ath; she seemed to be
an excellent good-natured young woman, and I believe the poor lad
is much afflicted; they appeared to live perfectly well together."
Afterwards he helped Parnell by introducing him to Bolingbroke and
Oxford. He found kind words for Mrs. Manley in her illness, and Lady
Ashburnham's death was "extremely moving.... She was my greatest
favourite, and I am in excessive concern for her loss." Lastly, he was
extraordinarily patient towards his servant Patrick, who drank, stopped
out at night, and in many ways tried Swift's temper. There were good
points about Patrick, but no doubt the great consideration which Swift
showed him was due in part to the fact that he was a favourite of the
ladies in Dublin, and had Mrs. Vanhomrigh to intercede for him.

But for the best example of the kindly side of Swift's nature, we
must turn to what he tells us in the Journal about Stella herself. The
"little language" which Swift used when writing to her was the language
he employed when playing with Stella as a little child at Moor Park.
Thackeray, who was not much in sympathy with Swift, said that he knew of
"nothing more manly, more tender, more exquisitely touching, than some
of these notes." Swift says that when he wrote plainly, he felt as if
they were no longer alone, but "a bad scrawl is so snug it looks like
a PMD." In writing his fond and playful prattle, he made up his mouth
"just as if he were speaking it."(14)

Though Mrs. Dingley is constantly associated with Stella in the
affectionate greetings in the Journal, she seems to have been included
merely as a cloak to enable him to express the more freely his
affection for her companion. Such phrases as "saucy girls," "sirrahs,"
"sauceboxes," and the like, are often applied to both; and sometimes
Swift certainly writes as if the one were as dear to him as the other;
thus we find, "Farewell, my dearest lives and delights, I love you
better than ever, if possible, as hope saved, I do, and ever will....
I can count upon nothing, nor will, but upon MD's love and kindness....
And so farewell, dearest MD, Stella, Dingley, Presto, all together,
now and for ever, all together." But as a rule, notwithstanding
Swift's caution, the greetings intended for Stella alone are easily
distinguishable in tone. He often refers to her weak eyes and delicate
health. Thus he writes, "The chocolate is a present, madam, for Stella.
Don't read this, you little rogue, with your little eyes