Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 12.djvu/88

76 good health: to enjoy but one and a half of these three, is hard. I have heard of Prior's death, and of his epitaph ; and have seen a strange book, writ by a grave and eloquent doctor , about the duke of Buckinghamshire. People, who talk much in that moment, can have, as I believe, but one of these two principles, fear, or vanity. It is therefore much better to hold one's tongue. I am sorry, that the first of these persons, our old acquaintance Matt. lived so poor as you represent him. I thought that a certain lord, whose marriage with a certain heiress was the ultimate end of a certain administration, had put him above want. Prior might justly enough have addressed himself to his young patron, as our friend