GREATER men than Dean Swift may have struction, for wonder and pity, for admiration lived. A more remarkable man never left and scorn, for approval and condemnation, a his impress upon the age immortalized by specimen of humanity at once so illustrious his genius. To say that English history sup- and so small. Before the eyes of his conplies no narrative more singular and original temporaries Swift stood a living enigma. than the career of Jonathan Swift is to assert To posterity he must continue forever a dislittle. We doubt whether the histories of tressing puzzle. One hypothesis-and one the world can furnish, for example and in-alone-gathered from a close and candid VOL. I.-3-M'H. '51-C

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office, vigorously defending the position and privileges of his order, he positively played into the hands of infidelity by the steps he took, both in his conduct and writings, to expose the cant and hypocrisy which he detested as heartily as he admired and prac tised unaffected piety. To say that Swift lacked tenderness would be to forget many passages of his unaccountable history that overflow with tenderness of spirit and mild humanity; but to deny that he exhibited inexcusable brutality where the softness of his nature ought to have been chiefly evokedwhere the want of tenderness, indeed, left him a naked and irreclaimable savage-is equally impossible. If we decline to pursue the contradictory series further, it is in pity to the reader, not for want of materials at command. There is in truth no end to such materials.

perusal of all that has been transmitted to us upon this interesting subject, helps us to account for a whole life of anomaly, but not to clear up the mystery in which it is shrouded. From the beginning to the end of his days Jonathan Swift was more or less MAD. Intellectually and morally, physically and religiously, Dean Swift was a mass of contradictions. His career yields ample materials both for the biographer who would pronounce a panegyric over his tomb, and for the censor whose business it is to improve one generation at the expense of another. Look at Swift, with the light of intelligence shining on his brow, and you note qualities that might become an angel. Survey him under the dark cloud, and every feature is distorted into that of a fiend. If we tell the reader what he was, in the same breath we shall communicate all that he was not. His virtues were exaggerated into vices, and his Swift was born in the year 1667. His vices were not without the savor of virtue. father, who was steward to the society of the The originality of his writings is of a piece King's Inn, Dublin, died before his birth, and with the singularity of his character. He left his widow penniless. The child, named copied no man who preceded him. He has Jonathan, after his father, was brought up on not been successfully imitated by any one charity. The obligation due to an uncle who followed him. The compositions of was one that Swift could never forget, or Swift reveal the brilliancy of sharpened wit, remember without inexcusable indignation. yet it is recorded of the man that he was Because he had not been left to starve by his never known to laugh. His friendships were relatives, or because his uncle would not do strong and his antipathies vehement and un- more than he could, Swift conceived an eterrelenting, yet he illustrated friendship by nal dislike to all who bore his name, and a roundly abusing his familiars and expressed haughty contempt for all who partook of his hatred by bantering his foes. He was eco- nature. He struggled into active life, and nomical and saving to a fault, yet he made presented himself to his fellow men in the sacrifices to the indigent and poor sternly temper of a foe. At the age of fourteen he denied to himself. He could begrudge the was admitted into Trinity College, Dublin, food and wine consumed by a guest, yet and four years afterwards as a special grace throughout his life refuse to derive the small--for his acquisitions apparently failed to est pecuniary advantage from his published earn the distinction-the degree of Bachelor works, and at his death bequeathed the of Arts was conferred upon him. In 1688, whole of his fortune to a charitable institution. From his youth Swift was a sufferer in body, yet his frame was vigorous, capable of great endurance, and maintained its power and vitality from the time of Charles II. until far on in the reign of the second George. No man hated Ireland more than Swift, yet he was Ireland's first and greatest patriot, bravely standing up for the rights of that kingdom when his chivalry might have cost him his head. He was eager for reward, yet he refused payment with disdain. Impatient of advancement, he preferred to the highest honors the state could confer the obscurity and ignominy of the political associates with whom he had affectionately labored until they fell disgraced. None knew better than he the stinging force of a successful lampoon, yet such missiles were hurled by hundreds at his head without in any way disturbing his bodily tranquillity. Sincerely religious, scrupulously attentive to the duties of his holy

the year in which the war broke out in Ireland, Swift, in his twenty-first year, and without a sixpence in his pocket, left college. Fortunately for him, the wife of Sir William Temple was related to his mother, and upon her application to that statesman, the friendless youth was provided with a home. He took up his abode with Sir William in England, and for the space of two years labored hard at his own improvement and the amusement of his patron. How far Swift succeeded in winning the good opinion of Sir William may be learnt from the fact that when King William honored Moor-park with his presence he was permitted to take part in the interviews, and that when Sir William was unable to visit the king, his protégé was commissioned to wait upon his majesty, and to speak on the patron's authority and behalf. The lad's future promised better things than his beginning. He resolved to go into the church, since preferment stared him in the

