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is the more striking, as he seems to have lost patience with his friend Oxford, even while he was sensible he laboured all he could to overcome the prejudices against his character in the royal breast. This respectful moderation is a strong contrast to the offence which he afterwards expressed against Queen Caroline for much slighter neglect. But in the former case, Queen Anne's favour for the church, and for the ministers with whom Swift lived in such intimacy, seems to have subdued his resentment for her personal dislike.*

The warrant for the Deanery of St Patrick's was signed 23d February, and Swift set out for Ireland

the reader, as I doubt not it was to Swift, (though no reparation of the injury,) to know that the archbishop lived to repent of this injury done to Swift, expressed great sorrow for it, and desired his forgiveness."-Observations upon Lord Orrery's Remarks, &c. p.

271.

* Bolingbroke always affirmed, that the queen had no unfavourable impression of Swift, and that he had been assured by herself, that neither the Archbishop of York, nor any one else, had prejudiced her against him. He represented the whole as an invention of Lord Oxford, to keep Swift to his deanery in Ireland. Dr King shrewdly observes, "If Lord Bolingbroke had hated the Earl of Oxford less, I should have been readily inclined to believe him."-King's Anecdotes, p. 61. Indeed, no adequate reason can be assigned, why Oxford should have impeded the promotion of his most zealous friend and active partizan. Bolingbroke meant it to be inferred, perhaps, that Swift was likely to take his side and desert Oxford, when they came to an open rupture. But Swift's subsequent behaviour affords no room for such a belief.

early in June, 1713, to take possession of a preferment, which he always professed to consider as at best an honourable exile. It must have been indeed unexpected, that his unexampled court favour should all terminate in his obtaining a deanery in a kingdom remote from those statesmen who equally needed his assistance, and delighted in his society. Nor can we doubt that he was disappointed, as well as surprised, since at one time he held his services too essential to the administration, to allow them even to create him a bishop in Ireland.*

To the very last, he confesses he thought the ministry would not have parted with him, and could only conclude, that they had not the option of making a suitable provision for him in England.†

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Journal, May 29, 1711. "We hear your Bishop Hickman is dead; but nobody here will do anything for me in Ireland, so they may die as fast or slow as they please." Swift's Works, Vol. II. p. 278. Hickman, Bishop of Derry, was succeeded by Dr Hartstonge, translated from the See of Ossory.

† Journal, 18th April, 1713. "Neither can I feel joy at passing my days in Ireland; and I confess I thought the ministry would not let me go; but perhaps they cannot help it." Swift's Works, Vol. III. p. 155.

SECTION IV.

Swift takes possession of his Deanery-Is recalled to England to reconcile Harley and St John-Increases in favour with Oxford-Engages again in Political controversy-Writes the Public Spirit of the Whigs-A reward offered for discovery of the Author-The dissensions of the Ministers increase-Swift retires to the CountryWrites Thoughts on the Present State of Affairs-Writes to Lord Oxford on his being Displaced-And retires to Ireland on the Queen's Death-His reception-His Society-The interest he displayed in the misfortunes of his Friends.

THE biographers of Swift have differed in their account of Swift's reception as Dean of St Patrick's. According to Lord Orrery, it was unfavourable in the extreme. He was shunned by the better class, hissed, hooted, and even pelted by the rabble. This is contradicted by Delany and Sheridan, who argue on the improbability of his experiencing such affronts, when the high-church interest, which he had so ardently

served, was still in its zenith. Indeed, there is no doubt, that Lord Orrery's account is greatly exaggerated, or rather that his lordship has confounded the circumstances which attended Swift's first reception, with those of his final retirement to his deanery after the death of the queen. Yet, even on his first arrival, his reception was far from cordial. Many, even among his own order, beheld with envy the Vicar of Laracor elevated by mere force of talents to a degree of power and consequence seldom attained by the highest dignitaries of the church; and they scarce forgave him for his success, even in the very negotiation of which they reaped the benefit. “I remit them," says Swift, with indignant contempt, " their first fruits of ingratitude, as freely as I got the others remitted to them." He had also more legitimate enemies. The violent Whigs detested him as an apostate from their party; the dissenters regarded his high-church principles with dread and aversion; and both had at that time considerable influence in the city of Dublin.†

• Swift's Works, Vol. II. p. 390.

+ The following copy of verses occur in the Works of Jonathan Smedley, and are said to have been fixed on the door of St Patrick's Cathedral on the day of Swift's instalment :

To-day, this temple gets a Dean,

Of parts and fame uncommon;
Used both to pray, and to profane,

To serve both God and Mammon,

The temper and manners of Swift were ill qualified to allay these prejudices. In assuming his new offices, with perhaps too much an air of authority, he soon provoked opposition from the Archbishop of

When Wharton reign'd, a Whig he was;
When Pembroke, that's dispute, sir;
In Oxford's time, what Oxford pleased,
Non-Con, or Jack, or Neuter.

This place he got by wit and rhyme,
And many ways most odd;
And might a bishop be in time,
Did he believe in God.

For High-Church men and policy

He swears he prays most hearty;

But would pray back again, to be
A Dean of any party.

Four lessons, Dean, all in one day!
Faith! it is hard, that's certain :
"Twere better hear thy own Peter say,
G-d d-n thee, Jack and Martin.

Hard! to be plagued with Bible, still,
And prayer-book before thee;
Hadst thou not wit, to think, at will,
On some diverting story?

Look down, St Patrick, look, we pray,
On thine own church and steeple;
Convert thy Dean on this great day,
Or else, God help the people!

And now, whene'er his Deanship dies,
Upon his tomb be 'graven;

A man of God here buried lies,

Who never thought of Heaven.

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