nothing else but a profligate clan of thieves, drunkards, heathens, and whoremongers, fitter to be rooted out of the face of the earth, than suffered to levy a vast annual tax upon the city, which shares too deep in the public miseries, brought on us by the oppressions we lie under from our neighbours, our brethren, our countrymen, our fellow-protestants, and fellow-subjects. Some time ago I was appointed one of a committee to inquire into the state of the workhouse; where we found that a charity was bestowed by a great person for a certain time, which in its consequences operated very much to the detriment of the house; for, when the time was elapsed, all those who were supported by that charity continued on the same foot with the rest of the foundation; and being generally a pack of profligate, vagabond wretches from several parts of the kingdom, corrupted all the rest; so partial, or treacherous, or interested, or ignorant, or mistaken, are generally all recommenders, not only to employments, but even to charity itself. I know it is complained of, that the difficulty of driving foreign beggars out of the city is charged upon the bellowers (as they are called), who find their accounts best in suffering those vagrants to follow their trade through every part of the town. But this abuse might easily be remedied, and very much to the advantage of the whole city, if better salaries were given to those who execute that office in the several parishes, and would make it their interests to clear the town of those caterpillars, rather than hazard the loss of an employment that would give them an honest livelihood. VOL. IX. G livelihood. But, if that should fail, yet a general resolution of never giving charity to a street beggar out of his own parish, or without a visible badge, would infallibly force all vagrants to depart. There is generally a vagabond spirit in beggars, which ought to be discouraged and severely punished. It is owing to the same causes that drove them into poverty; I mean idleness, drunkenness, and rash marriages, without the least prospect of supporting a family by honest endeavours, which never came into their thoughts. It is observed, that hardly one beggar in twenty looks upon himself to be relieved by receiving bread, or other food; and they have in this town been frequently seen to pour out of their pitchers good broth, that has been given them, into the kennel; neither do they much regard clothes, unless to sell them; for their rags are part of their tools with which they work: they want only ale, brandy, and other strong liquors, which cannot be had without money: and money, as they conceive, always abounds in the metropolis. I had some other thoughts to offer upon this subject. But as I am a desponder in my nature, and have tolerably well discovered the disposition of our people, who never will move a step toward easing themselves from any one single grievance ; it will be thought that I have already said too much, and to little or no purpose, which has often been the fate or fortune of the writer. J. SWIFT. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE HONOUR OF THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND. 1738. THIS is to inform the public, that a gentleman of long study, observation, and experience, hath employed himself for several years in making collections of facts, relating to the conduct of divines, physicians, lawyers, soldiers, merchants, traders, and squires, containing an historical account of the most remarkable corruptions, frauds, oppressions, knaveries, and perjuries; wherein the names of the persons concerned shall be inserted at full length, with some account of their families and stations. But whereas the said gentleman cannot complete his history without some assistance from the public, he humbly desires, that all persons, who have any memoirs, or accounts, relating to themselves, their families, their friends, or acquaintance, which are well attested, and fit to enrich the work, will please to send them to the printer of this advertisement: and if any of the said persons, who are disposed to send materials, happen to live in the country, it is desired their letters may be either franked, or the post paid. This collection is to commence with the year 1700, and be continued to the present year 1738. The work is to be entitled, "The Author's Critical History of his own Times." It is intended to be printed by subscription, in a large G 2 a large octavo; each volume to contain five hundred facts, and to be sold for a British crown; the author proposeth that the whole work (which will take in the period of thirty-eight years) shall be contained in eighteen volumes. Whoever shall send the author any accounts of persons, who have performed any acts of justice, charity, public spirit, gratitude, fidelity, or the like, attested by indubitable witnesses within the same period; the said facts shall be printed by way of appendix at the end of each volume, and no addition to the price of the work demanded. But, lest such persons may apprehend that the relating of these facts may be injurious to their reputations, their names shall not be set down without particular direction. N. B. There will be a small number printed on royal paper for the curious, at only two British crowns. There will also be the effigies of the most eminent persons mentioned in this work, prefixed to each volume, curibusly engraved by Mr. Hogarth. Subscriptions are taken in by the printer hereof, and by the booksellers of London and Dublin. CHARACTER CHARACTER OF AN IRISH SQUIRE. EVERY squire, almost to a man, is an oppres sor of the clergy, a racker of his tenants, a jobber of all public works, very proud, and generally illiterate. Two neighbouring squires, although they be intimate friends, relations, or allies, if one of them want two hundred foot of the other's land contiguous to his own, which would make any building square, or his garden uniform (without the least inconveniency to the other), he shall be absolutely refused; or (as the utmost mark of friendship) shall be forced to pay for it twenty times more than the value. This they call paying for your conveniency; which is directly contrary to the very letter of an ancient heathen maxim in morality-That whatever be nefit we can confer upon another, without injuring ourselves, we are bound to do it to a perfect stranger. The esquires take the titles of great men, with as little ceremony as Alexander or Cæsar. For instance, the great Conolly*, the great Wellesley †, the great Damer ‡. A fellow, + Garret Wellesley, esq., who left a very large estate to his first cousin, Richard Colley, esq., upon his taking the name of Wellesley, and bearing his arms. Richard was second chamberlain of the court of exchequer in Ireland, sheriff of Meath in 1734, and representative in parliament for Trim, till created baron Mornington, July 9, 1746. He died in 1758. His son, who was professor of music in Trinity-college, Dublin, was created |