y "had
made a pretty good bargain (that is a Smithfield) for a little place in
the Custom House."

27 "There."

LETTER 18.

1 See Swift's paper in the Examiner, No. 32, and Mrs. Manley's pamphlet,
already mentioned.

2 Presumably Mrs. Johnson's palsy-water (see Letter 5, note 17).

3 Thomas Wentworth, Baron Raby (1672-1739), was created Viscount
Wentworth and Earl of Strafford in June 1711. Lord Raby was Envoy and
Ambassador at Berlin for some years, and was appointed Ambassador at
the Hague in March 1711. In November he was nominated as joint
Plenipotentiary with the Bishop of Bristol to negotiate the terms of
peace. He objected to Prior as a colleague; Swift says he was "as
proud as hell." In 1715 it was proposed to impeach Strafford, but the
proceedings were dropped. In his later years he was, according to Lord
Hervey, a loquacious and illiterate, but constant, speaker in the House
of Lords.

4 A beauty, to whom Swift addressed verses in 1708. During the frost of
January 1709 Swift wrote: "Mrs. Floyd looked out with both her eyes, and
we had one day's thaw; but she drew in her head, and it now freezes as
hard as ever." She was a great friend of Lady Betty Germaine's.

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 20, 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, Suf