Rameses dria in the year 334; and that prince dying, his son Constantius had the obelisk transported from AlexanRamillies. dria to Rome in 352, where it was erected in the grand Circus. Its height was 132 feet. When the Goths sacked the city of Rome in 409, they overthrew this obelisk, which continued buried in the sand till the time of Sixtus V. in 1587, when it was found broken in three pieces; which being joined together, it was set up in the square of St John de Lateran. On the four sides of This wonderful obelisk are a number of figures and hieroglyphical characters, which, according to the explication of Ammianus Marcellinus, contain the praises of Rameses.

RAMIFICATION, the production of boughs or branches, or of figures resembling branches.

RAMILLIES, a small village of Brabant, in the Netherlands, 12 miles north of Namur, and 22 south-east of Brussels. Lat. 50. 51. Long. 4. 48. Famous for the battle fought by the allies commanded by the duke of Marlborough and M. d'Auverquirque, against that of the two crowns, commanded by the duke of Bavaria and Marshal Villeroy, the 22d of May 1706. See BRITAIN, No 357.

The troops destined to compose the army of the allies being joined at the camp of Borchloon the 20th of May, halted the 21st. On the 22d the army marched from Borchloon in four columns, and posted itself the same day, with the right towards the mill of Quorem, extending with the left towards Blehen: from this camp was discovered the army of the two crowns, which was encamped with the left at Over-Espen, and the right towards the wood of Chapiaraux, Heylissem in their front, and Tirlemont in the rear. It was resolved the same day to march the next morning towards the plain of Meerdorp or Mierdau, to view the posture of the enemies, and determine what would be the most proper means of attacking them according to the movement they should make. To this end, an advanced guard of 600 horse and all the quarter-masters of the army were sent forward on the 23d at break of day.

The same morning about four, the army marched in eight columns toward the aforesaid plain. The advanced guard and the quarter masters arrived about eight at the height of Meerdorp or Mierdau; from whence the army of the cnemy was seen in motion: a little after it was perceived that the enemy was marching through the plain of Mount St Andrew in four columns, of which information was given to the duke of Malborough and M. d'Auverquirque, who immediately repaired to the said height; and by the time these generals were arrived there, the head of the enemy's army already appeared at the tomb of Ottomont upon the causeway, near the Mehaigne; whereupon the duke of Marlborough and M. d'Auverquirque made the army advance with all expedition.

The enemy, as fast as they advanced, ranged in order of battle, with their right towards the tomb of Ottomont upon the Mehaigne, extending with their left to Autr'Eglise having Tranquiers in front of the right, into which they had thrown several battalions of infantry and 14 squadrons of dragoons, who had dismounted their horses to support them. They had placed many of their infantry and a considerable part of their artillery in the village of Ramillies, which fronted the right of their main body, as well as into the village of Offuz,

5

ram.

which fronted the left of their infantry, and into the Hamillies village of Autr'Eglise, quite on their left. The front Ramisse. between the village of Ramillies and Autr'Eglise was covered by a small stream of water, which rendered the meadows in some places marshes, and also by several roads covered with hedges; which difficulties prevented our cavalry of the right wing from coming to action. As fast as the army of the allics arrived it was ranged in order of battle; with the left towards Bonnef, and the right towards Folz, and every thing was disposed in order to attack. To this end, four battalions were detached to attack the village of Franquenies, and 12 battalions to attack the village of Ramillies, which were to be supported by the whole infantry.

Our artillery began to cannonade the enemy at one; at about two, the attack began with the post of Franquenies, where our infantry had the good fortune to drive the enemy from the hedges, where they were advantageously posted, and at the same time all the cavalry of our left wing advanced to attack that of our enemy's right; soon after all was in action. Whilst the cavalry were engaged, the village of Ramillies was likewise attacked, and forced after a vigorous resistance.

The battle lasted about two hours, and was pretty obstinate; but so soon as our cavalry had gained ground enough to attack the enemy in flank, they began to give way; at the same time all their infantry were put in disorder, so that the whole retreated, in great confusion. The cavalry of their left wing formed a little upon the high ground, between Offuz and Mount St Andrew, to favour their retreat; but after the infantry and cavalry of our right wing had filed off between the bottom of the village of Ramillies and Offuz, the whole army marched in several columns to attack the enemy anew; but they gave way before we could come up with them, and retired in great confusion, some towards the defile of the abbey De la Ramée and towards Dongelberge, others towards Judogne, and others again towards Hougarde. They were pursued all night so closely that they were obliged to abandon all their artillery and baggage, part of which was found at Judogne and at Hougarde, with their chests of ammunition.

