The+Evening+Post,+London+1726

// The Evening Post //, London, 1726, //Gulliver’s Travels// & Jonathan Swift 12 October 1726 Dearest cousin Emily,

Fall in London! What a glorious time. How are you and Aunt Eliza faring up in Newcastle? John and I and little Mary are doing just fine. You will not believe what I read in //The Evening Post// yesterday. The phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis was seen last Saturday right here in London. They say it is visible from Northern parts of Europe in the mornings – but alas I must have been sleeping through the darting lights. Could you see it in Newcastle?

I have also just read in todays issue that the Reverend Mr. Laurence has just published //A New System of Agriculture//. This includes a body of husbandry and gardening in all parts. I am particularly interested in the several improvements of the Fruit Garden, the Kitchen Garden, and the Flower Garden. Laurence has five books on just these subjects! I am going to see if John can pick up this publication for me so I can try some new methods on my gardens at home. I have been looking for new ways to cure some of the diseases my plants are subject to at times. I know this manual may be hard to get since I know it is meant for the men and women who run much bigger farms, however you know me – I can never have enough reading! I have heard rumors that this manual is really going to help us with new methods in agriculture to support England’s rapidly increasing population. It seems as though more and more people keep coming out of the wood-works each day!

Other than that, right now life in London has been just the same. The talk about town is all about how the monarchy is diminishing, as the ministers in government seem to be ascending into government. This does not really surprise me since Walpole has always seemed to have a voice over King George… Alas! I think I can hear Mary causing a fuss in the other room – I’ll be waiting to hear of your well-being.

Your cousin,  Margaret 26 October 1726 Dear Cousin Emily, I am so glad to hear that you and Aunt Eliza are in splendid health. You would not believe what I got up to the other day – that man Jonathan Swift is causing a stir here in London again, so I recently re-read some of his past publications. It seems like only yesterday I was hearing about Swift defending the Whig party, and now he is in full favor of the Tories. Being dismissed by the Queen back in 1714 did not seem to keep him out of English and Irish politics! I have been re-reading some of Drapier’s Letters from 1724 which I dug up from my collection of saved newspapers. Although these were published in Dublin they made their way over to us here in London too. These letters were in response to Wood’s brass half-pence patent. You must remember – it was only about a year ago in September wh en Wood’s patent was cancelled. These letters really did reveal Swift’s true Irish nationalism, as it was he who was quickly discovered as the hero behind the pseudonym. I enclose a few of these old papers over with my letter so you and Aunt Eliza can read them again. I revisited one of the first publications by Swift in March of 1724, //A letter to the shop-keepers, tradesmen, farmers, and common people of Ireland, concerning the brass half-pence coined by Mr. Woods, with a design to have them pass in this kingdom,// and was again struck by the frankness of his writing – but how could I forget! What a stir Swift can stir up when he gets involved in the political agenda, as if there were ever a time he was not. Swift very openly admitted his refusal to use or accept this currency, urging others as well stating, “It is no Treason to Rebel against Mr. Woods, His Majesty in his Patent obliges no body to take these half-pence, our Gracious Prince hath no so ill Advisers about him; or if he had, yet you see the Laws have not left it in the King’s Power to force us to take any Coin but what is Lawful, of right Standard Gold and Silver, therefore you have nothing to fear.” You could say that these words alone prompted the nationwide boycott! And then in August, in //A letter to Mr. Harding, printer in Dublin,// he then stated that “the Kingdom requires a new and fresh warning,” and chooses his words scathingly, exclaiming, “Let Mr. Woods and his crew of founders and tinkers coin on till there is not an old kettle left in the Kingdom, let them coin old leather, tobacco pipe clay or the dirt in the streets, and call their trumpery by what name they please.” These words always did stay with me – coining dirt in the streets! Ha! Oh! And how Carteret offered £300 for Drapier’s identity even though he already knew it was Swift all along with the rest of us! But nothing official was ever revealed, and Swift remained an unscathed “hero” at that. Instead Harding the poor publisher was arrested! I really can never put Swift’s writing down although it does make me a little uneasy at times. And I have heard that he is in the process of publishing something of a much bigger scandal! Well enough of my reminiscing. I must go start supper and I can hear Mary waking from her nap. But I can’t help it – I can feel something stirring in the air. Give Aunt Eliza my love.

