JOHN, EARL OF MAR.
Macky. He is a very good manager in his
private affairs, which were in disorder when his father
died, and is a stanch countryman, fair complexioned,
low stature, and 30 years old.—Swift.
He is crooked; he seemed to me to be a gentleman of
good sense and good nature,
ANDREW FLETCHER, OF SALTON.
Macky. A gentleman of a fair estate in
Scotland, attended with the improvement of a good
education. ... He hath written some excellent
tracts, but not published in his name; and hath a very
fine genius; is a low, thin man, brown complexion,
full of fire, with a stern, sour look, and 50 years
old.—Swift. A most arrogant,
conceited pedant in politics; cannot endure the least
contradiction in any of his visions or paradoxes.
CHARLES, EARL OF MIDDLETON.
Macky. He is one of the politest gentlemen
in Europe; hath a great deal of wit, mixed with a
sound judgment, and a very clear understanding; of
an easy, indifferent access, but a careless way of
living. ... He is a black man, of a middle stature,
with a sanguine complexion; and one of the pleasantest
companions in the world. Towards 60 years old.—Swift.
Sir William Temple told me, he was a very valuable
man, and a good scholar. I once saw him.
DAVID, EARL OF WEEMS.
Macky. He hath not yet been in the administration;
is a fine personage, and very beautiful; hath good
sense, and is a man of honour. About 30 years
old.—Swift. He was a black man,
and handsome for a Scot.
NOTE.—The characters on the Duke of Shrewsbury,
the Duke of Devonshire, the Earl of Ranelagh, and
Rear-Admiral Byng, have been entirely omitted.
The first is not given by Reed, and includes in Birch
the single word “none”; the second is
not given either by Birch or Reed, but appears only
in “The Crypt”; the third is given only
by Nichols; and the last is not given by Birch or
Reed.
***** ***** *****
***** *****
LORD CLARENDON’S HISTORY OF
OXFORD EDITION, 1707, 3 VOLS.
FROM THE ORIGINAL, IN ST. PATRICK’S LIBRARY.
The text of this edition of Swift’s notes on
Clarendon has been founded on the careful transcript
made by Mr. Percy Fitzgerald. This transcript
is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington.
Mr. Fitzgerald refers to Dr. Rowan’s collation,
but I have been unable to find the original of this.
Rowan’s additions, however, were noted by Mr.
Fitzgerald, and they have been included here.
Mr. Fitzgerald says: “Scott’s notes,
subject to the corrections just given [by himself],
are correct, and would serve as the base of the new
edition. The additions I have given and the few
given by Dr. Rowan (which are given here a little
further on) will have to be inserted in their proper
places and will make the whole complete.”
This has been done, and the present reprint is a very
careful following out of this suggestion.