The enemy lost above 30,000 men, 60 cannon, eight mortars, standards, colours, baggage, &c.; we about 3000. The rest of the campaign was spent in the sieges of Ostend, Menin, and Aeth. In fourteen days the duke defeated and dispersed the best appointed army the French ever had, and recovered all Spanish Brabant, the marquisite of the holy Roman empire. The army of the enemy consisted of 76 battalions and 142 squadrons, including the king's houshold troops (La Maison du Roi); and the army of the allies was 74 battalions and 123 squadrons. Considering the importance of the victory, the loss of the allies was very small, not above 1100 being killed, and 2600 wounded.

RAMISSERAM, a small island about 20 miles from that of Manaar, and the nearest channel of communication between Ceylon and the continent of India. When Mr Cordiner and his companions landed here in 1804, they entered the nearest choultry, or place erected for the accommodation of strangers, half a mile beyond which is the grand pagoda, or temple of Shivven, having nothing remarkable in its external appearance, when scen from a distance; but on a nearer inspection it is almost impossible to describe the ornaments and laboured workmanship

After dinner a number of brahmins with five well dressed dancing girls waited upon Mr Cordiner and his companions at the choultry, who very agreeably amused and entertained them for upwards of an hour, and would have continued much longer, had they not been informed that they were at liberty to depart.

The men of this island are stout, and the females have something in their appearance very engaging; they are remarkably clean, and dress with great neatness. They are seen only by accident, for they keep out of the way of travellers with as much caution as possible. The ordinary dress of the brahmins consists only of a piece of muslin folded about the middle, and a string composed of nine threads is used as an ornament for the neck. They shave their heads quite bare, and in general wear them uncovered; but turbans and jackets are occasionally worn by some of them.

So abundant are black cattle on this small island, that it is no uncommon thing to see numbers of them lying in the streets, none of which are ever killed, the food of the inhabitants being entirely composed of milk and vegetable productions. The island being almost wholly covered with shrubs, is verdant and beautiful, yet no vestige of a corn field is to be met with, nor any other appearance of cultivation, if we except the large trees by which the roads are shaded, and a few groves of cocoa-nut trees. The nature of the soil in general is sandy, like that of Manaar, and the circumference of the whole island does not appear to exceed 20 miles. The houses on it are far superior to the ordinary dwellings of India; but the buildings sacred to divine worship, and the choultries for the accommodation of strangers, are truly magnificent, and must have been very expensive.

In a word, when Ramisseram is contrasted with the indigent and barren island of Manaar, only 20 miles distant, it must be pronounced rich, fruitful, and luxuriant, exhibiting so much liberty and plenty as warm the heart and kindle in the bosom of every beholder a lively flame of pleasure.

RAMLA, the modern name of Arimathea. See ARIMATHEA.

RAMMER, an instrument used for driving down stones or piles into the ground; or for beating the earth, in order to render it more solid for a foundation.

RAMMER of a Gun, the Gun-stick; a rod used in charging of a gun, to drive home the powder, as also the shot, and the wad which keeps the shot from falling

out.

RAMPANT, in Heraldry, a term applied to a lion, leopard, or other beast that stands on its hind legs, and rears up his fore-feet in the posture of climbing, showing only half his face, as one eye, &c. It is different from saliant, in which the beast seems springing forward as if making a sally.

RAMPART, in Fortification, is an elevation of the earth round a place capable of resisting the cannon of an enemy; and formed into bastions, curtains, &c.

RAMPHASTOS, the TOUCAN. See RHAMPHASTOS, ORNITHOLOGY Index.

RAMSAY, ALLAN, a Scottish poet, was born at Ramsay. Leadhills in Lanarkshire, in October 1686. His father was employed in the management of Lord Hopeton's mines at that place; but died while the poet was yet in his infancy, in consequence of which and the marriage of his mother soon after his father's death, it seems probable that during the earlier part of his life he continued in rather a destitute situation. He remained at Leadhills till he reached his fifteenth year, and as we have been assured by the relations of some very old persons who were the contemporaries of Ramsay, and who died not many years ago, he was employed in washing, preparing the lead ore for smelting, and other operations about the works in which the children of miners and young persons are usually occupied. The period of his residence on his native spot is fixed by himself in the following descriptive verses, which are part of a petition addressed to a Club in Edinburgh to be admitted a member.

