and his admiration of Montesquieu was of "a genius not born in every country or every time1." In January, 1743-4, there was published in Dublin a little miscellany called the Meddler2. It was modelled on the form of the Spectator and Tatler. It had but a short existence, from the 5th January to 28th June, 1744. Its weekly issues contained some clever writing, and it is possible that Brennan, who was, as Burke described him, "a man of first rate genius thrown away and lost to the world3," may have edited it; and that some of the group of his Ballitore friends were contributors. The Reformer, which Burke produced in 1747-8, was very similar in form. The Meddler describes himself as "the son of an astute solicitor who married a giddy pated milliner," he informs the public he has the assistance of a club of six gentlemen in bringing out the paper who are determined to be useful and agreeable to the world and eschew all party controversy and political reflection. Madden in his History of Periodical Literature in Ireland* calls attention to two articles of an exceptional ability which appeared as Letters from Aram in Ireland to his friend Helim at Sheraz, and says that the second of these articles might be attributed to Swift. Swift, however, had sunk into imbecility before the Meddler appeared. The first of these Persian letters was published shortly before, and the second shortly after, Burke entered Trinity. Several of Burke's letters resemble the cast of these two articles in the Meddler when stripped of their oriental setting. The first letter begins thus:

Forty-two moons are passed since I saw my Helim, since our souls were blended together in sweet discourse; our dispatches are only mediums by which our thoughts are conveyed to each other. May these emanations of the mind be as sparks to light up the remembrance of thy Aram, and keep alive the flame of Friendship in thy heart. My head is weary with making, and my hand with writing remarks; I hope shortly to be with thee, and present thee with the whole; However I shall now give thee specimens of what thou art to expect hereafter.

The second letter is thus prefaced:

How have I reckoned with tedious impatience the lingering hours, that I have passed in dull and painful absence, since I enjoyed the flowing sweets of my Helim's conversation? O when shall I, with eager and insatiable thirst, once more drink refreshing draughts of Friendship? When 1 Appeal from the New to the Old Whigs.

2 In the National Library, Dublin, No. 8205.

" Letter, Burke to Shackleton, 15th August, 1761 (Fitzwilliam edition, vol. 1, p. 36). 4 Vol. 1, p. 308.

shall our souls with mutual ardour again sparkle in our eyes, at the sight of each other's happiness, in the Union, which Heaven, as it first ordained it, will forever preserve uninterrupted and indissoluble? Such are my daily prayers, my nightly wishes; and I know the recesses of my Helim's heart too well, to think it harbours not the same as mine1.

An idea of the letters to Helim may be gathered from the following passages:

Of all nations in the habitable world, I sincerely believe these people would appear the greatest lovers of truth, and they are also the greatest Hypocrites; Nothing so provoketh them to anger as to tell them they lie; when it chanceth that one upbraideth another in this manner, bloodshed on one side or the other generally ensues. They are so excessively fond of being thought to speak the truth, that they never inform you of the most indifferent subject, never affirm anything however ridiculous, without attesting what they say by the most solemn oaths, or the dreadfullest imprecations. I have often detected them in an untruth, when they had thus violently asserted it, and when they knew what they had sworn to, was not. I have heard my Helim, the venerable Magas the priest, who is a very wise and learned man, say that an oath is certainly a Religious Act; if so, this is the most pious nation on the face of the Earth.

Another thing very remarkable among them is that whereas all other nations have an innate partiality for everything that is the produce of their native country; on the contrary these people think nothing worthy of praise but what comes from abroad; Such is their blindness in this respect that they often prefer things because foreign to what is vastly superior in real worth at home. Everything that comes from a distant clime has many admirers, even before they know its merit; and everything but proposed among themselves is sure to meet with opposition from such persons as are a little acquainted with its use2. This must be a great discouragement to some useful Arts and Sciences; but however it has a good effect in this, that those unnecessary persons, who are lavish of their time in writing for the entertainment of others, and who in other parts of Europe are esteemed at a high rate, are here entirely discountenanced; for they think none of their countrymen capable of being conspicuous anyway, so they give not encouragement to such as would otherwise be willing to attempt the task3.

