est known work being the Essay on Poetry. He was
Dryden's patron, and Pope prepared a collected edition of his works.

22 Laurence Hyde, created Earl of Rochester in 1682, died in 1711. He
was the Hushai of Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel, "the friend of David
in distress." In 1684 he was made Lord President of the Council, and on
the accession of James II., Lord Treasurer; he was, however, dismissed
in 1687. Under William III. Rochester was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, an
office he resigned in 1703; and in September 1710 he again became Lord
President. His imperious temper always stood in the way of popularity or
real success.

23 Sir Thomas Osborne, Charles II.'s famous Minister, was elevated to
the peerage in 1673, and afterwards was made successively Earl of Danby,
Marquis of Caermarthen, and Duke of Leeds. On Nov. 29, 1710, a few days
after this reference to him, the Duke was granted a pension of 3500
pounds a year out of the Post Office revenues. He died in July 1712,
aged eighty-one, and soon afterwards his grandson married Lord Oxford's
daughter.

24 This is, of course, a joke; Swift was never introduced at Court.

25 Captain Delaval (see Letter 5, note 6).

26 Admiral Sir Charles Wager (1666-1743) served in the West Indies from
1707 to 1709, and gained great wealth from the prizes he took. Under
George I. he was Comptroller of the Navy, and in 1733 he became First
Lord of the Admiralty, a post which he held until 1742.

27 See Letter 7, note 27.

28 See Letter 5, note 13.

29 Isaac Bickerstaff's "valentine" sent him a nightcap, finely wrought
by a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth (Tatler, No. 141). The "nightcap"
was a periwig with a short tie and small round head, and embroidered
nightcaps were worn chiefly by members of the graver professions.

30 Tatler, No. 237.

31 Tatler, No. 230.

32 "Returning home at night, you'll find the sink

Strike your offended sense with double stink."
("Description of a City Shower, 11. 5, 6.)

33 Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

34 See Letter 1, note 3.

35 See Letter 8, note 5.

36 See Letter 6, note 4.

37 See Letter 1, note 11.

38 The bellman's accents. Cf. Pepys' Diary, Jan. 16, 1659-60: "I staid
up till the bellman came by with his bell just under my window as I
was writing of this very line, and cried, 'Past one of the clock, and a
cold, frosty, windy morning.'"

LETTER 9.

1 John Freind, M.D. (1675-1728), was a younger brother o