SWIFT. Born in Dublin of English Parents-Educated at Dublin and Oxford-Enters the service of Sir William Temple-Becomes acquainted with Stella-Is introduced to William III.-Is left Sir William Temple's Literary Executor-His unpromising appearance as a Poet-Dryden's Criticism on his Odes-Publishes The Tale of a Tub '-Sides with the Whigs under Somers and Godolphin-Seeks the patronage of Halifax-Introduced to Harley and St. John-Sides with the Tories-His Political Influence-Is made Dean of St. Patrick's-His Church Prospects ruined by the Death of Queen Anne-His Two Visits to England-Publishes' Gulliver's Travels-Supposed to have been married to Stella-Stella and Vanessa-His Services to Ireland-Disappointments and Idiotcy-Death and Burial in St. Patrick's Cathedral-Works and Character. AN account of Dr. Swift has been already collected, with great diligence and acuteness, by Dr. Hawkesworth, according to a scheme which I laid before him in the intimacy of our friendship. I cannot therefore be expected to say much of a life concerning which I had long since communicated my thoughts to a man capable of dignifying his narrations with so much elegance of language and force of sentiment. Jonathan Swift was, according to an account said to be written by himself,' the son of Jonathan Swift, an attorney, and was born at Dublin on St. Andrew's Day, 1667: according to his own report, as delivered by Pope to Spence,' he was born at Leicester, the son of a clergyman, who was minister of a parish in Herefordshire.' During his life the place of his birth was undetermined. He was contented to be called an Irishman by the Irish; but would occasionally call himself an Englishman. The question may, without much regret, be left in the obscurity in which he delighted to involve it.* 1 This account, the original MS. of which, in his own hand, was presented to the University Library of Dublin by Deane Swift, was first Printed in Deane Swift's Essay, &c., 8vo. 1755. 2 Spence by Singer, p. 161. 3 Goodrich. As to my native country, 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 VOL. II. 16 861 Whatever was his birth, his education was Irish. He was sent at the age of six to the school at Kilkenny, and in his fifteenth year (1682) was admitted into the University of Dublin. In his academical studies he was either not diligent or not happy. It must disappoint every reader's expectation, that when at the usual time he claimed the Bachelorship of Arts, he was found by the examiners too conspicuously deficient for regular admission, and obtained his degree at last by special favour ; a term used in that university to denote want of merit. Of this disgrace it may be easily supposed that he was much ashamed, and shame had its proper effect in producing reformation. He resolved from that time to study eight hours a-day, and continued his industry for seven years, with what improvement is sufficiently known. This part of his story well deserves to be remembered; it may afford useful admonition and powerful encouragement to men whose abilities have been made for a time useless by their passions or pleasures, and who, having lost one part of life in idleness, are tempted to throw away the remainder in despair. In this course of daily application he continued three years longer at Dublin; and in this time, if the observation of an old companion may be trusted, he drew the first sketch of his 'Tale of a Tub.'" When he was about one-and-twenty (1688), being by the death of Godwin Swift, his uncle, who had supported him, left without subsistence, he went to consult his mother, who then lived at Leices I was sent to England; and thus I am a Teague, or an Irishman, or what people please, although the best part of my life was in England.-SWIFT to Mr. Grant, Dublin, March 28, 1733-4 (Scott, xviii 203). I loved my Lord your father better than any other man in the world, although I had no obligation to him on the score of preferment, having been driven to this wretched kingdom, to which I was almost a stranger, by his want of power to keep me in what I ought to call my own country, although I happened to be dropped here, and was a year old before I left it; and to my sorrow did not die before I came back to it again.-SWIFT to Edward Earl of Oxford, June 14, 1787. (Scott, xix. 76.) In An Examination of certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities in the City of Dublin,' written in 1782, Swift observes that he had always been watchful over the interests of the City of Dublin" that renowned city where (absit invidia) I had the honour to draw my first breath." (Swift's Works by Scott, 2nd ed. vii. 337.) His mother was Abigail Erick, of a good family in Leicestershire. She died at Leicester, 24th April, 1710, and is affectionately remembered by Swift. (Scott, xv. 355, 2nd ed.) 5 Speciali gratia is the entry in the Register. • This fact Swift's companion, Mr. Waryng, often mentioned to Mr. Whiteway.-SCOTT. ter, about the future course of his life, and by her direction solicited the advice and patronage of Sir William Temple, who had married one of Mrs. Swift's relations, and whose father, Sir John Temple, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, had lived in great familiarity of friendship with Godwin Swift, by whom Jonathan had been to that time maintained. Temple received with sufficient kindness the nephew of his father's friend, with whom he was, when they conversed together, so much pleased, that he detained him two years in his house. Here' he became known to King William, who sometimes visited Temple when he was disabled by the gout, and, being attended by Swift in the garden, showed him how to cut asparagus in the Dutch way." King William's notions were all military; and he expressed his kindness to Swift by offering to make him a captain of horse." When Temple removed to Moor Park," he took Swift with him ; and when he was consulted by the Earl of Portland about the expedience of complying with a bill then depending for making parliaments triennial, against which King William was strongly prejudiced, after having in vain tried to show the Earl that the proposal involved nothing dangerous to royal power, he sent Swift for the same purpose to the King. Swift, who probably was proud of his employment, and went with all the confidence of a young man, found his arguments, and his art of displaying them, made totally ineffectual by the predetermination of the King; and used to mention this disappointment as his first antidote against vanity. Before he left Ireland he contracted a disorder, as he thought, by eating too much fruit. The original of diseases is commonly obscure. Almost every boy eats as much fruit as he can get, without any great inconvenience. The disease of Swift was giddiness with deafness, which attacked him from time to time, began very 7 At Sheen, near Richmond, in Surrey. In their evening conversations, among other bagatelles, the King, as I have heard from the Doctor's own mouth, offered to make him a captain of horse, and gave him instructions, so great was the freedom of their conversation, how to cut asparagus (a vegetable which his Majesty was extremely fond of) in the Dutch manner.-DEAN SWIFT: Essay, 8vo. 1755, p. 108. • Orrery's' Remarks,' 12mo. 1758, p. 18. 10 Moor Park, near Farnham, in Surrey. |