lliam King, for many
years his friend. King was a fine patriot and had stood out
strongly against the imposition of Wood's Halfpence. In this
letter, so characteristic of Swift's attitude towards the condition
of Ireland, he aims at a practical and immediate relief. The causes
for this condition discussed so ably by Molesworth, Prior and Dobbs
in their various treatises are too academic for him. His "Proposal
for the Universal Use of Irish Manufacture" well illustrates the
kind of practical reform Swift insisted on. Yet the insistence was
more because of the spirit of independence such a course demanded.
To Swift there was no hope for Ireland without a radical change in
the spirit of its people. The change meant the assertion of
manliness, independence, and strength of character. How to attain
these, and how to make the people aware of their power, were always
Swift's aims. All his tracts are assertions of and dilations on
these themes. If the people were but to insist on wearing their own
manufactures, since they were prohibited from exporting them, they
would keep their money in the kingdom. Likewise, if they were to
deny themselves the indulgence in luxuries, they would not have to
send out their money to the countries from which these luxuries
were obtained. There were methods ready at hand, but the practice
in them would result in the cultivation of that respect for
themselves without which a nation is worse than a pauper and lower
than a slave.

* * * * *

The text of this edition is based on the original manuscript, and
collated with that of Scott's second edition of Swift's collected
works.

[T. S.]

A LETTER TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN, CONCERNING THE WEAVERS.

MY LORD,

The corporation of weavers in the woollen manufacture, who have so often
attended your Grace, and called upon me with their schemes and proposals
were with me on Thursday last, when he who spoke for the rest and in the
name of his absent brethren, said, "It was the opinion of the whole
body, that if somewhat were written at this time by an able hand to
persuade the people of the Kingdom to wear their own woollen
manufactures, it might be of good use to the Nation in general, and
preserve many hundreds of their trade from starving." To which I
answered, "That it was