Your cousin, Margaret

1 November 1726 Dearest Cousin, I know I am writing y ou so soon again, but it is only because I managed to get my hands on a copy of the new satire that has been recently published on the 28th of October, titled //Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World,// but already everyone is calling it //Gulliver’s Travels. The Evening Post// published this information in the Classified Ads about its release in the issue for that day. Although it is not officially revealed, rumors say that it is another of Swift’s works – and oh cousin! I really have no doubt. You must get a copy. I could not stop reading this. It is a work of imagination that seems like such fun but you will not be fooled, I know you have a sharp wit, and you will soon catch on to the political agenda within the fun stories and adventures of dear Gulliver. I do not doubt that these characters of his reflect persons involved in politics right at this moment! I will not spoil anything, but once you reach the end you will be truly amazed how Swift does mix his comedic talents with fall of Gulliver, the Englishman who seems to turn his back on the whole human race, because it has failed to live up to the ideal of his reasoning.

How strange that I was just re-reading some of Swift’s old controversial publications! And how I do fear for the publisher who produced this work… I must say Swift does shock me, and although I am not exceedingly passionate of his works I could not put //Gulliver’s Travels// down either! Let me kno w what you think of it. Give all of my love to you and the rest of the family.

Your cousin, Margaret

15 November 1726 Cousin Emily,

I knew you would find //Gulliver’s Travels// amusing! Do tell me when you’ve finished – I can imagine you can read it to the children, as I have been reading little excerpts from Gulliver’s adventures to Lilliput to Mary. She finds it quite humorous.

I do find it rather interesting that Swift has always maintained such a prominent voice in politics, especially with his swaying party loyalties. My neighbors and friends could not get their hands on //Gulliver’s Travels// fast enough. Swift has a wonderful way with words – even if you disagree with his political ideologies I think we could agree that he does make it hard to put down! The tension that has been present for the past few years between the Whigs and the Tories must only be fueling the need for a political voice– people are eager to see what is to become of the monarchy and the Church of England. Who knows what will come with the New Year in 1727. I only hope that we can remain in agricultural prosperity to support our population.

That reminds me –John did manage to pick up a copy of //A New System of Agriculture// as I have been flipping through it in my spare time or during the times when I have been going about my daily chores. I am going to be implementing some of the new methods in my little garden to see how it works on my fruits and vegetables. //The Annals of King George// was recently published as well – I read an excerpt about it in //The Evening Post// and I have seen John reading it about the house. He tells me it contains all the affairs of Great Britain as well as a general history of our nation. If I have the time between the caring for the household and Mary maybe I will start reading that next. I will let you know if I discover any new interesting publications in //The Evening Post,// but for now I think //Gulliver’s Travels// and it’s supplementary parts will be the most exciting publications we will be seeing for a long while! John and Mary send their love.

Your cousin, Margaret Works Cited // Evening Post (1709). // 1726: Issues 2682-2720. //17th-18th Century Burney Collection// // Newspapers. // Web. 1 Dec. 2013. Probyn, Clive. “Swift, Jonathan (1667–1745).” Clive Probyn//Oxford Dictionary of// // National Biography //. Online ed. Ed. Lawrence Goldman. Oxford: OUP,. 8 Nov. 2013 .

Swift, Jonathan. __An answer to Mr. Wood's proposal, relating to his copper -- Half –__ __ Pence: in which the pernicious, and ruinous consequence, of their being received, and passing, in this kingdom, is clearly stated. In a letter to Mr. Harding, printer in Dublin, upon occasion of a paragraph, in his news-paper, of Aug. 1. By M.B. Drapier [sic], author of the letter to the shop-keepers, &c. __ Limerick, [1724]. __Eighteenth Century Collections Online__. Gale. University of Maryland College Park. 12 Nov. 2013 .

Swift, Jonathan. __A letter to the shop-keepers, tradesmen, farmers, and common__ __ people of Ireland, concerning the brass half-pence coined by Mr. Woods, with a design to have them pass in this kingdom. By M.B. Drapier. __ [Dublin ], [1724]. __Eighteenth Century Collections Online__. Gale. University of Maryland College Park. 12 Nov. 2013 .