...I shall tire thee no longer at present, but endeavour to answer the questions my Helim proposed to me in the last dispatch, that brought me that ever welcome name...Thou enquirest how the youth here are educated? At the age of about ten most of them go to a publick school, which seemeth to want proper regulations; for I observe they make no distinction of Genius, but the dull and bright minds both proceed the same road, and are equally punished if not successful. There is for those of riper years 1 Compare with Burke's letters to Shackleton, 14th April, 1744; 5th July, 1744; 24th November, 1744-5; 30th February, 1744-5; 3rd February, 1746. 2 Meddler, 15th March, 1743-4. See Reformer, post p. 307.

3 See post, letter 5th March, 1746–7, p. 126; and to Matthew Smith, p. 220.

a sort of Cloyster1 where they retire to study, at least this seemeth to have been the original design of the structure; what use it is now applied to I cannot positively inform thee.

In the amusing letter to Shackleton dated 24th November, 1744, Burke describes a great flood in the Liffey by which the quays and dwellings contiguous to the river were inundated. Such floods were then of frequent occurrence. The protecting walls were ineffective and the natural river banks, though in some places steep and rocky, presented but a feeble barrier against the mountain-shed torrents of the swollen Liffey.

It is of interest to see how just a year afterwards in January, 1745-6, when another great flood inundated the house on Arran Quay, Burke tells that the effect of the sedentary life he led was to turn his soul in upon herself in the midst of these great, though terrible, scenes of nature's power, to fill his mind with grand ideas, and force on him reflections which perhaps otherwise he would not have entertained2.

E. Burke to R. Shackleton.

Arran Quay, Saturday, Nov. 24th, 1744.

I dispatched the business you were so kind as to favour me with, and shall always think myself obliged by your commands. Kerby has the boots and spurs safely locked up (as I saw), and therefore thought it would be needless to remove 'em; but if you would have 'em sent to Mr Jackson's or my lodgings, they shall, with the greatest pleasure. It has just this moment come into my head that you desired me to go to Grierson's to enquire about the books; but before I seal this, I'll go, and give you an account in the P.S.

My dear friend, when last I had the inestimable satisfaction of his company, was pleased to appoint a subject for our correspondence (you chose, if you remember, astronomy) that might in some measure compensate for this tedious absence we are to endure, and make our converse as well useful as entertaining, though I am sure nothing can come up to the sweet manner of passing the time we proposed: but

...frustra comprensa manus effugit imago,

Par levibus ventis, volucrique simillima somno.

So we have no remedy but patience, and must endeavour to make it up by our correspondence, though I can't think that will answer near so well; for how might we, if we had the happiness of being once more together, mutually reciprocate our thoughts, our difficulties, and our pleasures in what we read, smoothing by that means the rugged path of knowledge, and deluding the tedious way by a friendly talk! For I know by my own experience that nothing gives one greater assistance in their studies than discoursing of them with a friend, who they are sure will rather assist than 1 Trinity College, Dublin. 2 Post p. 83.

deride the weakness of some notions they may have, while employed in the dark and difficult scenes of nature, scanning her ends and designs, and tracing the Almighty Wisdom through his works.

I have not seen such a flood in the Liffey as is now for some years; and our cellars as well as all on the quay, are full of water; and I, like a good child, spent most of the morning sailing on it in a tub; and I believe I should be at it till now, had not the water grown too deep, and an accident befallen me, which was this. After having made two or three pretty successful voyages into the Ocean of our street kitchen, I had a mind to try my fortune in the Back Sea; but to be short, as soon as I entered it, I perceived at a distance two bottles in a terrible condition; who making signals of distress I made what sail I could to their relief. But lo! my ballast leaning starboard sunk me to the bottom, so I was thrown ashore at a great distance from where I foundered, and having changed clothes (my courage, as you may guess, being pretty well cooled) I sat down to write to my dear Dick.

