18 Atterbury.

19 Evidently a familiar quotation at the time.  Forster reads, incorrectly, “But the more I lite MD.”

20 See Letter 41, note 5.

21 See Letter 12, note 1.

22 In 1681, Elizabeth, only daughter and heiress of John Ayres, of the City of London, then aged about twenty, became the fourth and last wife of Heneage Finch, Earl of Winchelsea, who died in 1689.  She lived until 1745.

23 See Letter 23, note 17.

24 Enoch Sterne (see Letter 4, note 17).

25 Lieut.-Col.  Robert Sterne was in Col.  Frederick Hamilton’s Regiment in 1695.

26 Letter.

27 See Letter 13, note 10.

28 The title was, John Bull in his Senses:  being the Second Part of Law is a Bottomless Pit.

29 See Letter 36, note 6.

30 Cf. note 9 above.  Forster reads “nautyas,” when the words would mean “as naughty as nine,” apparently.

31 See note 19 above.

32 In 1549, James, second Earl of Arran, was made Duke of Chatelherault by Henry ii. of France.  His eldest son died without issue; the second, John, became first Marquis of Hamilton, and was great-grandfather of Lady Anne Hamilton (Duchess of Hamilton), mother of the Duke of Swift’s Journal.  The Earl of Abercorn, on the other hand, was descended from Claud, third son of the Earl of Arran, but in the male line; and his claim was therefore the stronger, according to the French law of inheritance.

33 Madams.

34 This word is doubtful.  Forster reads “cobbled.”

35 A mistake, apparently, for “writing.”  The letter was begun on March 8.

36 Silly jade.

37 O Lord, what a clutter.

38 On the death of Dr. William Graham, Dean of Wells, it was reported that Swift was to be his successor.  Dr. Brailsford, however, received the appointment.

39 Abel Roper (1665-1726), a Tory journalist, published, thrice weekly, the Postboy, to which Swift sometimes sent paragraphs.  Boyer (Political State, 1711, p. 678) said that Roper was only the tool of a party; “there are men of figure and distinction behind the curtain, who furnish him with such scandalous reflections as they think proper to cast upon their antagonists.”

40 Joe Beaumont.

41 Beg your pardon, Madams, I’m glad you like your apron (see Letter 41, note 18).

42 This word was smudged by Swift.

43 I cannot find Somers in contemporary lists of officials.  Cf.  Letter 30, note 16 and Letter 17, note 3.

44 Obliterated and doubtful.

45 Words obliterated and illegible.  Forster reads, conjecturally, “Pray send Pdfr the me account that I may have time to write to Parvisol.”

Letter 44.

1 Addressed to “Mrs. Dingley,” etc.  Endorsed “Apr. 14.”

2 “Is” (Ms.).

3 The words after “yet” are partially obliterated.