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he drew the first sketch of An history of the four last years of 2 Anne. The work would have been published foon after, if his friends in the miniftry had not difagreed about it; and, after the Queen's death, he spent much time in improving and correcting it; but it has not yet appeared. [D. S. p. 340. vol. 4. p. 23.]

DURING all this time, he received no gratuity or reward till the year 1713; and then he accepted the deanof St Patrick's Dublin.

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IT may perhaps be thought ftrange, that his friends did not rather procure him a bishoprick in England, and place him in the house of Lords, where his political eloquence might have been employed with great advantage. But this was not in their power; and they might be willing to fecure to him fuch advantage as they could, knowing

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"look upon them as certainly ruined. Some are of opinion the "whole miniftry will give up their places next week; others ima"gine, when the feffions is over. I do refolve, if they give up, "or are turned out foon, to retire for fome months, and I have pitched upon the place already. I would be out of the way upon the firft of the ferment. For they lay all things on me, " even fome I have never read." [Dec. 15.]--Nevertheless, while things continued in this doubtful fituation, and many of the friends of the miniftry had given all for gone, fuch was the force of reafoning, and fuch were the merits of that pamphlet, The conduct of the allies, "that the Tory Lords and Commons in par "liament argued all from it; and all agreed, that never any thing

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of that kind was of fo great confequence, or made fo many "converts." [Dec. 18.] And at laft, fuch were the effects that it produced almoft univerfally in the minds of men, that "the "houfe of Commons" (faith the Doctor) "have this day made many fevere votes about our being abused by our allies. Thofe who spoke drew all their arguments from my book, and their votes confirm all I writ. The court had a majority of 150. All agree that it was my book that fpirited them to these refolutions." [Feb. 4.] And prefently after he confirms what he had afferted beyond all poffibility of mistake. "The refolutions" (fa.th he)" printed the other day in the votes, are almost quota"tions from it, and would never have paffed, if that book had not been written." [Feb. 8.]--Such were the politics, and fuch was the importance of Dr Swift, in those furious times, D. S. p. 33.---337.

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knowing their own inftability, and foreseeing their fall *. [vol. 4. p. 203.]

BUT, with whatever view, or from whatever caufe, the deanery of St Patrick's was given him, he received it with lefs pleasure than he would have done a fettlement with much less power and profit in England.

He immediately croffed the channel to take poffeffion of his new dignity; but did not stay in Ireland more than a fortnight, being urged by an hundred letters to haften back, and reconcile Lord Oxford and Lord Bolingbroke, the confequences of whofe misunderstanding were justly dreaded by their friends ‡. [vol. 4. p. 201.] WHEN

I am much inclined to believe, that the temper of Swift might occafion his English friends to wish him happily and properly promoted, at a distance. His fpirit, for I would give it the fofteft name, was ever untractable. The motions of his genius were often irregular. He affumed more the air of a patron, than of a friend. He affected rather to dictate than advile. He was elated with the appearance of enjoying ministerial confidence. He enjoyed the shadow: the fubftance was detained from him. He was employed, not trusted; and at the fame time that he imagin ed himself a fubtle diver, who dextronfly fhot down into the profoundeft regions of politics, he was fuffered only to found the fhallows nearest the fhore, and was fcarce admitted to defcend below the froth at the top. Perhaps the deeper bottoms were too muddy for his infpection 0. let. 4.

In the beginning of the year 1714, Swift returned to England. He found his great friends, who fat in the feat of power, much difunited among themselves. He faw the Queen declining in her health, and diftreffed in her fituation; while faction was exerting itself, and gathering new ftrength every day. The part which he had to act upon this occafion, was not fo difficult, as it was difagreeable. He exerted the utmost of his fkill to reunite the minifters, and to cement the apertures of the state. I could defcend into very minute particulars, were I to relate what I have heard him fay upon this occafion. But we are at present too near that era, and have had too many unexpected confequences from it, either to judge impartially, or to write undauntedly, of thofe tempeftuous times. As foon as Swift found his pains fruitless, his arguments unavailing, and his endeavours, like the ftone of Syfiphus, rolling back upon himself, he retired to a friend's house in Berkshire, where he remained till the Queen died. So fatal a catastrophe put a final period to all his views in England, and made him return, as fast as poffible, to his deanery in Ireland, loaded with those agonizing paffions, grief and difcontent. 0. let. 5.

WHEN he returned, he found their quarrels and coldnefs increased; and having predicted their ruin from this very cause, he laboured to bring about a reconciliation, as that upon which the whole interest of their party depended.

WITH this view he contrived to bring them to Lord Mafham's at St James's; and Lord and Lady Masham being acquainted with his purpofe, left him alone with them. He then expoftulated with them both; but to little effect; being able only to engage them to go to Windfor the next day; ftill hoping, that if he could keep them together, they would come to fome agree ment; well knowing, that in abfence the mind perpetually revolves the recent offences of a friend, and heightens them by every poffible aggravation; but that, · when the offended and offender meet, the dying fparks of esteem or kindness often brighten into a flame, the remembrance of past pleasure and confidence returns, and mutually inclines them to fecure, by an accommodation, that which they feel they cannot lose without regret.

