Linen Manufactures to our Neighbours round the _Baltick_?
Does she understand what Gain she wou'd make, if the Lands here were
raised by Trade and Manufactures, to a Million more than they now set
for, and how soon this may be done? Is she yet to learn, that by
encouraging the Woollen Business here, in such Articles only, as her
Rivals undersell her in, she wou'd effectually recover them out of
their Hands, by employing the _Irish_, who by paying no Taxes on their
Milk and Potatoes, can undersell the World? Is she Ignorant what she
might make, by compleatly working our Mines, by opening our Trade to
her Plantations effectually, and to Name no more by setting up extended
Fisheries here, (the Gain from which one wou'd be tempted to think, was
hinted by _Christ_'s bidding St. _Peter_, take Money out of the Fishes
Mouth) and thereby besides the Profit of what we vend, breeding
Thousands of Mariners to man her Navy. If these are certain Facts, I
hope you will allow me without Grumbling, to assert two plain Truths;
first that there never was a Nation so Affectionate, so Loyal as
_Ireland_; and secondly, That there never was a rebellious People so
much suspected, so long neglected, and so saintly, so coldly encourag'd
to serve her.

PRIOR. Tho' I cannot agree with you, Mr. _Dean_, in some of these
Particulars, yet I will avoid Wrangling with an old Friend; but I must
say you are too ready to lay blame upon _England_; when our own People
are more to be reproach'd than our Neighbours, who have more Affairs of
their own on their Hands, than they can get well manag'd. If we fairly
weigh Things, we will find our Countrymen faulty in many Regards; and
indeed I have such a Bead-roll of Accusations against them, that I know
not where I had best begin the Attack.

SWIFT. Hold! _Tom_, hold! Dead or Living, I wou'd never allow any Man
to attack _Ireland_, but myself; however when I am out of Breath, you
shall be permitted to assist me now, and then. I must ingeniously own,
I see so many Mistakes in their ways of Thinking and Acting, that the
more I consider them, the more I look on _Ireland_, as in a dangerous
Condition. The first Thing I shall touch at, is that terrible want of
publick Spirit, which we are notoriously defective in; tho' like the
Pulse in the human Body, where it is wanting, Death is nigh! all
Countries are greatly help'd by this noblest Passion of the human Mind:
But this Island must be absolutely lost, without its Ass