One  of  the  characters  in  the  book  called  Mackifs  Mem-
oirs, to  which  Swift  gives  rare  approval  as  "  for  the  most
Lmd  Peter-  part  true,"  sketches  Peterborough  as  mightily  affecting
popularity,  given  to  preach  in  coffee-houses,  inconstant  and
fiery  of  temper,  giddy  in  running  from  party  to  party  and
from  place  to  place,  with  a  good  estate  and  not  seeming  ex-
pensive, yet  always  in  debt  and  very  poor,  "a  well-shaped,
thin  man,  with  a  very  brisk  look."  All,  doubtless,  extreme-
ly true,  and  such  as  a  drawing  by  Jervas  or  Hudson  might
express.  But  Reynolds  and  Hogarth  have  no  finer  lines,
more  firm  and  more  vigorous,  than  these  that  follow  :


borough.
§  IV.J  BAUCIS  AM)  PHILEMON.  L89


"Mordanto  6lls  the  tramp  of  fame,  170.%.
The  Christian  worlds  his  deeds  proclaim,
And  prints  are  crowded  with  hi>  name.
•■  In  journeys  he  outrides  the  post,
Sirs  up  till  midnight  with  his  host,
Talks  politics,  and  gives  the  t

"  Knows  every  prince  in  Europe's  face,
Flies  like  a  squib  from  place  t"  pi
And  travels  not,  but  runs  a  race

'"  A  messenger  comes  all  a-reek
Mordanto  at  Madrid  to  se<
lie  left  the  town  above  a  week.
••  Next  day  the  post-boy  winds  his  horn,
And  rides  through  Dover  in  the  morn  :
Mordanto's  landed  from  Leghorn

"So  wonderful  his  expedition,
When  you  have  not  the  least  suspicion,
He's  with  you  like  an  apparition.
"A  skeleton  in  outward  figure,
His  meagre  corpse,  though  full  of  vigor,
Would  halt  belaud  him  were  it  bigger."

Swift  was  now  to  l>e  resident  in  Ireland  Longer  than
usual,  and  I  propose  to  give  some  description  of  bis  ways
of  life  in  Dublin  ami  Laracor.
BOOK  FOURTH.
IRELAND    AND    ENGLAND.
17(iii- 17(11).     .1/r.  39  42.