SWIFT foon after followed them; but was told by Lord Bolingbroke, that his fcheme had come to nothing; and he had the mortification to obferve, that they grew more cold to each other every day. In the mean time Lord Oxford's credit grew lefs and lefs, and the Queen's health visibly declined.

SWIFT, however, contrived yet once more to meet them at Lord Mafham's, and was again left alone with them. This was the last time they ever met, and he spoke to them both with great freedom; but at length defpairing of his purpofe, he told them he would retire, for that all was gone. Bolingbroke whifpered him that he was right, but Oxford faid all would do well.

SWIFT till adhered to his opinion; and therefore went in a day or two to Oxford by the coach, and thence to the house of a friend in Berkshire, where he continued till the Queen's death, which happened in about ten weeks. [vol. 4. p. 201, 2 ]

WHILE he was at this place, his mind was still bufy for his friends; and he wrote a discourse, called Free thoughts on the prefent ftate of affairs, which he thought

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might be useful at that juncture, and fent it up to London; but, fome difference of opinion happening between him and Lord Bolingbroke concerning it, the publication was delayed till the Queen's death; and then he recalled his copy; which was afterwards depofited with the late Alderman Barber, and having been fince published, will be found in vol. 2. p. 362. [vol. 4. p. 22, 23.1

A few weeks after the death of the Queen, he went back to his ftation in Ireland; all his connections with the court being broken, and all his expectations disappointed.

BUT it would be an injury to Swift not to ftop a momeet here; and, before we defcend with him into the vale of private life, look back, as from an eminence, upon the country we have paffed.

FEW of those who have been permitted to affociate with perfons greatly fuperior in rank and fortune, who have climbed in the retinue of power, and been distinguished by reflected greatnefs, have been able to fuftain the native dignity of their own character, without ftooping as they afcended the hill, or being blinded by the light that made them confpicuous to others.

LET it therefore be recorded to the honour of Dr Swift, and to animate others by his example and reward, that, during his connection with thofe who were in the highest rank, and who in every rank would have been great, he would never fuffer himself to be treated but as an equal; and repulsed every attempt to hold him in dependence, or keep him at a distance, with the ut moft refentment and indignation.

It happened upon fome occafion, that Harley fent him a bank-bill of 50 1. by his private fecretary Mr Lewis ; which Swift inftantly returned, with a letter of expoftulation and complaint. Harley invited him to dine, but he refused. He wrote to Mr Lewis to mediate be tween them, defiring to be reconciled; but Swift fent word, that he expected farther fatisfaction. Harley replied, if he would but come and fee him, he would make him eafy but Swift infifted, that he fhould apologize

logize by meffage; and declared, that, otherwife, be would caft him off *. [D: S. p. 324, 5. let. to S.]

Ir is poffible that this favour might have been rejected, as not worth his acceptance: but it is certain, that, if it had been of greater value, it would not have atoned for any indecorum in the offer, or have induced Swift to fuffer an obligation from those whom he did not esteem; for he refufed the place of hiftoriographer with difdain, because it was in the difpofal of a perfon whom he regarded with difguft and contempt t..

He would not fuffer even negative incivilities from those who, if by their ftation they had not been his superiors, would have been his equals by learning and parts. It happened, that having on a Sunday dined with Mr St John, who was then fecretary of ftate, and remarked that he appeared to be much out of temper; he took the firft opportunity to fee him alone, asked him what

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Swift was a man of fuch exalted fpirit and fire, that if a benefit defigned him were not accompanied with elegance and grace in the manner of propofing it, he would fcorn the intended favour, and refent it as an affront. He quarrelled with his friend Harley on a punctilio of this kind. Mr Harley" (faith Dr Swift) "defired me to dine with him again to-day, but I refused "him; for I fell out with him yesterday, and will not see him again till he makes me amends." [Let. to S. Feb. 6. 1710.] “ I was this morning early" (fays he) "with Mr Lewis of the Secretary's office, and faw a letter Mr Harley had fent him, defir"ing to be reconciled; but I was deaf to all intreaties, and have "defired Lewis to go to him, and let him know I expect further fatisfaction. If we let thefe great ministers pretend too much, "there will be no governing them. He promifes to make me eafy "if I will but come and fee him; but I won't; and he fhall do "it by meffage, or I will caft him off; in that he did something "which he intended for a favour, and I have taken it quite other"wife, difliking both the thing and the manner : and it has heartily vexed me; and all I have faid is truth, tho' it looks "like jeft: and I abfolutely refused to submit to his intended favour, and expect farther fatisfaction." [Feb. 7. 1710.] But in a few days after, he fays, "I have taken Mr Harley into favour again." [Feb. 13.] D. S. p. 323, 4.

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† If Swift refused this place, he could not, as Lord Orrery sappofes, be mistaken in believing it intended for him; and that he did refufe it, we have his own express declaration in his letter to. Pope, dated Jan. 10. 1721. [vol. 4. p. 23.] Hawkef.

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