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 17O8. During the frost of
January 17O9 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 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.