Of Crawford Moor, born in Leadhill, Where mineral springs Glengoner fill, Which joins sweet-flowing Clyde. Native of Clydesdale's upper ward,

Bred fifteen summers there.

The extent of Ramsay's education, it may well be presumed, did not exceed what he could derive from the parish schoolmaster; and even the acquisition of what little could thus be obtained, from the circumstances that attended his early life, must have been often and greatly interrupted.

In 1701, when he was in his 15th year he was bound apprentice to a wigmaker in Edinburgh, and it appears. from the record of his children's birth in the parish register that he continued in the same humble profession till the year 1716 for in that register his designation is wigmaker. One of the earliest of Ramsay's productions now known, an address to the most happy members of the Easy Club, appeared in 1712, when he was 26 years of age, and three years after he was humorously appointed their poet laureat. Many of his poems about this time were published in the form of separate pamphlets. When he had followed the occupation of a wigmaker for a considerable time, he at last abandoned it for that of a bookseller, as being more congenial to the literary turn of his mind. His detached pamphlets were afterwards published by him in the year 1721, in one volume 4to, which was encouraged by a very liberal subscription. It was advertised as follows in the Edinburgh Evening Courant."The Poems of Allan Ramsay, in a large quarto volume; fairly printed, with notes, and a complete glossary (as promised to the subscribers), being now finished; all who have generously contributed to carrying on of the design, may call for their copies as soon as they please, from the author, at the Mercury, opposite to Niddry's wynd, Edinburgh.' The first volume of his well known collection, "The Tea-table Miscellany," was published in 1724, after which a second volume soon made its appearance; a third in 1727, and a fourth after another interval of time. He soon after published what is called the Evergreen, being a collection of Scots poems written by the ingenious prior to the year 1600. In 1725 appeared his Gentle Shepherd, part of which, called Patie and Roger, was printed in: 1721, and Jenny and Meggy in 1723, the great success

of.

Ramsay, of which induced him to form them afterwards into a regular drama.

In the year 1728, he published a second volume of his poems, which was afterwards reprinted in 8vo. These performances so rapidly enlarged the circle of his fame and reputation, that in 1731, an edition of his poetical works was published by the booksellers of London, and two years after they appeared at Dublin. He held an exten-ive correspondence with cotemporary poets, among whom we find the facetious Hamilton of Gilbertfield, and the celebrated author of the Chace sent him two epistles. From his shop opposite to Niddry street, he removed to one at the east end of the Luckenbooths. In this shop he continued to sell and lend out books till he was far advanced in years; and we are informed that be was the first person who established a circulating library in Scotland. His collection of Fables appeared in 1730, after which period he may be said to have almost discontinued the occupation of an author.

Such, however, was his enterprising spirit, that he built, at his own expence, the first theatre for dramatical performances ever known in Edinburgh, which took place in what is called Carubher's close, in the year 1736; but he did not long enjoy his character of manager, for the magistrates of Edinburgh required him to shut it up, as an act of parliament prohibited all such amusements without a special licence and his majesty's letters patent. It is generally understood that he relinquished the trade of a bookseller about the year 1755, being then 69 years of age, and lived the remainder of his days in a small house erected by himself on the north side of the Castle-hill. A scorbutic complaint, attended with excruciating pain, deprived him of his teeth, and after corroding one of his jaw bones, put a period to his existence on the 7th of June 1758, in the 71st year of his age.

Ramsay possessed a considerable share of poetical genius: Of this his Gentle Shepherd, which will continue to be admired as long as the language in which it is written shall be understood, and especially by the natives of North Britain, to whom only the peculiarities of dialect by which it is distinguished can be familiar, affords the best proof. Some of his songs may contain farfetched allusions and childish conceits; but many of them are equal, if not superior for their pastoral simplicity, to productions of a similar nature in any other language. Some of the imitations of the ancients by this poet are extremely happy, in particular Horace's Ode, Vides ut alta stet nive, &c.; and some of his tales have all the excellencies of that species of composition. But of a great proportion of his other productions, it may be pronounced with truth that they are mere prosaic compositions, filled with the most common-place observations, and destitute even of the ornament of smooth versification and correct rhymes.

