faithfully. I am truly sensible of the great obligations I owe him, and of the honour he hath done me, not in the French sense of that word.
I desire my humble service to miss Harrison, and tell Mr. Swift[1] I shall be glad of any opportunity to do him a real service. At the same time I assure you, with the greatest truth, that I am, madam, your most humble and most obedient servant,
FROM LORD CASTLEDURROW[2].
IT is now a month since you favoured me with your letter; I fear the trouble of another from me may persuade you to excuse my acknowledgments of it; but I am too sensible of the honour you do me, to suffer a correspondence to drop, which I know some of the greatest men in this age have gloried in. How then must my heart be elated! The fly on the chariot wheel is too trite a quotation: I shall rather compare myself to a worm enlivened by the sun, and crawling before it. I imagine there is a tinge of vanity in the meanest insect; and who knows but even this reptile may pride itself in its curls and twists before its benefactor? This is more than the greatest philosopher can determine. Guesses are the
- ↑ Mr. Swift was at this time in Ireland, but returned to Oxford the spring following.
- ↑ This was William Flower, lord baron of Castledurrow, whose son Henry was created lord viscount Ashbrook in the year 1751.
