D'English wit, and juftly celebrated alfo

R. JONATHAN SWIFT, an illuftrious

for his political knowledge, was defcended from a very ancient family, and born on the 30th of November 1667. His grandfather, Mr. Thomas Swift, was vicar of Goodrich in Herefordshire, and married Mrs. Elizabeth Dryden, aunt of Dryden the poet; by whom he had fix fons, Godwin, Thomas, Dryden, William, Jonathan, and Adam. Thomas was bred at Oxford, but died young; Godwin was a barrifter of Gray's-Inn; and William, Dryden, Jonathan, and Adam, were attornies. Godwin having married a relation of the old Marchionefs of Ormond, the -old Duke of Ormond made him his attorney

general

general in the palatinate of Tipperary in Ireland. Ireland was at this time almoft without lawyers, the rebellion having converted men of all conditions into foldiers. Godwin therefore determined to attempt the acquifition of a fortune in that kingdom, and the fame motive induced his four brothers to go with him. Jonathan, at the age of about twenty-three, and before he went into Ireland, married Mrs. Abigail Erick, a gentlewoman of Leicesterfhire; and about two years after left her a widow with one child, a daughter, and pregnant with another, having no means of fubfiftence but an annuity of 201. which her husband had purchased for her in England, immediately after his marriage. In this diftrefs fhe was taken into the family of Godwin, her husband's eldest brother; and there, about seven months after his death, delivered of a fon, whom he called Jonathan, in remembrance of his father, and who was afterwards the celebrated Dean of St. Patrick's.

It happened, by whatever accident, that Jonathan was not fuckled by his mother, but by a nurse, who was a native of Whitehaven, and when he was about a year old, her affection for him was become so strong, that finding it neceffary to vifit a fick relation there, the carried him with her, without the knowledge of his mother or uncle. At this place he continued about three years; for, when the matter was discovered, his mother fent

orders not to hazard a second voyage, till he fhould be better able to bear it. Mrs. Swift,

about two years after her husband's death, quitted the family of Mr. Godwin Swift in Ireland, and retired to Leicester, the place of her nativity; but her fon was again carried to Ireland by his nurfe, and replaced under the protection of his uncle Godwin. It has been generally believed, that Swift was born in England; and, when the people of Ireland difpleafed him, he has been heard to fay, "I am not of this vile country, I am an

Englishman:" but this account of his birth is taken from that which he left behind him in his own hand-writing. Some have alfo thought that he was a natural fon of Sir William Temple, because Sir William expreffed a particular regard for him: but that was impoffible; for Sir William was refident abroad in a public character from the year 1665, to 1670; and his mother, who was never out of the British dominions, brought him into the world in 1667.

At about fix years of age he was sent to the fchool of Kilkenny, and having continued there eight years, he was admitted a student of Trinity college in Dublin. Here applying himself to books of hiftory and poetry, to the neglect of academic learning, he was at the end of four years, refufed his degree of bachelor of arts for infufficiency; and was at last admitted fpeciali gratia, which is there confidered as the highest degree of reproach

b

and

and difhonour. Stung with the difgrace, he ftudied eight hours a day, for feven years following, He commenced thefe ftudies at the university of Dublin, where he continued them three years: and, during this time, he drew up the first sketch of his Tale of a Tub; for Waffenden Warren, Efq; a gentleman of fortune near Belfast in Ireland, who was chamberfellow with Swift, declared that he then faw a copy of it in Swift's own hand-writing.

In 1688, his uncle Godwin was feized with a lethargy, and foon deprived both of his fpeech and memory: by which accident Swift being left without fupport, took a journey to Leicester, that he might confult with his mother what courfe of life to purfue. 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 friendfhip 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; fhe therefore advised her fon to communicate his fituation to Sir William, and follicit 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 before the Revolution, in which character he became known to the Prince of Orange, who frequently

frequently vifited 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 Majefty in the walks about the garden, who admitted him to fuch familiarity, that he fhewed him how to cut afparagus after the Dutch manner, and once offered to make him a captain of horse; but Swift had fixed his mind upon an ecclefiaftical life.

About this time a bill was brought into the house for triennial parliaments, to which the King was very averfe, but fent however to confult Sir William Temple, who foon afterwards fent Swift to Kenfington with the whole account in writing, to convince the King how ill he was advised. This was Swift's first embaffy to court, who, though he underftood English hiftory, and the matter in hand. very well, yet did not prevail. Soon after this tranfaction he was feized with the return of a disorder, which he had contracted in Ireland, by eating a great quantity of fruit, and which afterwards gradually increafed, though with irregular intermiflions, 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 admitted ad eundem on the 14th of June 1692, with many civilities. Thefe, fome say, proceeded from a misunderstanding of the words, Speciali gratia, in his teftim nium irom Dublin, 12 2

which