RAMSAY, Andrew Michael, generally known by the name of the Chevalier Ramsay, was a polite Scots writer, born of a good family at Ayr in 1686. His good parts and learning recommended him to be, tutor

to the son of the earl of Wemyss; after which, concei- Ramsay. ving a disgust at the religion in which he had been educated, he in the same ill humour reviewed other Christian churches; and, finding none to his liking, rested for a while in Deisnt. While he was in this uncertain state of mind, he went to Leyden; where, falling into the company of one Poiret a mystic divine, he received the infection of mysticism: which prompted him to consult M. Fenelon, the celebrated archbishop of Cambray, who had imbibed principles of the same nature; and who gained him over to the Catholic religion in 1709. The subsequent course of his life received its direction from his friendship and connections with this prelate; and being appointed governor to the duke de Chateau Thierry, and the prince de Turenne, he was made a knight of the order of St Lazarus. He was sent for to Rome by the chevalier de St George, to undertake the education of his children; but he found so many intrigues and dissensions on his arrival there in 1724, that he obtained the chevalier's leave to return to Paris. He died in 1743, in the office of intendant to the duke of Bouillon, prince de Turenne. The most capital work of his writing is the Travels of Cyrus, which has been several times printed in English.

RAMSAY, The Rev. James, so justly celebrated for his philanthropy, was born on the 25th of July 1733, at Frasersburgh, a small town in the county of Aberdeen, North Britain. His descent was honourable, being, through his father, from the Ramsays of Melrose in Banffshire, and through his mother, from the Ogilvies of Purie in Angus. His parents were of characters the most respectable, but in circumstances by no means affluent. From his earliest years he discovered a serious disposition, and a strong thirst for knowledge; and after passing through the course of a Scotch grammar school education, he was inclined to pursue the studies requisite to fit him for the profession of a clergyman; an inclination with which the wishes of his mother, a woman of eminent piety, powerfully concurred. Several circumstances, however, conspired to divert him for a time from his favourite pursuit.

He was educated in the episcopal persuasion; and having been unhappy enough to lose his father while yet very young, he found, upon his advancing towards the state of manhood, that the joint fortunes of himself and his mother could not bear the expence of a regular education in either of the universities of Oxford or Cambridge, which he doubtless thought absolutely necessary to one who aspired to respectability in the church of England. Yielding therefore to necessity, he resolved to study surgery and pharmacy; and was with this view bound apprentice to Dr Findlay, a physician (a) in Frasersburgh. But though obliged to relinquish for a time his favourite studies, he did not think ignorance excusable in a surgeon more than in a clergyman, or conceive that he could ever become eminent in the profession in which circumstances had placed him, merely by skill in setting a bone or compounding a medicine. He determined therefore, with the full approbation of his master, who

who very soon discovered his talents for literature, to make himself acquainted with at least the outlines of the liberal arts and sciences; and with this view he repaired in 1750 to the King's College and university of Aberdeen, where he obtained one of the bursaries or exhibitions which are there annually bestowed upon such candidates for them as display the most accurate knowledge of the Latin language. The small sum of five pounds, however (which none of these bursaries exceed), was still inadequate to the expence of residence in college; but our young student was soon to obtain a more valuable exhibition, and to obtain it likewise by his own merit.

During the long vacation he returned to his master Dr Findlay, and was by him intrusted with a very desperate case in surgery, of which his management may be said to have laid the foundation of his future fortunes. A female servant of one of the judges of the Court of Session, who, when the court was not sitting, resided in the neighbourhood of Frasersburgh, had been so dreadfully gored by a bull, that hardly any hopes were entertained of her recovery; but Mr Ramsay, to whose care she was entirely left, treated the wound with such skilful attention, that, contrary to general expectation, his patient recovered. This attracted the judge's notice, who having informed himself of the young man's circumstances and character, recommended him so effectually to Sir Alexander Ramsay of Balmain, that he presented him with a bursary of 15 pounds a-year, which commenced at the next session or term, in the same college.

He now prosecuted his studies with comfort: and though he was detained in college a year longer than is usual, being obliged, upon his acceptance of a second bursary, to begin his course anew, he always considered this as a fortunate circumstance, because it gave him the celebrated Dr Reid three years for his preceptor. To that great and amiable philosopher he so recommended himself by his talents, his industry, and his virtues, that he was honoured with his friendship to the day of his death. Nor was it only to his masters that his conduct recommended him; Sir Alexander Ramsay, whom he visited during some of the vacations, was so well pleased with his conversation, that he promised him another bursary, in his gift, of 2 51. a-year, to commence immediately on the expiration of that which he enjoyed. This promise he performed in the beginning of the year 1755; and at the solicitation of Dr Findlay, even paid the money per advance to enable the exhibitioner to travel for the purpose of improving himself in his profession.

