EDWARD VERNON, Esq; the brave English Admiral, who, with six Ships only, took the Town, Citadel and Port of Portobello in America, in the Year 1739, from the Spaniards; having the British Fishery much at Heart, in Opposition to the Dutch, wrote a Letter to Dr. SWIFT, D. S. P. D. on that Occasion, to which the following is an Answer.

Dublin, March 23, 1734.

SIR,

I RETURN you may hearty Thanks for your Letter and Discourse upon the Fishery; you discover in both a true Love of your Country, and (except your Civilities to me) a very good Judgment, good Wishes to this ruined Kingdom, and a perfect Knowledge of the Subject you treat: But, as you are more temperate than I, and consequently much wiser (for Corruptions are apt to make me impatient 432 impatient and give Offence, which you prudently avoid) ever since I began to think, I was enraged at the Folly of England, in suffering the Dutch to have almost the whole Advantage of our Fishery just under their Noses. The last Word Wemys told me, he was Governor of a Castle in Scotland, near which the Dutch used to fish: He sent to them in a civil Manner, to desire they would send him some Fish, which they brutishly refused; whereupon he ordered three or four Cannon to be discharged from the Castle, (for their Boats were in reach of the Shot) and immediately they sent him more than he wanted. The Dutch are like a Knot of Sharpers among a Parcel of honest Gentlemen, who think they understand Play, and are bubbled of their Money.

I Love them for the Love they have to their Country; which, however, is no Virtue in them, because it is their private Interest, which is directly contrary to England. In the Queen's Time, I did often press the Lord Treasurer Oxford, and others of the Ministry, upon this very Subject, but the Answer was, We must not offend the Dutch; who were at that very Time oppressing us in all our Steps towards a Peace. I laughed to see the Zeal that Ministry had about the Fishing of New-foundland, (I think) while no Care was taken against the Dutch fishing just at our Doors. As 433 As to my Native Country, (as you call it) I happened indeed by a perfect Accident to be born here, my Mother being left here from returning to her House at Leicester, and I was a Year old before I was sent to England; thus I am a Teague, and an Irishman, or what People please, although the best Part of my Life was in England. What I did for this Country was from perfect Hatred of Tyranny and Oppression, for which I had a Proclamation against me of 300 l. which my old Friend, my Lord Carteret, was forced to consent to, the very first or second Night of his Arrival hither. The Crime was, that of writeing against the Project of one Wood, an Ironmonger, to coin One hundred and eight Thousand Pounds in Halfpence, not worth a sixth Part of the Money; which was laid before the People in so plain a Manner, that they all refused it, and so the Nation was preserved from immediate Ruin. I have done some small Services to this Kingdom, but I can do no more: I have too many Years upon me, and have too much Sickness. I am out of Favour at Court, where I was well received during two Summers six or seven Years ago. The governing People here do not love me; for, as corrupt as England is, it is an Habitation of Saints in Comparison of Ireland. We are all Slaves, and Knaves, and Fools, and all but Bishops and People in Employments, Beggars. The Cash 434 Cash of Ireland does not amount to Two hundred thousand Pounds. The few honest Men amongst us are dead-hearted, poor, and out of Favour and Power. I talked to two or three Gentlemen of this House of Commons now sitting here, mentioned your Scheme, shewed how very advantageous it would be to Ireland; they agreed with me; but said, that if such an Affair were proposed, the Members would all go out, as a Thing they had no Concern in. I believe the People of Lapland, or the Hottentots, are not so miserable a People as we; for Oppression supported by Power will infallibly introduce slavish Principles. I am afraid, that even in England, your Proposal will come to nothing; there is not Virtue enough left among Mankind. If your Scheme should pass into a Law, it will become a Jobb; your sanguine Temper will cool, Rogues will be the Gainers; Party and Faction will intermingle, and defeat the most essential Parts of the whole Design; Standing-Armies in Time of Peace, Projects of Excise, and Bribing-Elections, are all you are like to be employed in; not forgetting Septennial Parliaments, directly against the old Whig-Principles, which always have been mine.

A Gentleman of this Kingdom, about three Years ago, joined with some others in a Fishery here in the Northern Parts; they advanced only Two hundred Pounds by Way of Tryal; 435 Tryal; they got Men from Orkney to cure the Fish, who understood it well; but, the vulgar Folks of Ireland are so lazy and so knavish, that it turned to no Account, nor would any Body join with them, and so the Matter fell, and they lost two Thirds of their Money. Oppressed Beggars are always Knaves, and, I believe, there are hardly any other among us; they had rather gain a Shilling by Knavery, than five Pounds by honest Dealing. They lost 30,000 l. a Year for ever, in the Time of the Plague **In the Year 1720. See Letters, &c. Vol. VII., at Marseilles, when the Spaniards would have bought all their Linen ‡ ‡Since the writing of this Letter, the IRISH Linen Manufacture is more improved than any other in Europe, and less Complaints of it from Abroad, or at Home, than of any other Branch of Trade in the World. from Ireland; but, the Merchants and the Weavers sent over such abominable Linen, that it was all returned back, and sold for a fourth Part Value. This is our Condition, which you may please to pity, but never can mend. I wish you good Success with all my Heart. I have always loved good Projects, but have always found them to miscarry. I am, Sir, with true Esteem for your good Intentions, your most obedient humble Servant. P. S. Ff 436

P.S. I would subscribe my Name, if I had not a very bad one, so I leave you to guess it. If I can be of any Service to you in this Kingdom, I shall be glad you will employ me.

End of the Tenth Volume.