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who was fifteen years older, and whofe whole fortune, though fhe was related to Sir William, was no more than an annuity of 27 1. [D.. S. p. 85. 86. 90.] Whether Swift at this time defired the company of Stella as a wife or a friend, is not certain; but the reafon which she and her companion then gave for their leaving Eng. land, was, that in Ireland the intereft of money was high, and provifions were cheap.. It appears, however, that other reasons were fufpected in the neighbourhood of Moorpark: for Mr Thomas Swift, the rector of Puttenham, in a letter, dated Feb. 5. 1706, inquires "whether Jonathan was married, or whether he had "been able to refift the charms of both thofe gentle"women who marched from Moorpark to Dublin, with "a refolution to engage him?" [D. S. p. 86. 87.] It appears too, that Swift, if he did not addrefs her himfelf, yet contrived to break off a treaty of marriage with another, by perfuading her to infift upon terms. with which the gentleman could not comply t. But what

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The beauty and gracefulness of Mis Johnson's person had been remarked by Swift about two years before Sir William Temple's death, but never, we may be fure, had he made her the leaft advances. I am inclined however to think, that having ob ferved her to be a delightful girl, and of a genius quick and lively, he had given her fome inftructions for the improvement of her mind in thofe happy years of ductility, when the foul is apt to receive all the fineft impreffions; which, like feed thrown upon a rich and fertile foil, might have prejudiced her inclinations to have a tenderness for him. D. S. p. 85. 86.

Dr Swift made no addreffes to this charming fair upon her firft arrival in Ireland, when he was in the prime of her life, and fplendor of her beauty. However, the gracefulness of her perfon, and the politeness of her converfation, were not to be refifted by a gentleman of wit and learning, who was an intimate friend of the Doctor, and with whom he had frequently converfed. This gentleman declared his paffion, and made her propofals of marriage. --Mrs Johnfon difcovered no repugnancy to the match; but still fhe would be advifed by Dr Swift. The Doctor, perhaps loth to be feparated from fo delightful a companion, threw an obstacle in the way that was not to be furmounted. The gentleman had a benefice in the church of a confiderable value about 100 miles from Dublin, which required his attendance. Dr Swift, in order to bring matters to a final iffue, made him an overture, that he fhould fettle upon his wife 100 l. a-year for pin-money. The lover in

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whatever was Swift's attachment to Mrs Johnfon, every poffible precaution was taken to prevent fcandal. They never lived in the fame houfe. When Swift was abfent from Laracor, Mrs Johnson and her friend refided at the parfonage; when he returned, they removed either to the houfe of Dr Raymond, vicar of Trim, a gentleman of great hofpitality, and Swift's intimate friend, or to a lodging provided for them in the neighbourhood: neither were they ever known to meet but in the prefence of a third perfon. [D. S. p. 90.] Swift made frequent excurfions to Dublin, and fome to London : but Mrs Johnson was buried in folitude and obfcurity; fhe was known only to a few of Swift's most intimate acquaintance, and had no female companion except her friend Mrs Dingley, who was by all accounts a very infipid companion

IN 1701, Swift took his Doctor's degree; and in 1702, foon after the death of King William, he went to England, for the first time after his fettlement at Laracor; a journey which he frequently repeated during the reign of Queen Anne. Mrs Johnfon was once alfo in Eng

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deed, though extremely captivated with the charms of his mistress, was by no means delighted with this propofal; he defired, however, that he might have a night's time to confider of it. And the next morning, contrary to expectation, he agreed to the terms. Swift, never at a lofs for fome uncommon flight of imagination, infifted further, that he fhould live in Dublin, and keep a coach for his wife. The gentleman had more honour than to promife what he could not perform; and fo the match was broken off. D. S. p. 87. 89. See Lord Orrery's account of this lady, and of Dr Swift's correfpondence with her, in vol. 4. p. 291. in the notes.

*This courfe of life, fo very fingular in a fine woman, abstracted Mrs Johnfon in a great measure from the converse of her own fex. She lived, I cannot abfolutely fay by her own choice, wholly in the circle of books and men: a life fo unnatural to the sweetnefs and delicacy of a tender female conftitution, that I cannot fuppofe it, with all its glittering advantages in the way of science, to have been near fo eligible to the lovely Mrs Johnfon, as that open free converfe with the world, which is totally unacquainted with every colour and fpecies of involuntary confinement. However, that greatness of mind, which infpires, like the demon of Socrates, courage and refolution into the fouls of the innocent, comforted and fupported the religious and virtuous Mrs Johnson, under all the bitterness and preffures of her restraint. D. S. p. 90.91.

land in 1705; but returned in a few months, and ne ver afterwards croffed the channel. [D. S. p. 90.]

HE foon became eminent as a writer, and in that cha racter at least was known to the great men in both the factions, which were diftinguished by the names of Whig and Tory*. He had been educated among the Whigs; but he at length attached himself to the Tories, becaufe, as he said, the Whigs had renounced their old principles, and received others, which their forefathers held in utter abhorrence †. [O let. 4.] He did not how...

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* Two creatures, fays a modern author, who are born with a fecret antipathy to each other, and engage as naturally when they meet, as the elephant and rhinoceros. In a mixture of these two jarring animals confifted the first ministry of Q. Anne; but the greater fhare of the administration was committed to the Whigs, who, with indefatigable induftry, foon ingroffed the whole; inclofing their fovereign within their own fortifications, and keeping her captive within their own walls. The Queen, whofe heart was naturally inclined towards the Tories, remained an unwilling prifoner feveral years to the Whigs; till Mr Harley, with a Tory army, undermined all the Whiggish fortreffes, levelled their works to the ground, feized the princefs, and, during the remainder of her life, furrounded and defended her with a new fet of troops under the command of the Duke of Ormond.. 0. let. 4.