Thus provided, Mr Ramsay went to London, and studied surgery and pharmacy under the auspices of Dr Macaulay; in whose family he lived for two years, caressed and esteemed both by him and by his lady. Afterwards, having passed the usual examination at Surgeonshall, he served in his medical capacity for several years in the royal navy; but how long he was continued in the station of a mate, or when and by whom he was first pointed surgeon, we have not been able to learn. We can say, however, upon the best authority, that by his humane and diligent discharge of his duty in either station, he endeared himself to the seamen, and acquired the esteem of his officers.

ap

Of his humanity there is indeed one memorable in VOL. XVII. Part II. +

stance, which must not be omitted. Whilst he acted as Ramsay. surgeon of the Arundel, then commanded by Captain (now Vice-admiral Sir Charles) Middleton, a slave-ship on her passage from Africa to the West Indies fell in with the fleet to which the Arundel belonged. An epidemical distemper, too common in such vessels, had swept away not only a great number of the unfortunate negroes, but also many of the ship's crew, and among others the surgeon. In this distressed situation the commander of the Guinea ship applied to the English commodore for medical assistance; but not a surgeon or surgeon's mate in the whole fleet, except Mr Ramsay, would expose himself to the contagion of so dangerous a distemper. Prompted, however, by his own innate benevolence, and fully authorised by his no less benevolent commander, the surgeon of the Arundel, regardless of personal danger, and trusting in that God to whom mercy is more acceptable than sacrifice, went on board the infected ship, visited all the patients, and remained long enough to leave behind him written directions for their future treatment. If a cup of cold water given in charity be entitled to a reward, how much more such an action as this? But the rewards of Christianity are not immediate. Mr Ramsay indeed escaped the contagion; but on his return to his own ship, just as he had got on the deck, he fell and broke his thighbone; by which he was confined to his apartment for ten months, and rendered in a small degree lame through the remainder of his life.

The fearless humanity which he displayed on this occasion gained him the friendship and esteem of Sir Charles Middleton, which no future action of his life had the smallest tendency to impair; but the fracture of his thigh-bone and his subsequent lameness determined him to quit the navy, and once more turn his thoughts towards the church. Accordingly, while the Arundel lay at St Christopher's, he opened his views to some of the principal inhabitants of that island, by whom he was so strongly recommended to the bishop of London, that on his coming home with Sir Charles Middleton, who warmly joined in the recommendation, he was admitted into orders; after which he immediately returned to St Christopher's, where he was presented by the governer to two rectories, valued at 700l. ayear.

As soon as he took possession of his livings, in 1763, he married Miss Rebecca Akers, the daughter of a planter of the best family-connections in the island, and began to regulate his household on the pious plan inculcated in his Essay on the Treatment and Conversionof the African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies. He summoned all his own slaves daily to the prayers of the family, when he took an opportunity of pointing out to them their duty in the plainest terms, reproving those that had done amiss, and commending such as had shown any thing like virtue; but he confessed that his occasions for reproof were more frequent than for commendation. As became his office and character, he inculcated upon others what he practised himself, and knew to be equally the duty of all. "On his first settlement as a minister in the West Indies, he made some public attempts to instruct slaves. He began to draw up some easy plain discourses for their instruction. He invited them to attend, on Sunday, at particular hours. He appointed hours at home to instruct such sensible slaves 4 L

as

would have done honour to the pen of the most ex- Ramsay perienced commander. Of the first edition of this essay the profits were by its benevolent author appropriated to the Magdalen and British lying-in hospitals, as those of the second and third (which last was published about the period of which we now write) were to the maritime school, or, in the event of its failure, to the maritime society.