face. In 1692 he proceeded to Oxford, to the accomplished man to whose intellectwhere he obtained his Master's degree, and ual pleasures he so largely ministered. A in 1694, quarrelling with Sir William Tem- young and lovely girl-half ward, half deple, who coldly offered him a situation worth pendent in the establishment-engaged the 100l. a year, he quitted his patron in disgust, attention and commanded the untiring serand went at once to Ireland to take holy vices of the newly-made minister. Esther orders. He was ordained, and almost imme- Johnson had need of education, and Swift diately afterwards received the living at became her tutor. He entered upon his task Kilroot, in the diocese of Conner, the value with avidity, condescended to the humblest of the living being about equal to that of the instruction, and inspired his pupil with unappointment offered by Sir William Temple. bounded gratitude and regard. Swift was Swift, miserable in his exile, sighed for the not more insensible to the simplicity and advantages he had abandoned. Sir William beauty of the lady than she to the kind ofTemple, lonely without his clever and keen- fices of her master; but Swift would not witted companion, pined for his return. The have been Swift if he, like other men, reprebend of Kilroot was speedily resigned in turned every-day love with ordinary affection. favor of a poor curate for whom Swift had Swift had felt tender impressions in his own taken great pains to procure the presentation; fashion before. Once in Leicestershire he and with 801. in his purse the independent was accused by a friend of having formed an clergyman proceeded once more to Moor- imprudent attachment, on which occasion he park. Sir William welcomed him with open returned for answer, that "his cold temper arms. They resided together until 1699, and unconfined humor" would prevent all when the great statesman died, leaving to serious consequences, even if it were not Swift, in testimony of his regard, the sum of true that the conduct which his friend had 100%. and his literary remains. The remains mistaken for gallantry had been merely the were duly published and humbly dedicated evidence "of an active and restless temper, to the king. They might have been in- incapable of enduring idleness, and catching scribed to his majesty's cook for any advan- at such opportunities of amusement as most tage that accrued to the editor. Swift was readily occurred." Upon another occasion, a whig, but his politics suffered severely by and within four years of the Leicestershire the neglect of his majesty, who derived no pastime, Swift made an absolute offer of his particular advantage from Sir William Tem- hand to one Miss Waryng, vowing in his ple's "remains." declaratory epistle that he would forego every prospect of interest for the sake of his "Varina;" and that "the lady's love was far more fatal than her cruelty." After much and long consideration Varina consented to the suit. That was enough for Swift. He met the capitulation by charging his Varina with want of affection, by stipulating for unheard-of sacrifices, and concluding with an expression of his willingness to wed, "though she had neither fortune nor beauty," provided every article of his letter was ungrudgingly agreed to. We may well tremble for Esther Johnson, with her young heart given in such wild keeping.

Weary with long and vain attendance upon court, Swift finally accepted at the hands of Lord Berkeley, one of the lords justices of Ireland, the rectory of Agher and the vicarages of Laracor and Rathbeggan. In the year 1700 he took possession of the living of Laracor, and his mode of entering upon his duty was thoroughly characteristic of the

man.

He walked down to Laracor, entered the curate's house, and announced himself "as his master." In his usual style he affected brutality, and having sufficiently alarmed his victims, gradually soothed and consoled them by evidences of undoubted friendliness and good will. "This," says Sir Walter Scott, "was the ruling trait of Swift's character to others; his praise assumed the appearance and language of complaint; his benefits were often prefaced by a prologue of a threatening nature." "The ruling trait" of Swift's character was morbid eccentricity. Much less eccentricity has saved many a murderer in our days from the gallows. We approach a period of Swift's history when we must accept this conclusion or revolt from the cold-blooded doings of a

monster.

During Swift's second residence with Sir William Temple he had become acquainted with an inmate of Moor-park very different

As soon as Swift was established at Laracor it was arranged that Esther, who possessed a small property in Ireland, should take up her abode near to her old preceptor. She came, and scandal was silenced by a stipulation insisted upon by Swift, that his lovely charge should have a matron for a constant companion, and never see him except in the presence of a third party. Esther was in her seventeenth year; he was on his road to forty. What wonder that even in Loracor the former should receive an offer of marriage, and that the latter, wayward and inconsistent from first to last, should deny another the happiness he had resolved never to enjoy himself? Esther found a lover

But he claimed much more. His disordered yet exquisite intellect acknowledged no superiority. He asked no thanks for his labor, he disdained pecuniary reward for his The career of Swift from this moment, and matchless and incalculable services-he did so long as the government of Harley lasted, not care for fame, but he imperiously dewas magnificent and mighty. Had he not manded to be treated by the greatest as an been crotchety from his very boyhood, his equal. Mr. Harley offered him money, and head would have been turned now. Swift he quarrelled with the minister for his boldreigned; Swift was the government; Swift ness. "If we let these great ministers," he was queen, lords, and commons. There was said, "pretend too much there will be no tremendous work to do, and Swift did it all. governing them." The same minister de