Swift, Jonathan (1667-1745)

Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships [Gulliver's Travels]

London

Printed for Benj. Motte

1726

"Here I discovered the Roguery and Ignorance of those who pretend to write Anecdotes, or secret History who send so many Kings to their Graves with a Cup of Poison; will repeat the Discourse between a Prince and Chief Minister, where no Witness was by; unlock the Thoughts and Cabinets of Embassadors and Secretaries of State, and have the perpetual Misfortune to be mistaken."

Here I discovered the Roguery and Ignorance of those who pretend to write Anecdotes, or secret History who send so many Kings to their Graves with a Cup of Poison; will repeat the Discourse between a Prince and Chief Minister, where no Witness was by; unlock the Thoughts and Cabinets of Embassadors and Secretaries of State, and have the perpetual Misfortune to be mistaken. Here I discovered the secret Causes of many great Events that have surprized the World, how a Whore can govern the Back-stairs, the Back-stairs a Council, and the Council a Senate. A General confessed in my Presence, that he got a Victory purely by the force of Cowardice and ill Conduct: and an Admiral that for want of proper Intelligence, he beat the Enemy to whom he intended to betray the Fleet. Three Kings protested to me, that in their whole Reigns they did never once prefer any Person of Merit, unless by Mistake or Treachery of some Minister in whom they confided: Neither would they do it if they were to live again; and they shewed with great strength of Reason , that the Royal Throne could not be supported without Corruption, because that possitive, confident restive Temper, which Virtue infused into Man, was a perpetual Clog to publick Business.
(pp. 110-2)

Architecture::Cabinet

Found again searching "thought" and "cabinet" in HDIS (Prose)

47 entries in ESTC (1726, 1727, 1731, 1738, 1742, 1743, 1747, 1748, 1750, 1751, 1752, 1756, 1757, 1758, 1759, 1760, 1764, 1765, 1766, 1770, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1780, 1782, 1787, 1792).

Travels into several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, 2nd ed., 2 vols. (London: Printed for Benj. Motte, 1726). <Link to ECCO>

07/06/2004