Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 11.djvu/364

352

LONDON, JULY 6.

f Barber be not a very great blockhead, I shall soon send you a letter in print, in answer to your last: I hope it may be next post, for he had it on Sunday. I took care to blot the ees out of onely and the as out of scheame, which I suppose is the meaning of your question, whether I corrected it? I do not know any other alteration it wanted; and I made none except in one paragraph, that I changed the present to the past tense four times, and I am not sure I did right in it neither. There is so great a tenderness and regard shown all along to the, that I could have wished this expression had been out ["the uncertain timorous nature of the  "]. But there was no striking it out without quite spoiling the beauty of the passage: and as if I had been the author myself, I preferred beauty to discretion. I really think it is at least equal to any thing you have writ ; and I dare say it will do great service as matters stand at present. The

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