RIDDLES BY DR. SWIFT AND HIS FRIENDS.
WRITTEN IN OR ABOUT THE YEAR 1724
The following notice is subjoined to some of these riddles, in the Dublin
edition: "About nine or ten years ago, (i.e. about 1724,) some
ingenious gentlemen, friends to the author, used to entertain themselves
with writing riddles, and send them to him and their other acquaintance;
copies of which ran about, and some of them were printed, both here and
in England. The author, at his leisure hours, fell into the same
amusement; although it be said that he thought them of no great merit,
entertainment, or use. However, by the advice of some persons, for whom
the author hath a great esteem, and who were pleased to send us the
copies, we have ventured to print the few following, as we have done two
or three before, and which are allowed to be genuine; because we are
informed that several good judges have a taste for such kind of
compositions."