Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 9.djvu/392

382 noble person, then secretary of state, who had been his old friend. The dean then freely confessed himself to be the author of those books called "The Drapier's Letters;" and spoke gently of the proclamation, offering three hundred pounds to discover the writer. He said, "That although a certain person was pleased to mention those books in a slight manner at a publick assembly, yet he (the dean) had learned to believe, that there were ten thousand to one in the kingdom who differed from that person: and the people of England, who had ever heard of the matter, as well as in France, were all of the same opinion." The dean mentioned several other particulars, some of which those from whom I had the account could not recollect, and others, although of great consequence, perhaps his enemies would not allow him. The dean concluded with acknowledging to have expressed his wishes, that an inscription might have been graven on the box, showing some reason why the city thought fit to do him that honour, which was much out of the common forms to a person in a private station; those distinctions being usually made only to chief governors, or persons in very high employments. THE