considered as the highest degree of reproach and dishonour. Stung with the disgrace, he ftudied eight hours a day, for seven years following. He commenced these studies at the university of Dublin, where he continued them three years : and, during this time, he drew up the first fketch of his Tale of a Tub; for Waffenden Warren, Esq; a gentleman of fortune near Belfast in Ireland, who was chamber-feilow with Swift, declared that he then faw a copy of it in Swift's own hand-writing.

In 1688, his uncle Godwin was seized with a lethargy, and foon deprived both of his speech and memory : by which accident Swift being left without support, took a journey co Leicester, that he might eonfult with his mother what course of life to pursue. At this time Sir William Temple was in high reputation, and honoured with the confidence and familiarity of King William. His father, Sir John Temple, had been master of the rolls in Ireland, and contracted an intimate friendship with Godwin Swift, which continued till his death ; and Sir William, who inherited his title and estate, had married a lady to whom Mrs. Swift was related; she therefore advised her son to communicate his fituation to Sir William, and sollicit his direction what to do. Sir William received him with great kindness, and Swift's first visit continued two years. Sir William had been ambassador and mediator of a general peace at Nimeguen be- .

fore the Revolution, in which character he became known to the Prince of Orange, who frequently visited him at Sheen, after his arrival in England, and took his advice in affairs of the utmost importance. Sir William being then lame with the gout, Swift used to attend his Majesty in the walks about the garden, who admitted him to such familiarity, that he shewed him how to cut asparagus after the Dutch manner, and once offered to make him a captain of horse; but Swift had fixed his mind upon an ecclesiastical: life.

About this time a bill was brought into the house for triennial.parliaments, to which the King was very averse, but fent however to consult Sir William Temple, who foon afterwards fent Swift to Kensington with the whole account in writing, to convince the King how. "ill, he was advised. This was Swift's first embassy to court, who, though he underfood English hiftory, and the matter in hand very well, yet. did not prevail. Soon after this transaction he was seized with the return of a disorder, which he had. contracted in Ireland, by eating a great quantity of fruit, and which afterwards gradually increased, though with irregular intermissions, till it terminated in a total debility of body and mind.

About a.year after his return from Ireland, he thought it expedient to take his master of arts degree at Oxford; and accordingly was

b 3

admitted ad eundem'on the 14th of June 1692, with many civilities. These, some say, proceeded from a misunderstanding of the words Speciali gratia, in his teftimonium from Dublin, which 'were there supposed to be a compliment paid to uncommon merit; baciare more probably ascribed by others, to his kñown connection with Sir William Temple. It is eafy 'to"' conceive, however, that Swift, after his reputation was eftablished, might, while he was sporting with this incident in "the gaiery of his heart, pretend a mistake which never happened. From Oxford he Sreturned to Sir William Temple, and affifted him in 'revising his works: He alfo" corretted and improved his own Tale of a Tub, and added the Digressions. From the conversation of Sir William, Swift greatly increaled his political knowledge ; but suspecting Sir William of neglecting to provide for him, merely that he might keep him in his family, he at length resented it so warmly, that, in 1694, a quarrel ensued, and they parted.

"Swift, during his residence with Sir William, had never failed to visit his mother at Leicester once a year, and his manner of travelling was very extraordinary. He always went on foot, except the weather was very bad, and then he would sometimes take thelter in a waggon. He chose to dine at obscure alehouses among pedlars and oftlers, and to lie where he faw written over the door,

Lodgings

>

4

Lodgings for a penny'; but he used to bribe the maid with a tester for a single bed, and clean Theets.

His resolution was how to cake orders : and foon after obtained i a "recommendation to Lord Capel, then lord-deputy of Ireland, " who gave him the prebend of Kitroot, in the

dioce fe of Connor, iworth about too li fer annam. But Sir William, who had been used

to the converfacion of Swift, foon found that: - he could not be content to live without him ; and therefore urged him to refiga his prebend in favour of a friend, promising to ob- tain preferment for him in England, if he would return. Swift - consented, and Sir William was so well pleased with this act of kindness, that, during the remainder of his life, which was about four years, his behaviour was fuch. as produced the utmost harniony-between then, Swift, as a teftimony of his friendship and efteem, wrote the Battle of the Books, of which Sir William is the hero; and Sir William, when he died, left him a pecuniary legacy, and his posthumous works *

Upon the death of Sir William Temple, Swifc'applied by-petition.co King William, for the first vacant prebend of Canterbury or Weftminster, for which the royal promise

* Two volumes of Sir William's Letters, which che dedicated to his Majesty.

had

had been obtained by his late patron, 'whose pofthumous works he dedicated to his Majesty, to facilitate the success of that application. But it does not appear, that, after the death of Sir William, the King took the leaft notice of Swift. After this be accepted an invitation from the Earl of Berkeley, appointed one of the lords justices of Ireland, to attend him as chaplain and private secretary; but he was foon removed from this post, upon a pretence that it was not fit for a clergyman. This disappointment was presently followed by another; for when the deanry of Derry became vacant, and it was the Earl of Berkeley's turn to dispose of it, Swift, instead of receiving it as an atonement for his late usage, was put off. with the livings of Laracor and Rathbegging, in the diocele of Meath, which together did not amount tu. half its value. He went to reside, at Laracor, and performed the duties of a parish priest with the utmost punctuality and devotion.He was indeed always very devout, not only in his public and folemn addresses to God, but in his domestic and private exercises : and yet, with all this piery. in his heart, he could: not forbear indulging the peculiarity of his humour, when an opportunity offered, what. ever might be the impropriety of the time and place. Upon his coming to Laracor, he gave public notice, that he would read prayers on Wednesday and Friday, which had

:

not