ruptions of human-kind, as frequently, the predomi

nance.

He was by nature of a fpirit wonderfully exalted. His pride, if pride it must be called, was of a turn peculiar to himself. His whole deportment was of a piece. He would not have ftooped to converfe with the greatest monarch in Europe, upon any terms lower than equality.

He knew to a point the respect that was due to him; which he took care to exact without any fort of abatements. It will appear from the following inftance, with what quickness he refented any failure in good manners. An English clergyman, appointed a Bishop in Ireland, fent his fervant one morning to the Dean, to beg the favour of him to order. St Patrick's cathedral to be got ready against the next Sunday for his confecration. The Doctor would by no means grant his request; but faid, he would order the church to be in readiness against the Sunday following. When the fervant was gone, the Doctor told a friend, then with him, that he could as well have had the church ready against the next, as against the following Sunday: but, faid he, my reason for refufing to grant that gentleman's requeft was, becaufe he ought to have come himself, and not fent his fervant to me upon fuch a message.

NEITHER Could he endure to be treated with any fort of familiarity, or that any man living (his three or four old acquaintances in England only excepted) fhould rank himself in the number of his friends. A young perfon of quality, upon fome occafion or other, once ventured to address Dr Swift in the style of Dear Swift, and call himself the Doctor's friend. When the Dean opened his letter, which was defigned as a compliment, his indignation took inftant fire. Dear Swift! faid he; what monftrous familiarity is here! But when he found the letter-writer had called himfelf his friend, he was out of all patience. "My friend! my friend!" faid "pifh, pfha; my friend! But-" (faid he, recollecting himself)" he is a Lord, and fo let it pass."

he;

SWIFT's fpirit was formed with a strong reluctance to fubmiffion of any kind; and particularly he paid no regard to the monitions of his friends and phyficians, who

had,

had frequently admonished him of his over-exercise. This was not owing to his being weary of life. It was from an old fettled principle, confirined and rivetted in his mind, when he was in the height of his glory, and the meridian of his life: A principle indeed, which he maintains, or at least endeavours to maintain, with infinite wit and humour, in a letter to Mrs Johnfon, Nov. 3. 1711, who had advised him to take phyfic upon the fall of the leaf. "A fig," (faith he), "Madam, for your " phyfician. If 1 grow worfe, I will; otherwife I will "truft to temperance and exercife. Your fall of a "leaf? What care I when the leaves fall? I am forry "to fee them fall with all my heart; but why should "I take phyfic because leaves fall off from trees? That "wont hinder them from falling. If a man falls off a "horse, must I take phyfic for that? This arguing "makes you mad; but it is true right reafon, not to "be difputed."

He was not only above all tincture of envy in his compofition; but his talents were fo great, that he was totally fuperior to the emulation of all inferior wits. They every one of them bowed down to him as to the vi ceroy of Apollo.

THE dæmon of malice was also a stranger to his heart: and well it might; for if at any time he was attacked with injurious treatment, he never finothered his revenge, like a way-laying coward, until a fafer opportunity; but, like a brave and generous fpirit, knocked down his adversary directly on the spot.

THE Common vices and foibles of human-kind he lafhed with great feverity, in order to restrain their influence, and, if it were poffible, to hinder the contagion from spreading in the community; yet ftill without making examples of particular perfons. But flaves to party, and traitors to the public intereft, he expofed without mercy to the derifion of the world. It may be thought perhaps that private animofity frequently gave an edge to his fatire. I cannot tell but in fome cafes it might. But then it should be confidered, that Dr Swift never looked upon himself in the character of a private perfon. He knew, that a patriot, like an Afiatic prince, muft make himself dreaded. If he be once foiled, his

power is at an end. And without controverfy, dominion, abfolute dominion, he had refolved to poffefs over the minds of men, especially over the minds of his countrymen; and accordingly he did poffefs it.

SWIFT was certainly a man of great ambition, tho' he denies it in his writings. But his ambition, ever directed by the rules of honour, was of a noble, exalted ftrain, worthy to be cherished in the breaft of an angel. [vol. 4. p. 119.]

