DR. SWIFT.
409
I, and thousands of others, will soundly feel the smart, and particularly the lower clergy, who I find are out of every body's good graces; but for what reasons I know not. I hear your house is forming a bill against all legacies[1] to the church, or any publick charity, which puts me under a great difficulty; because, by my will, I have bequeathed my whole fortune to build and endow an hospital for lunaticks and idiots[2]. I wish I had any cerainty in that matter. You mistook me in one expression; what I said was, that I wished all who were for lowering the gold, were lowered to the dust; and I might explain it, so that it would bear the sense of causing them to repent in dust and ashes.
I am, sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
- ↑ The bill did not pass.
- ↑ The dean drew up a petition to the house of lords in Ireland, to be excepted in the heads of the bill for a mortmain act, then in agitation; that he might be at liberty to fulfil his benevolent intention: but the bill did not pass. The hospital (endowed by Dr. Swift's legacy of above 10,000 pounds) was incorporated by charter, in August 1746. By a printed state, in 1770, it appears, that, by the addition of other legacies, the trustees were enabled at that time to admit thirty-four patients on the establishment; and had also sixteen boarders under cure, at the rate of thirty guineas a year for each.
TO
