The CONTENT S.

A TALE of a TEU.

The author's apology

Treatifes written by the fame author, &c.
The bookfeller's dedication

The bookfeller to the reader

The epiftle dedicatory, to Prince Pofterity.

A difcourfe concerning the mechanical operation of 0-3

the Spirit

An argument againft abolishing Christianity

A project for the advancement of religion

The fentiments of a church of England man with

refpect to religion and government

A propofal to the parliament, for preventing the

growth of Popery

Sermons.

I. On the Trinity

II. On mutual fubjection

159

182

196

218

III. On the teftimony of confcience

IV. On brotherly love

V. The difficulty of knowing one's felf

273

283 291

*

A

A CRITICISM on SWIFT'S PROSE WRI

TINGS.

By the Earl of ORRERY.

F we confider Swift's profe works, we fhall find a cer tain masterly conciseness in their style that hath never been equalled by any other writer. The truth of this asfertion will more evidently appear, by comparing him with fome of the authors of his own time. Of these Dr Tillotfon and Mr Addifon are to be numbered among the most eminent. Addison hath all the powers that can captivate and improve: his diction is eafy, his periods are well turned, his expreffions are flowing, and his humour is delicate. Tillotfon is nervous, grave, majeftic, and perfpicuous. We must join both these characters together to form a true idea of Dr Swift: yet as he outdoes Addifon in humour, he excels Tillotfon in perspicuity. The Archbishop indeed confined himself to fubjects relative to his profeffion: but Addifon and Swift are more diffufive writers. They continually vary in their manner, and treat different topics in a different ftyle. When the writings of Addison terminate in party, he lofes himself extremely, and from a delicate and juft comedian, deviates into one of the lowest kind*. Not fo Dr Swift. He appears like a mafterly gladiator. He wields the fword of party with ease, juftnefs, and dexteri ty and while he entertains the ignorant and the vulgar, he draws an equal attention from the learned and the great. When he is ferious, his gravity becomes him ; when he laughs, his readers muft laugh with him. But what fhall be faid for his love of trifies, and his want of delicacy and decorum? errors that if he did not contract, at least he increased in Ireland. They are without a pa rallel, I hope they will ever remain fo. The first of them arofe merely from his love of flattery, with which he

:

* See the papers called the Freeholder,

was

was daily fed in that kingdom: the fecond proceeded from the mifanthropy of his difpofition, which induced him peevishly to debafe mankind, and even to ridicule human nature itself. Politics were his favourite topic, as they gave him an opportunity of gratifying his ambition, and thirft of power: yet in this road he has feldom continued long in one path. He has written mifcellaneoufly, and has chofen rather to appear a wandering comet, than a fixed ftar. Had he applied the faculties of his mind to one great and useful work, he must have shined more gloriously, and might have enlightened a whole planetary fyftem in the political world.

THERE are fome pieces in his works that I defpife, others that I loath, but many more that delight and improve me. The former are not worthy of notice. They are of no further ufe than to fhew us, in general, the errors of human nature; and to convince us, that nei ther the height of wit nor genius can bring a man to fuch a degree of perfection, as vanity would often prompt him to believe..

IN a difquifition of this fort, I fhall avoid as much as poffible any annotations upon that kind of fatire in which the Dean indulged himself against particular perfons: most of whom it is probable provoked his rage by their own misconduct, and confequently owed to their own rafhnefs the wounds which they received from his pen. But I have no delight in thofe kind of writings, except for the fake of the wit, which, either in general or in particular fatire, is equally to be admired. The edge of wit will always remain keen, and its blade will be bright and fhining, when the ftone upon which it has been whetted, is worn out, or thrown afide and forgotten. Perfonal fatire against evil magiftrates, corrupt minifters, and thofe giants of power, who gorge themselves with the intrails of their country, is different from that perfonal fatire, which too often proceeds merely from felflove, or ill-nature. The one is written in defence of the public, the other in defence of ourselves. The one is armed by the fword of justice, and encouraged not only by the voice of the people, but by the principles of morality;

morality; the other is dictated by paffion, fupported by pride, and applauded by flattery. At the fame time that I fay this, I think every man of wit has a right to laugh at fools, who give offence, or at coxcombs, who are public nufances. Swift indeed has left no weapon of farcafm untried, no branch of fatire uncultivated: but while he has maintained a perpetual war against the mighty men in power, he has remained invulnerable, if not victorious.