12 William Congreve’s last play was produced in 1700.  In 1710, when he was forty, he published a collected edition of his works.  Swift and Congreve had been schoolfellows at Kilkenny, and they had both been pupils of St. George Ashe—­afterwards Bishop of Clogher—­at Trinity College, Dublin.  On Congreve’s death, in 1729, Swift wrote, “I loved him from my youth.”

13 See Letter 4, note 11.

14 Dean Sterne.

15 See Letter 6, note 19.

16 When he became Dean he withheld from Swift the living of St. Nicholas Without, promised in gratitude for the aid rendered by Swift in his election.

17 Crowe was a Commissioner for Appeals from the Revenue Commissioners for a short time in 17O6, and was Recorder of Blessington, Co.  Wicklow.  In his Short Character of Thomas, Earl of Wharton, 1710, Swift speaks of Whartons “barbarous injustice to. . . poor Will Crowe.”

18 See Letter 3, note 10.

19 See Letter 3, note 35.

20 See Letter 1, note 15.

21 Richard Tighe, M.P. for Belturbet, was a Whig, much disliked by Swift.  He became a Privy Councillor under George I.

22 Dryden Leach, of the Old Bailey, formerly an actor, was son of Francis Leach.  Swift recommended Harrison to employ Leach in printing the continuation of the Tatler; but Harrison discarded him. (See Journal, Jan. 16, 1710-11, and Timperley’s Literary Anecdotes, 600, 631).

23 The Postman, which appeared three days in the week, written by M. Fonvive, a French Protestant, whom Dunton calls “the glory and mirror of news writers, a very grave, learned, orthodox man.”  Fonvive had a universal system of intelligence, at home and abroad, and “as his news is early and good, so his style is excellent.”

24 Sir William Temple left Esther Johnson the lease of some property in Ireland.

25 See Letter 5, note 23.

26 An out-of-the-way or obscure house.  So Pepys (Diary, Oct. 15, 1661) “To St. Paul’s Churchyard to a blind place where Mr. Goldsborough was to meet me.”

27 Sir Richard Temple, Bart., of Stowe, a Lieutenant-General who saw much service in Flanders, was dismissed in 1713 owing to his Whig views, but on the accession of George I. was raised to the peerage, and was created Viscount Cobham in 1718.  He died in 1749.  Congreve wrote in praise of him, and he was the “brave Cobham” of Pope’s first Moral Essay.

28 Richard Estcourt, the actor, died in August 1712, when his abilities on the stage and as a talker were celebrated by Steele to No. 468 of the Spectator.  See also Tatler, Aug. 6, 17O9, and Spectator, May 5, 1712.  Estcourt was “providore” of the Beef-Steak Club, and a few months before his death opened the Bumper Tavern in James Street, Covent Garden.

29 See Letter 5, note 49.

30 Poor, mean.  Elsewhere Swift speaks of “the corrector of a hedge press in Little Britain,” and “a little hedge vicar.”