In his private character he was a man of fine address, and perfectly well bred. He knew to a point all the modes and variations of complaifance and politenefs. And yet his manners were not framed like thofe of any other mortal; but, corrected by general obfervation, and adapted to his own peculiar turn of genius, they fhone forth, always enlivened more or lefs with fome fpirit of dominion, in a blaze of politenefs, fo inimitably and fo determinately his own, that in effect they feemed to be the refult of pure nature, uncopied from any the brightest or the fairest original.

SWIFT talked a great deal in all companies, without ingroffing the converfation to himself, [above, p. lxxxiv.] In the character of a tete à tete companion, he rather excelled himself. Few that are equal to him in that refpect, perhaps none that are his fuperiors, can be found upon earth. He was by no means in the clafs with those who pour down their eloquence like a torrent, driving all before it. Far from any defires of that fort, he equally loved to fpeak, and loved to hearken. Like Falftaff, he not only had wit himself, but frequently was the cause of wit in others. However, that univerfal reverence which was paid to his great abilities, frequently ftruck a damp on the fpirits of those who were not perfectly well acquainted with him: an effect of modesty, which however did not always happen to be conftrued to their advantage, unless in the cafe of very young people. For when fuch perfons were gone, if none but his intimates were prefent, he would exprefs himself with fome degree of emotion, and cry, Such a one, I have heard, is a very great man; or, Such a one, they say, has abundance of learning; or, Such a one, I have been

told,

told, has an excellent understanding; but God deliver me from fuch companions!

IF we confider Swift as a divine and a Chriftian, we shall find him, altho' not fo grave yet at least as perfect, as the most famous of his contemporaries. His firft setting out in the world may be thought fomewhat fingular, in this profane, hypocritical, corrupted age. We are affured from his own accounts, that his ideas of religion were fo extremely delicate, that he could not but entertain fome fcruple, notwithstanding his fortune was very small, of entering into the church merely for fupport; altho it is plain, that he had early feparated himself to the work of the ministry. He was of a genius thoroughly well adapted for the improvement of any congregation whatever, his arguments being always clear, cogent, and fatisfactory. But furely thofe improved, extenfive abilities, which rendered him at once the delight and the admiration of the world, were never defigned by his Creator to be confined within the narrow limits of any parish or diocese.

In his private character as a man of religion, he appears to have been a great and fhining example of Chritian faith and morals. In himfelf, he was chaste, sober, and temperate. I remember he once told me occafionally, that he never had been drunk in his life. In his general behaviour, he was open, free, difengaged, and cheerful. In his dealings with the world, he was honest and fincere. In relieving the poor and the diftreffed, he was liberal to profufion; if denying himself, and throwing upon the waters above a third part of his income, will intitle him to the character of being exceedingly generous. With regard to his faith, he was truly orthodox. Moreover, he was regular, exceedingly regular, in all his duties to God, efpecially in attending the public worship; yet ftill without any parade, or colour of oftentation. But to crown his whole character as a man of religion, and to fhew how much he detefted that fatanical vice of hypocrify, I fhall tranfcribe a paragraph from a fermon of his, not yet published, On the excellency of the Chriflian religion, opposed to Heathen philofophy. "Chriftian wifdom (faith he) is without

66

partiality. It is not calculated for this or that nation

"or people, but the whole race of mankind; not to "the philofophical schemes, which were narrow and "confined, adapted to their peculiar towns, govern

66

ments, or fects; but in every nation, he that feareth "God, and worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with "him. Laftly, It is without hypocrify: it appears to "be what it really is; it is all of a piece. By the doc"trines of the gospel, we are so far from being allowed "to publish to the world thofe virtues we have not, "that we are commanded to hide even from ourselves "those we really have, and not to let our right hand "know what our left hand does; unlike feveral "branches of the Heathen wifdom, which pretended "to teach infenfibility and indifference, magnanimity "and contempt of life, while at the fame time in other parts it belied its own doctrines."

SEVERAL other particulars in Swift's character, and various anecdotes concerning him, will be found in the notes throughout all the eight volumes, particularly in the Criticisms prefixed to vols 1. 6. & 4.

SOME