The society, if you remember we had thoughts of erecting goes on slowly; for as Herbert informed me, and I know myself members for our purpose are very scarce; and though we had the number, we shall always think it imperfect while it wants you1.

The subject of the Mod. Hist. begins with present state of Naples; and ends with France 14th.-total; and France 15th.-total.

Burke to Shackleton.

Cock Hill2 Feb. 16th 1744-5. Past four fine evening. Recd yours.

Herbert has been taking physick some time ago for I know not what ailment in his leg. At the time of his confinement, I visited him and he gave me an eloquent account of Mr Booth's lecture course: nature properties gravity etc. of matter, together with very fine observations of his own on all; so that he is not one of those who go to those sort of places only to see and be seen; and I am therefore the more apt to believe the praises he bestows on Mr Booth (as indeed do almost everybody that hears him)3. He informs me that you were to come to town and desired me to make diligent inquiry for an usher, which I have since done, but I cannot find anyone who would engage for the wages the master usually gives; so I have been to wait on Michael Kearney. I gave him your best respects, and told him you were to come soon to town; he answered that he would be very glad to see you, and desired me to return you the same compliments. Come then, my friend, my genius; come along, let us once more see you; dispel our fears. Let us have certainty instead of hope. Come, banish the night and bring on the day! Oh, my friend, then I shall be completely happy. Then (swift glide the hours and bring on the glorious day!) shall we as formerly discuss together the difficulties of our studies; then-but oh! how unable am I to express my sentiments to you on that head, nor if I was, would these babes about me suffer me; let it be sufficient to say See post p. 66.

1 See post pp. 65, 203.

2 See ante p. 26.

that my dear Dick is well acquainted, if possible, with the joy such an event gives me. Let me hear from you on Monday in the meantime. Forgive this rascally letter, for it is not possible for me to write a better.

E. Burke to Shackleton.

Arran-quay, February 23rd, 1744-5, past 4 o'clock.

Not guilty! This is my plea to the indictment which now lies before me, and I hope to have a fair trial before sentence passes on me, to enjoy at least that happy mark of our liberty. I am indicted by the name of Edmund Burke, etc., of feloniously, treacherously, and maliciously, as not having the fear of God before my eyes, carrying with me to a place called Ballitore a book, the property of M. Kearney, and of then and there I, Edmund Burke, like a false traitor, did lend the said book to one of the servants, to the detriment of said M. Kearney, his master's liege subject etc. To all which except the carrying of the book to Ballitore, I answer as above. I am really very much surprised that any of your girls should have the confidence to assert such an abominable falsehood of me. The book if you remember, lay in the room we slept in; and if I don't mistake, you read some part of it, as did your sister. But I never looked into it after I left it with you, much less did I presume to lend it to anyone. Pray tell me which of the girls says I did. I told M. Kearney that evening I brought him the book, to which he answered, "It's very well." However if it be not found, I am willing to pay for it. I sent the belt to Paddy Byrne per Dick.

Herbert informs me that Booth will give another course of lectures before he leaves town; and if the senses conduce to fix anything in our memory, if they strengthen and clear our ideas, if the conversation of our friends can (make) our studies agreeable, I am persuaded you'll receive the greatest benefits imaginable from his lectures. I dare say the last is one of the motives that will bring you to town, not to say the principal, if I may judge your breast by my own. You don't forget the Society we proposed1. I hope to see it once more flourish, heightened and adorned by the presence of my friend2. We have slept too long; come and rouse us. You see how essential you are to our happiness. Be not then cruel; but since you have raised our hopes to such a degree, do not at once depress them! The famous Dr Taylor3 still continues to lecture on the eye, and has a prodigious number of auditors. Last night he endeavoured to explode the opinions of the most famous among the ancients and moderns concerning the seat of vision, and to set up in their stead a new hypothesis of his own; but what it is he has not yet declared.

Herbert is angry you dont answer his letters. I believe I shall subscribe to Booth's next course.

Dear Dick in haste your sincere friend

E. BURKE.

SB

1 The Club.

2 See post p. 203.

3 Taylor was a notorious quack oculist. See post p. 85.