obliged humble servant,

Windsor, Sept. 14, 1712.

Sir,

Jo: ARBUTHNOTT.

Windsor, Sept. 18, 1712.

I receaved your letter with the present of the picture & catalogues for which I thank yow; I really would not have yow interpret the usage yow have had as yow were particularly distinguish'd for I am of opinion that both her Majesty and her Ministers when ther is a favourable opportunity will be as ready to show ther favour to yow as to any body but whilst I wait another steps in befor me is the manner and fate of many of your Gown. I never heard that yow sollicited in earnest befor & importunity and diligence go a great way in this world. The Gentleman under whose cover you would have me direct your letter has a good stroke with My Lord Treasurer if he pleases at least I know My Lord has a good opinion of him and I am sure none has a greater than the Speaker2; in any little service I can do you may freely command

Sir

Your most humble servant,

1 Ballard MSS. xxiv. 65, 66.

Jo: ARBUTHNOTT.

2 William Bromley, M. P. for Oxford University.

The Queen had an aguish and feverish fit on the 17th of September, which caused much anxiety. Swift wrote from Windsor, on the following day, that her physicians from town were sent for, but that she grew better towards night. 'Lord Treasurer would not come here from London, because it would make a noise if he came before his usual time, which is Saturday, and he goes away on Mondays.' But Arbuthnot sent Oxford particulars of the Queen's condition, and the great concern felt by the Minister may be judged from the following reply 1.

Sr

Sept. 18, 1712, Past four.

Unless you know the concern I was under, wch wth reason kept me the night waking, you cannot conceive how welcome your letter was to me wch my messenger brought me before one a clock. I trust in God's mercy that he will bring me an Account to-morrow of the Queen's passing this ensuing night wel, without any return of a feavor. I have ordered the messenger to wait yr time until you despatch him to-morrow morning. I am wth true respect, Sr

Your most faithful and most humble servant,

The weather is extreamly colder.

OXFORD.

Writing a month earlier to Dr. Hans Sloane, Arbuthnot said that all his family were ill of scarlet fever; but Charles was perfectly recovered. The weather was sickly at Windsor as well as in London, and he had himself let blood. Oxford, too, was at this time suffering from rheumatism, and Swift was unwell. Three weeks later, Swift was assured by Oxford and by Lady Masham that the Queen was not inclined to a dropsy, and this was confirmed by her physician Arbuthnot, who always attends her.' Many lies were being circulated respecting her health, but it was true that she had a little gout in one of her hands.

On the 9th of October Swift mentions that Arbuthnot 2 Sloane MSS. 4036, f. 164.

1 Mr. Baillie's MSS.

had sent him from Windsor a pretty discourse upon lying, and that he had told the printer to come for it. ‘It is a proposal for publishing a curious piece, called The Art of Political Lying, in two volumes, &c. And then there is an abstract of the first volume, just like those pamphlets called The Works of the Learned. Pray get it when it comes out.' Two months later he wrote: "The pamphlet. of Political Lying is written by Dr. Arbuthnot, the author of John Bull; 'tis very pretty, but not so obvious to be understood.' The full title of this pamphlet, which was advertised in the Examiner for October 9 to 16, was Proposals for printing a very curious Discourse, in Two Volumes in Quarto, intitled eтAOAOгI'A HOMITIKH`; or, a Treatise of the Art of Political Lying. With an Abstract of the First Volume of the said Treatise. In this little piece Arbuthnot gave the headings of a number of chapters devoted to various questions relating to Political Lying, which he defines to be 'the art of convincing the people of salutary falsehoods, for some good end.' There is a good deal of quiet humour in the satire, and the whole is written with the utmost gravity; but owing to the absence of the dramatic element, and to the abstract nature of the subject, the piece does not approach John Bull in interest. In the last chapter the suggestion is made that a lie is best contradicted by another lie. Thus, if it be spread abroad that a great person were dying of some disease, you must not say the truth, that they are in health, and never had such a disease, but that they are slowly recovering of it.'

Prior had been left by St. John-now Viscount Bolingbroke in charge of affairs at Paris, but it was felt that some one of more distinguished position should represent this country, and at the close of 1712 the Duke of Shrewsbury was appointed ambassador. In February, 1713, by Bolingbroke's directions, the Duke spoke very plainly to Torcy about the delay on the part of the French in bring