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thing put on as necessary before a lover; but I have "since observed in abundance of your letters such "marks of a severe indifference, that I began to think "it was hardly possible for one of my few good qua"lities to please you. I never knew any so hard to "be worked upon, even in matters where the interest ❝and concern are entirely your own; all which, I say, passed easily while we were in the state of formali"ties and ceremony; but, since that, there is no other way of accounting for this untractable behaviour in you, but by imputing it to a want of common "esteem and friendship for me.

"When I desired an account of your fortune, I "had no such design as you pretend to imagine. I ❝ have told you many a time, that in England it was "in the power of any young fellow of common sense, "to get a larger fortune than ever you pretended to. "I asked, in order to consider whether it were suffi"cient, with the help of my poor income, to make one "of your humour easy in a married state. I think it " comes to almost a hundred pounds a year; and I "think at the same time that no young woman in the

world, of the same income, would dwindle away "their health and life in such a sink, and among such

family conversation; neither have all your letters "been once able to persuade that you have the least "value for me, because you so little regarded what I so often said upon that matter. The dismal account

you say I have given of my livings, I can assure you "to be a true one; and, since it is a dismal one even in

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your own opinion, you can best draw consequences "from it. The place where Dr. Bolton lived is upon " a living which he keeps with the deanery; but the "place of residence for that they have given him, is " within

"within a mile of a town called Trim, twenty miles "from hence; and there is no other way, but to hire a "house at Trim, or build one on the spot: the first is hardly to be done, and the other I am too poor to "perform at present. For coming down to Belfast, it "is what I cannot yet think of, my attendance is so "close, and so much required of me; but our govern"ment sits very loose, and I believe will change in a few months; whether our part will partake in the

change, I know not, though I am very apt to believe it; and then I shall be at leisure for a short journey. But I hope your other friends, more pow"erful than I, will before that time persuade you "from the place where you are. I desire my service

to your mother, in return for her remembrance; but "for any other dealings that way, I entreat your par"don; and I think I have more cause to resent your "desires of me in that case, than you have to be angry "at my refusals. If you like such company and con"duct, much good do you with them! My educa"tion has been otherwise. My uncle Adam asked "me one day in private, as by direction, what my

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designs were in relation to you, because it might "be a hindrance to you if I did not proceed. The "answer I gave him (which I suppose he has sent you) "was to this effect: That I hoped I was no hin

drance to you; because the reason you urged against "aunion with me was drawn from indisposition, which "still continued; that you also thought my fortune "not sufficient, which is neither at present in a con"dition to offer you; That, if your health and my "fortune were as they ought, I would prefer you "above all your sex; but that, in the present condi❝tion of both, I thought it was against your opi

"nion, and would certainly make you unhappy: that, "had you any other offers which your friends or your"self thought more to your advantage, I should think "I were very unjust to be an obstacle in your way.' "Now for what concerns my fortune, you have an

swered it. I desire, therefore, you will let me "know if your health be otherwise than it was when you told me the doctors advised you against marriage, as what would certainly hazard your life. Are they or you grown of another opinion in this particular? Are you in a condition to manage domestick

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affairs, with an income of less (perhaps) than three "hundred pounds a year? Have you such an inclina"tion to my person and humour, as to comply with 66 my desires and way of living, and endeavour to make "us us both as happy as you can? Will you be ready to 66 engage in those methods I shall direct for the im provement of your mind, so as to make us entertaining company for each other, without being mi"serable when we are neither visiting nor visited? Can 66 you bend your love and esteem and indifference to "others the same way as I do mine? Shall I have so "much power in your heart, or you so much govern"ment of your passions, as to grow in good humour

upon my approach, though provoked by a-? Have

you so much good nature as to endeavour by soft "words to smooth any rugged humour occasioned by "the cross accidents of life? Shall the place wherever your husband is thrown, be more welcome than

courts and cities without him? In short, these are "some of the necessary methods to please men, who, "like me, are deep read in the world; and to a person "thus made, I should be proud in giving all due re"turns toward making her happy. These are the " questions

"questions I have always resolved to propose to her "with whom I meant to pass my life; and whenever

you can heartily answer them in the affirmative, I "shall be blessed to have you in my arms, without re"garding whether your person be beautiful, or your "fortune large. Cleanliness in the first, and compe"tency in the other, is all I look for. I desire indeed

a plentiful revenue, but would rather it should be "of my own; though I should not bear from a wife "to be reproached for the greatest.

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"I have said all I can possibly say in answer to any part of your letter, and in telling you my clear opinion as to matters between us. I singled you out at first from the rest of women; and I expect not "to be used like a common lover. When you think "fit to send me an answer to this, without"shall then approve myself, by all means you shall "command, madam,

"Your most faithful humble servant,

I

JONATHAN SWIFT."

From the contents of this letter, it is apparent, that whatever inclination he might formerly have had to a union with this lady, it was now much changed; and his view in writing it, seems evidently to have been to put an end to the connexion, but in such a way, as that the refusal might come from the lady. For it was impossible to suppose that a woman of any spirit (and from some hints in the letter she seemed to have rather more than came to her share) should not highly resent such an unlover-like epistle, written in so dictatorial a style. And it is highly probable that the little stomach which he at all times had to matrimony, was a stronger motive to breaking off

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the match, than any of the newly discovered faults laid to her charge. His attachment to this lady was in consequence of a juvenile passion commenced when he was in the college. She was sister to his chamber-fellow Mr. Waryng, and a familiar intercourse naturally followed. It is certain a correspondence had been carried on between them for some time in the style of courtship; but a few years absence cooled the ardour of his flame, which, together with some circumstances alluded to in the above letter, made him wish to put an end to the connexion. I have in my possession a letter of his, which was never yet printed, addressed to the Rev. Mr. Winder, dated from Moor-park, 1698. Wherein some slight mention is made of this affair, and which manifestly shows his indifference at that time, in the following passage: "I remember these letters "to Eliza; they were writ in my youth. Pray burn "them. You mention a dangerous rival for an absent "lover; but I must take my fortune. If the report

proceeds, pray inform me." After these we have no memorial remaining of his being attached to any of the fair sex, except Mrs. Johnson and miss Vanhomrigh, known to the world by the celebrated names of Stella, and Vanessa. We have already seen how his acquaintance with Stella commenced at an early period of her life, and the share that he had in training her up to that degree of perfection which she afterward reached. It is no wonder that his admiration of his lovely pupil should increase with her growing perfections, and that it should produce the strongest attachment to one of the finest pieces of nature's workmanship, finished and polished to the height by his own hand. But though his af

fection