The effects of power and ambition are extraordinary and boundlefs. They blind our faculties, they ftagger our refolution, and they fubvert our nature. Not all the metamorphofes of Ovid can produce a parallel equal to the change that appears in the fame man, when from a patriot he becomes a courtier. Yet it may be afferted, and will redound to the honour of Dr Swift, that when he rofe into the confidence and esteem of thofe great men who fat at the helm of affairs during the last years of Q. Anne's reign, he fcarce ever loft himself, or grew giddy by the plenitude of power, and the exalted ftation of frequently appearing in the confidence and favour of the reigning minifter. He may have been carried away by inconfiderate paffion, but he was not to be fwayed by deliberate evil. He may have erred in judgment, but he was upright in intention. The welfare and profperity of thefe kingdoms were the constant aim of his politics, and the immediate. fubject of his thoughts and writings. 0. let. 4.

however write any political pamphlet from the year 1701 to the year 1708 †, [D. S. p. 148.]

*

BUT though, by his frequent excurfions to England, and a long absence from his cures, he appears to have delayed

* In 1701 Dr Swift having wrote the piece intitled, A difcourfe of the contefts and diffenfions in Athens and Rome [in vol. 5. p. 8.] returned from England to Ireland; where having met with old Bp Sheridan, at his uncle William Swift's in Dublin, the Bishop, after fome converfation with him about affairs in England, afked him if he had read that pamphlet, and what reputation it carried at London? The Doctor told him modeftly, that he had read it, and that, as far as he had obferved, it was very well liked at London. Very well liked! faid the Bishop, with some emotion; yes, Sir, it is one of the finest tracts that ever was written. Well, furely Bishop Burnet is one of the best writers in the whole world! Bishop Burnet, my Lord! faid the Doctor: Why, my Lord, Bifhop Burnet was not the author of that difcourfe. Not the author of it? faid the Bishop, Why, Sir, there is never a man in England except the Bishop capable of writing it. I can affure your Lordship, replied the Doctor, Bifhop Burnet was not the author of it. Not the author of it? faid the Bishop: Pray, Sir, give me your reafon for thinking fo. Because, my Lord, faid Swift, that difcourfe is not written in the Bishop's ftyle. Not in the Bishop's ftyle? replied old Sheridan, with fome degree of contempt. No, my Lord, the ftyle of that pamphlet is, I think, wholly different from the ftyle of the Bishop. Oh, Mr Swift, replied Sheridan, I have had a long acquaintance with your uncles, and an old friendfhip for all your family, and really I have a great regard for you in particular. But let me advise you, for you are still a very young man; I know you have a good share of abilities, and are a good fcholar; however, let me affure you notwithstanding, that you are ftill a great deal too young to pronounce your judgment on the style of authors. I am greatly obliged to your Lordship, replied Swift, for the good opinion you are pleafed to entertain of me; but ftill I am to affure your Lordship, that Bifhop Burnet was not the author of that difcourfe. Well, Sir, faid the Bishop, let me know who it was that did write it. Why, really, my Lord, replied Swift, I writ it myfelf. And this was the first time that ever he acknowledged himself to be the author of that famous tract. D. S. p. 122, 3.

During this interval, Dr Swift had worked hard within those fubterraneous paffages, where, as has been hinted in a former note, the mine was formed that blew up the Whiggish ramparts, and opened a way for the Tories to the Queen. Swift was to the To ries what Cæfar was to the Romans, at once a leader of their armies, and an hiftoriographer of their triumphs. He refided very much in England: his inclinations were always there, 0. let. 4.

delayed the execution of his purpose to excel as a preacher; yet he used to declare, that he did not renounce it till his acquaintance with Harley; nor did he ever mention his fubfequent attachment to politics, without indubitable figns of penitence and regret. [7. R. p. 43. 42. 266.]

It is probable, that he hoped to exert himfelf more effectually in the church, by acquiring fome other preferment; and that, with this view, he was follicitous to be near the court: for before his acquaintance with Lord Oxford, a bishoprick was intended for him by the Queen. But Abp Sharpe, and a certain great Lady, having mifreprefented his principles and character, her Majesty gave it to another *. Of this injury, however, the Archbishop was afterwards truly fenfible, expreffed great forrow for it, and defired his forgivenefs. [ R. p. 271.]

AFTER this difappointment it was not long before a new scene opened before him; for in 1710, being then in England, he was impowered by his Grace the Lord Primate of Ireland, to folicit the Queen to exonerate the clergy of Ireland from paying the twentieth parts and firft fruits. And upon this occafion his acquaintance with Harley commenced †.

As foon as he had received the Bishop's letter, inftructions, and authority, he refolved to apply to Mr Harley, not only because he was a principal perfon in the Queen's miniftry, but because, by his intereft, the fame favour had been granted to the clergy of England. That he might not wait upon Mr Harley, to whom his name was well known, wholly without recommendation, he got himfelf reprefented as a perfon who had been extremely ill ufed by the last ministry, because he would not go certain lengths which they would have had

Abp Sharpe reprefented him as a perfon who was not a Chriftian, and the great lady fupported the afperfion. Swift kept himfelf indeed within fome tolerable bounds, when he spoke of the Queen but his indignation knew no limits, when he mentioned the Archbishop or the lady. Q. let. 4.

+ See the letters that paffed between Dr Swift and the Irish Bifhops on this occasion, in vol. 4. p. 212.—217.

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