Ramsay. as would of themselves attend. He repeatedly exhorted their masters to encourage such in their attendance. He recommended the French custom, of beginning and ending work by prayer. But inconceivable is the listlessness with which he was heard, and bitter was the censure heaped on him in return. It was quickly suggested, and generally believed, that he wanted to interrupt the work of slaves, to give them time, forsooth, to say their prayers; that he aimed at the making of them Christians, to render them incapable of being good slaves. In one word, he stood, in opinion, a rebel convict against the interest and majesty of plantership. And as the Jews say, that in every punishment, with which they have been proved, since the bondage of Egypt, there has been an ounce of the golden calf of Horeb; so might he say, that in every instance of prejudice (and they were not a few) with which, till within a year or two of his departure from the country, he was exercised, there was an ounce of his fruitless attempts to improve the minds of slaves. In the bidding prayer, he had inserted a petition for the conversion of those persons. But it was deemed so disagrecable a momento, that several white people, on account of it, left off attending divine service. He was obliged to omit the prayer entirely, to try and bring them back. In short, neither were the slaves at that time desirous of being taught, nor were their masters inclined to encourage them."

That he was hurt by this neglect cannot be questioned, for he had a mind benevolent, warm, and irritable; but he still retained many friends amongst the most worthy members of the community; and as he was conscious of having done nothing more than his duty, he consoled himself with reflecting, that those are "blessed whom men revile, and persecute, and speak all manner of evil against falsely, for the sake of the gospel."

Although his serious studies were now theological, he considered himself as answerable to God, his country, and his own family, for a proper use of every branch of knowledge which he possessed. He therefore took the charge of several plantations around him in the capacity of a medical practitioner; and attended them with unremitting diligence, and with great success. Thus he lived till the year 1777, when relinquishing the practice of physic entirely, he paid a visit to the place of his nativity, which he had not seen since 1755. His mother, whose latter days he had made comfortable by a handsome annuity, had been dead for some years; but he rewarded all who had been attentive to her, or in early life serviceable to himself; and he continued the pension to a sister who had a numerous family, for which her husband was unable to provide.

After remaining three weeks in Scotland, and near a year in England, during which time he was admitted into the confidence of Lord George Germaine, secretary of state for the American department, Mr Ramsay was appointed chaplain to Admiral Barrington, then going out to take a command in the West Indies. Under this gallant officer, and afterwards under Lord Rodney, he was present at several engagements, where he displayed a fortitude and zeal for the honour of his country which would not have disgraced the oldest admiral. To the navy, indeed, he seems to have been strongly attached; and he wrote, at an early period of his life, an Essay on the Duty and Qualifications of Sea-officer, with such a knowledge of the service as

Although caressed by both the admirals under whom he served, and having such influence with the latter as to be able to render essential services to the Jews and other persons whom he thought harshly treated at the capture of St Eustatius, Mr Ramsay once more quitted the sea-service, and retired to his pastoral charge in the island of St Christopher's. There, however, though the former animosities against him had entirely subsided, and though his friendship was now solicited by every person of consequence in the island, he remained but a little while. Sick of the life of a planter and of the prospect of slavery around him, he resigned his livings, bade adieu to the island, and returned to England with his wife and family in the end of the year 1781. Immediately on his arrival, he was, through the interest of his steady friend Sir Charles Middleton, presented to the livings of Teston and Nettlestead in the county of Kent.

Here he was soon determined, by the advice of those whom he most respected, to publish an Essay, which had been written many years before, on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies. The controversy in which this publication invol ved him, and the acrimony with which it was carried on, are so fresh in the memory of all our readers, that no man who thinks of the narrow limits within which our biographical articles must be confined, will blame us for not entering into a detail of the particulars.— Torrents of obloquy were poured upon the benevolent author by writers who were unfair enough to conceal their names; and it must be confessed, that his replies abounded with sarcasms, which the most rational friends to the cause which he supported would not have been sorry to see blotted from his pages. The provocation, however, which he received was great; and Mr Ramsay, though an amiable, virtuous, and pious man, had a warmth of temper, which, though not deserving of praise, will be censured by none who reflect on the frailties of our common nature. That the particular calumnies propagated against him on this occasion were wholly groundless, it is impossible to doubt, if we admit him to have been possessed of common understanding. When some years ago a story was circulated, of Swift's having, when prebendary of Kilroot, been convicted before a magistrate of an attempt to commit a rape on the body of one of his parishioners, it was thought a sufficient confutation of the calumny to put the retailer of it in mind, that the dean of St Patrick's, though detested by the most powerful faction in the kingdom, lampooned without dread, and with great severity, the dean of Ferns for the very crime, of which, had this anecdote been true, he must have been conscious that all Ireland knew himself to be guilty! Such conduct cannot be reconciled to common sense. Had Swift been a ravisher, though he might have been penitent, and reasoned in general terms against giving way such licentious passions, he would never have satirised

a