fhewn how fincere a friend he had always proved himself to be; and afterwards, when his understanding was gone, and his memory failed, when fome former feelings of the heart only remained, I had a strong inftance given me by his fervant William, how deep an impreffion the Doctor had made there; who told me that when he was in that ftate, the Dean, every day, for a long time, constantly afked him the fame queftion-" William, did you know Doctor Sheridan?" Yes, Sir, very well-and then, with a heavy figh, Oh I loft my right hand when I loft him. SECTION VII. HAVING thus finished the Life of Swift, and related in a regular feries all that I thought most worthy to be recorded, I have purpofely referved to a feparate part of the Work, fuch Anecdotes, Memoirs, and detached Pieces, as could not have been interwoven into the hiftory, without much interruption. This was the method purfued by that great Biographer Plutarch, and that is the part of his Work, which, in general, is read with moft pleasure. There is a wonderful curiofity in mankind to pry into the fecret actions of men, who have made a distinguished figure in public, as it is from private Anecdotes alone that a true eftimate can be formed of their real characters, fince the other may be affumed only to answer the purposes of ambition. Even circumftances in themfelves trifling, often lead to this, and on that account are registered with care, and read with avidity. 1 fhall, therefore, without farther preface, relate fuch Anecdotes of Swift, as have come to my knowledge, and have not hitherto been made known to the world, as they rife in my memory; but fhall fet down none which I have not good reason to believe authentic; as I received moft of them from my father; others from his and and the Dean's intimate friends; and fome came within my own knowledge. We have already feen that foon after the Dean's acquaintance with Doctor Sheridan commenced, being both equally fond of the bagatelle, they were laying themselves out for various contrivances to create innocent fport. There happened to arrive in town at this time, one Gibbons, who had been a contemporary of the Doctor's in the College, but had been absent in the country for fome years. On his arrival he renewed his acquaintance with Doctor Sheridan. He had a great fimplicity of character, which made it eafy to impose on him, and certain oddities and peculiarities, which rendered him a proper fubject for a practical joke. A plan was immediately concerted between them, that Swift should perfonate the character of a diftreffed Clergyman, under the name of Jodrel, applying to Doctor Sheridan to be made one of his Ufhers. A time was appointed for their meeting at the Doctor's an hour before dinner, and several of their fet were invited to be prefent at the sport. When they were affembled, Swift as Jodrel, entered the room in an old rufty gown, and lank fhabby perriwig, which were provided at the Doctor's for the purpose. As he was an excellent mimick, he perfonated the character of an aukward Country Parfon to the life. Gibbons was requested by the Doctor to examine him, in order to fee whether he was fit for the post; and Jodrel gave fuch answers to the queftions afked by Gibbons, as afforded high entertainment to all present. One of his queftions was, "What is Chrift's Church?" To which Jodrel replied, “ A great pile of building near the four Courts."-For fo that church is called. On which Gibbons exclaimed, "Was there ever fuch a blockhead? Who the devil put you in orders?" The fport occafioned by this was too rich to be fuddenly given up. Gibbons, Jodrel, and the other guests met feveral times at dinner, where Jodrel's behaviour was always aukward and abfurd. One time he held out his plate with both his hands, ftretching it in the most ridiculous pofture quite across the table, which provoked Gibbons to call him fool! dunce! and even to give him a flap on the wrift with the flat of his knife, at the fame time shewing him how he ought to hold his plate, or that he should fend it by one of the fervants. When this fort of amusement was adjudged to have continued long enough, Doctor Sheridan delivered a meffage to Gibbons from the Dean, inviting him to dine with him. Gibbons, who had expreffed a great ambition to be known to Swift, received the meffage with transport, but faid, 'fure he won't ask that fool Jodrel. Sheridan told him he might fet his heart at reft, for that the Dean never had, nor never would ask him as long as he lived. When the appointed day came, Gibbons went with the Doctor to the Deanery, who placed him at a window from which he could fee the Dean returning from prayers. He was dreffed that day in as high a style as the clerical function will allow; in a paduafoy gown, fquare velvet cap, &c. Gibbons looked at him with great attention, and turning to Sheridan with much perturbation of countenance, cried out, why Doctor, that is Jodrel. Peace, fool, faid the Doctor, I was very near lofing the Dean's acquaintance, by happening to fay that Jodrel had fome refemblance to him. When the Dean entered the chamber where they were, Gibbons changed colour, and in great confufion faid to Sheridan, by my foul it is Jodrel-What fhall I do? Sheridan then fmiled; fo did the Dean, and opened the matter to Gibbons in fuch a way as to fet him at ease, and make him pass the remainder of the day very pleasantly. But Swift had not yet yet done with him. He had perceived that though Gibbons had no pretenfions to scholarship, he had a good deal of vanity on that score, and was refolved to mortify him. He had before-hand prepared Mrs. Johnfon in a paffage of Lucretius, wherein are thefe lines: Medioque in fonte leporum, Among their evening amusements, Mrs. Johnfon called for Lucretius, as an Author she was well acquainted with, and requested of Gibbons to explain that paffage to her. Why, fays he, there can be nothing more eafy, and began immediately to conftrue it in the fchoolboys fashion, "Que and medio in fonte, in the middle of a fountain, leporum, of hares.-No, Mr. Gibbons, interrupted Mrs. Johnfon, if that word fignifies hares, it would be a falfe quantity in the verfe, the o being neceffarily long in the laft foot of the line, whereas the o in leporum, when it fignifies hares, is fhort. Poor Gibbons was quite confounded, acknowledged his error, and did not choose to give any farther proofs of his erudition, before a Lady fo profoundly skilled in Latin. As Swift was fond of fcenes in low life, he miffed no opportunity of being prefent at them, when they fell in his way. Once when he was in the country, he received intelligence that there was to be a beggar's wedding in the neighbourhood. He was refolved not to mifs the opportunity of feeing fo curious a ceremony; and that he might enjoy the whole completely, propofed to Dr. Sheridan that he should go thither disguised as a blind fidler, with a bandage over his eyes, and he would attend him as his man to lead him. coutred they reached the fcene of action, Z 4 Thus ac where the blind blind fidler was received with joyful fhouts. They had plenty of meet and drink, and plied the fidler and his man with more than was agreeable to them. Never was a more joyous wedding feen. They fung, they danced, told their ftories, cracked jokes, &c. in a vein of humour more entertaining to the two guefts, than they probably could have found in any other meeting on a like occafion. When they were about to depart, they pulled out their leather pouches, and rewarded the fidler very handfomely. The next day the Dean and the Doctor walked out in their ufual drefs, and found their companions of the preceding evening, fcattered about in different parts of the road, and the neighbouring village, all begging their charity in doleful strains, and telling difmal ftories of their distress. Among thefe, they found fome upon crutches, who had danced very nimbly at the wedding; others ftone blind, who were perfectly clear fighted at the feaft. The Doctor diftributed among them the money which he had received as his pay; but the Dean, who mortally hated thofe furdy vagrants, rated them foundly; told them in what manner he had been prefent at the wedding, and was let into their roguery, and affured them, if they did not immediately apply to honeft labour, he would have them taken up, and fent to jail. Whereupon, the lame once more recovered their legs, and the blind their eyes, fo as to make a very precipitate re treat. When the Dean was at Quilca, a country feat of Dr. Sheridan's, on a small eftate which he poffeffed in the county of Cavan, during the Doctor's abfence, who could only pafs his fchool vacations there, he acted as Bailiff, in fuperintending the Works then carrying on. He had a mind to surprise the Doctor, on his next vifit, with fome improvements made at his own expence. Accordingly A |