THE AUTHOR UPON HIMSELF. 1713. [A few of the first lines are wanting.] By an old * pursued, A crazy prelate, and a royal prude; † Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; He moved and bow'd, and talk'd with too much grace; Nor show'd the parson in his gait or face; * Dr John Sharpe, who, for some unbecoming reflections in his sermons, had been suspended, May 14, 1686, was raised from the deanery of Canterbury, to the archbishopric of York, July 5, 1691; and died Feb. 2, 1712-13. According to Dr Swift's ac count, the archbishop had represented him to the queen as a person that was not a christian; a great lady [the duchess of Somerset] supported the aspersion; and the queen, upon such assurances, had given away a bishopric contrary to her majesty's first intentions [which were in favour of Swift.] ORRERY. † Queen Anne, Frequented lords; saw those that saw the queen; And now, the public interest to support, Now Finch* alarms the lords: he hears for certain This dangerous priest is got behind the curtain. Coffee-houses frequented by the clergy. In the preceding poem, Swift gives the same trait of his own character: A clergyman of special note, For shunning those of his own coat. His feeling towards his order was exactly the reverse of his celebrated misanthropical expression of hating mankind, but loving individuals. On the contrary, he loved the church, but disliked associating with individual clergymen. *Daniel Finch, earl of Nottingham. John Aislaby, then M. P. for Rippon. They both spoke against him in the house of commons. "A certain doctor is observed of late Now angry Somerset her vengeance vows The queen incensed, his services forgot, And in Swift's ear thrusts half his powder'd nose. Tale of a Tub. * He sent a message to ask Swift's pardon. + Insert "murder'd." The duchess's first husband, Thomas Thynne, Esq., was assassinated in Pall Mall by banditti, the emissaries of count Coningsmarc. As the motive of this crime was the count's love to the lady, with whom Thynne had never cohabited, Swift seems to throw upon her the imputation of being privy to the crime. See the Windsor Prophecy. The duke of Argyle. For writing "The Public Spirit of the Whigs." Then lord-treasurer of the household, who cautiously avoided Swift while the proclamation was impending. The Scottish nation, whom he durst offend, THE FAGGOT. WRITTEN WHEN THE MINISTRY WERE AT VARIANCE, 1713. [This fable is one of the vain remonstrances by which Swift strove to close the breach between Oxford and Bolingbroke, in the last period of their administration, which, to use Swift's own words, was "nothing else but a scene of murmuring and discontent, quarrel and misunderstanding, animosity and hatred;" so that these two great men had scarcely a common friend left, except the author himself, who laboured with unavailing zeal to reconcile their dissentions.] OBSERVE the dying father speak, * He was visited by the Scots lords more than ever. In vain; the complicated wands Were much too strong for all their hands. Keep close then, boys, and never quarrel : This tale may be apply'd, in few words, While wise men think they ought to fight Should come and make the clattering cease; The consul's fasces were unbound: Came up, and knock'd the prætor down! And that they may the closer cling, Take your blue ribbon for a string. Come, trimming Harcourt,* bring your mace And squeeze it in, or quit your place: * Lord chancellor. |