5 Swift never had the smallpox.

6 See Letter 12, note 22.

7 Heart.

8 The first number of the Spectator appeared on March 1, 1711.

9 In one of his poems Swift speaks of Stella “sossing in an easy-chair.”

10 See Letter 4, note 20.

11 “It is reasonable to suppose that Swift’s acquaintance with Arbuthnot commenced just about this time; for in the original letter Swift misspells his name, and writes it Arthbuthnet, in a clear large hand, that MD might not mistake any of the letters” (Deane Swift).  Dr. John Arbuthnot had been made Physician in Ordinary to the Queen; he was one of Swift’s dearest friends.

12 Clobery Bromley, M.P. for Coventry, son of William Bromley, M.P. (see Letter 10, note 1), died on March 2O, 1711, and Boyer (Political State, i. 255) says that the House, “out of respect to the father, and to give him time, both to perform the funeral rites and to indulge his just affliction,” adjourned until the 26th.

13 See Letter 5, note 4.

14 See Letter 17, note 11.

15 Sir John Perceval, Bart. (died 1748), was created Baron Perceval 1715, Viscount Perceval 1722, and Earl of Egmont 1733, all in the Irish peerage.  He married, in 1710, Catherine, eldest daughter of Sir Philip Parker A’Morley, Bart., of Erwarton, Suffolk; and his son (born Feb. 27, 1710-11) was made Baron Perceval and Holland, in the English peerage, in 1762.

16 This report was false.  The Old Pretender did not marry until 1718, when he was united to the Princess Clementina Maria, daughter of Prince James Sobieski.

Letter 19.

1 John Hartstonge, D.D. (died 1717), was Bishop of Ossory from 1693 to 1714, when he was translated to Derry.

2 See Letter 15, note 16.

3 Thomas Proby was Chirurgeon-General in Ireland from 1699 until his death in 1761.  In his Short Character of Thomas, Earl of Wharton, Swift speaks of him as “a person universally esteemed,” who had been badly treated by Lord Wharton.  In 1724 Proby’s son, a captain in the army, was accused of popery, and Swift wrote to Lord Carteret that the charge was generally believed to be false:  “The father is the most universally beloved of any man I ever knew in his station. . . .  You cannot do any personal thing more acceptable to the people of Ireland than in inclining towards lenity to Mr. Proby and his family.”  Proby was probably a near relative of Sir Thomas Proby, Bart., M.P., of Elton, Hunts, at whose death in 1689 the baronetcy expired.  Mrs. Proby seems to have been a Miss Spencer.

4 Meliora, daughter of Thomas Coningsby, Baron of Clanbrassil and Earl of Coningsby, and wife of Sir Thomas Southwell, afterwards Baron Southwell, one of the Commissioners of Revenue in Ireland, and a member of the Irish Privy Council.  Lady Southwell died in 1736.

5 Lady Betty Rochfort was the daughter of Henry Moore, third Earl of Drogheda.  Her husband, George Rochfort, M.P. for Westmeath, was son of Robert Rochfort, an Irish judge, and brother of Robert Rochford, M.P., to whose wife Swift addressed his Advice to a very Young Lady on her Marriage.  Lady Betty’s son Robert was created Earl of Belvedere in 1757.