Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 9.djvu/412

402 the court and country party here (I mean in the house of commons) very seldom agree in any thing but their loyalty to his present majesty, their resolutions to make him and his viceroy easy in the government, to the utmost of their power, under the present condition of the kindgom. But the persons sent from England, who (to a trifle) are possessed of the sole executive power in all its branches, with their few adherents in possession who were born here, and hundreds of expectants, hopers, and promisees, put on quite contrary notions with regard to Ireland. They count upon a universal submission to whatever shall be demanded; wherein they act safely, because none of themselves except the candidates, feel the least of our pressures.

I remember a person of distinction, some days ago affirmed in a good deal of mixed company, and of both parties, That the gentry from England, who now enjoy our highest employments, of all kinds, can never be possibly losers of one farthing by the greatest calamities that can befalbefall [sic] this kingdom, except a plague that would sweep away a million of our hewers of wood, and drawers of water; or an invasion that would fright our grandees out of the kingdom. For this person argued, that while there was a penny left in the treasury, the civil and the military list must be paid; and that the episcopal revenues, which are usually farmed out at six times below the real value, could hardly fail. He insisted farther, that as money diminished, the price of all necessaries for life must of consequence do so too, which would be for the advantage of all persons in employment, as well as of my lords the bishops, and to the ruin of every body else. Among the company