Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 9.djvu/283

Rh though I can very well distinguish between a whig and tory dog, yet I never carried my resentment very far from a party principle, except it were against certain malicious dogs, who most discovered their enmity against us in the worst of times. And I remember too well, that in the wicked ministry of the earl of Oxford, a large mastiff of our party, being unmercifully cossed, ran without thinking between my legs, as I was coming up Fishamble street; and, as I am of low stature, with very short legs, bore me riding backward down the hill for above two hundred yards: and although I made use of his tail for a bridle, holding it fast with both my hands, and clung my legs as close to his sides as I could; yet we both came down together into the middle of the kennel; where after rolling three or four times over each other, I got up with much ado, amid the shouts and huzzas of a thousand malicious jacobites. I cannot indeed but gratefully acknowledge, that for this and many other services and sufferings, I have been since more than over paid.

This adventure may perhaps have put me out of love with the diversion of cossing, which I confess myself an enemy to, unless we could always be sure of distinguishing tory dogs; whereof great numbers have since been so prudent, as entirely to change their principles, and are justly esteemed the best worriers of their former friends.

I am assured, and partly know, that all the chimney sweepers boys, where members of parliament chiefly lodge, are hired by our enemies to skulk in the tops of chimnies, with their heads no higher than will just permit them to look round; and at the usual hours when members are going to the. IX.