Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 11.djvu/23

Rh

LONDON, DEC. 16, 1703.

PUT great violence on myself, in abstaining all this while from treating you with politicks. I wish you had been here for ten days, during the highest and warmest reign of party and faction, that I ever knew or read of, upon the bill against occasional conformity, which, two days ago, was, upon the first reading, rejected by the lords. It was so universal, that I observed the dogs in the streets much more contumelious and quarrelsome than usual; and the very night before the bill went up, a committee of whig and tory cats, had a very warm and loud debate, upon the roof of our house. But why should we wonder at that, when the very ladies are split asunder into high church and low, and out of zeal for religion, have hardly time to say their prayers? The masks will have a crown more from any man of the other party, and count it a high point of merit to a member, who will not vote on their side. For the rest, the whole body of the clergy, with a great majority of the house of commons, were violent for this bill. As great a majority of the lords, among whom, all the bishops, but four, were against it: the court and the rabble (as extremes often agree) were trimmers. I would be glad to know men's thoughts of it in Ireland: for myself, I am much at a loss, though I was