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In October 1742, after this phrenzy had continued feveral months, his left eye fwelled to the fize of an egg, and the lid appeared to be fo much inflamed and discoloured, that the furgeon expected it would mortify; feveral large boils alfo broke out on his arms and his body. The extreme pain of this tumour kept him. waking near a month, and during one week it was with difficulty that five perfons kept him, by mere force, from tearing out his eyes. Juft before the tumour perfectly fubfided, and the pain left him, he knew Mrs. Whiteway, took her by the hand, and fpoke to her with his former kindness: that day, and the following, he knew his phyfician and furgeon, and all his family, and appeared to have fo far recovered his understanding and temper, that the furgeon was not without hopes he might once more enjoy fociety, and be amufed with the company of his old friends. This hope, however, was but of short duration; for, a few days afterwards, he funk into a state of total infenfibility, fept much, and could not, without great difficulty, be prevailed on to walk across the room. This was the effect of another bodily disease, his brain being loaded with water. Mr. Stevens, an ingenious Clergyman of his Chapter, pronounced this to be the cafe during his illnefs, and upon opening his head it appeared that he was not mistaken: but though he often intreated the Dean's friends and phyficians that his fkull might be trepanned and the water discharged, no regard was paid to his opinion or advice.

After the Dean had continued filent a whole year in this helpless state of idiocy, his houfekeeper went into his room on the 30th of November in the morning, telling him that it was his birth-day, and that bonfires and illuminations were preparing to celebrate it as ufual; to this he immediately replied-" It is all folly, they had better let it alone."

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Some other instances of fhort intervals of fenfibility and reafon, after his madness had ended in ftupor, seem to prove that his diforder, whatever it was, had not deftroyed, but only fufpended the powers of his mind.

He was sometimes vifited by Mr. Deane Swift, a relation, and about Christmas, 1743, he feemed defirous to speak to him. Mr. Swift then told him he came to dine with him; and Mrs. Ridgeway the housekeeper immediately faid, "Won't you give Mr. Swift a glass of wine, Sir?" To this he made no answer, but fhewed he understood the question, by fhrugging up his fhoulders as he had been used to do when he had a mind a friend fhould spend the evening with him, and which was as much as to fay, "You will ruin me in wine." Soon. after he again endeavoured, with a good deal of pain, to find words; but at last, after many efforts, not be, ing able, he fetched a deep figh, and was afterwards filent. A few months after this, upon his houfekeeper's removing a knife, as he was going to catch at it, he fhrugged up his fhoulders, and faid, "I am what I am;" and, in about fix minutes, repeated the fame words two or three times.

In the year 1744, he now and then called his fervant by his name, and once attempting to speak to him, but not being able to express his meaning, he fhewed signs of much uneafinefs, and at laft faid, "I am a fool." Once afterwards, as his fervant was taking away his watch, he faid, "bring it here ;" and when the fame fervant was breaking a hard large coal, he said, "that is a stone, you blockhead."

From this time he was perfectly filent till the latter end of October, 1745, and then died without the least pang or convulfion, in the feventy-eighth year of his age.

Some

Some PARTICULARS concerning Dr. SWIFT. Taken from Mrs. Pilkington's Memoirs.

MR

RS. PILKINGTON's acquaintance with Dr. Swift commenced from fending him fome Verfes on his Birth-day. Thefe the Dean received very kindly, and faid, he would fee her whenever he pleafed.

A few days after, fhe was introduced to the Dean in Dr. Delany's garden at Delville, by a gentlewoman. He faluted her, and asked the Lady, if she was her daughter? The Lady fimiled, and faid, fhe was Mrs. Pilkington. "What," fays he, " this poor little child married! married! Gold help her, fhe is very early engaged in trouble." The Dean engaging Mr. Pilkington to preach for him at the Cathedral next Sunday in St. Patrick's Church, Mrs. Pilkington was charmed to fee with what a becoming piety the Dean performed that Holy Service, which he had fo much at heart, that he wanted not the affiftance of the Liturgy, but went quite through it, without ever looking in the book. He bowed at the table; which behaviour was cenfured, as favouring of Popery. But this circumftance may vindicate him from the wicked asperfion of being deemed an unbeliever, fince it is plain he had the utmost reverence for the Eucharift. Service being ended, the Dean was furrounded at the Churchdoor, by a crowd of poor; to all of whom he gave charity, except an old woman, who held out a very dirty hand to him. He told her very gravely, that though fhe was a beggar, water was not fo fcarce but fhe might have washed her hands. When they came to the Deanery, the Dean very kindly faluted Mrs. Pilkington, and without allowing her time to fit down,

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bad her come and fee his library; but merrily told Mr. Pilkington, who was for following them, that he did not defire his company. "Well," said he to her, "I have brought you here to fhew you all the money I got when I was in the Miniftry; but don't fteal any of it." "I will not indeed, Sir," faid fhe. So opening a cabinet, he fhewed her a parcel of empty drawers; "Blefs me," fays he, "the money is flown." Hẹ then opened his bureau, wherein he had a great number of curious trinkets of various kinds, fome of which were prefented to him by the Earl and Countess of Oxford, Lady Mafham, and Lady Betty Germaine. At laft coming to a drawer filled with medals, he bade her choose two for herfelf; but he could not help fmiling, when she began to poize them in her hands, choofing them by weight rather than antiquity.

At dinner the Dean's behaviour was very humourous. He placed himself at the head of his table, oppofite to a great pier glafs, fo that he could fee in the glass whatever the fervants did behind him. He was ferved entirely in plate, with great elegance, but the beef being over-roasted, put the company all in confusion. The Dean called for the cook-maid, and ordered her to take the beef down ftairs, and do it lefs. She anfwered very innocently, that she could not. "Why, what fort of a creature are you," fays he, "to commit a fault which cannot be amended?" And turning to Mrs. Pilkington, he faid very gravely, "That he hoped, as the cook was a woman of genius, he should, by this manner of arguing, be able, in about a year's time, to convince her fhe had better fend up the meat too little than too much done;" charging the menfervants, whenever they imagined the meat was ready, they should take it, fpit and all, and bring it up by force, promifing to aid them in cafe the cook refifted.

Having afked Mr. and Mrs. Pilkington if they could fmoke? and being answered, that they did not; "It is a fign," said he, "you were neither of you bred in the University of Oxford; for drinking and smoking are the first rudiments of learning taught there; and in those two arts no University in Europe can outdo them." Having asked Mrs. Pilkington if she had any faults? "Pray, Mr. Dean," faid Dr. Delany, "why will you be fo unpolite as to fuppofe Mrs. Pilkington has any faults?" "I'll tell you," replied the Dean; "whenever I fee a number of agreeable qualities in any perfon, I am always fure they have bad ones fufficient to poize the fcale." Mrs. Pilkington bowed, and told him, he did her great honour; in that copying Bishop Berkeley, whom she had frequently heard declare, that when any speech was made to him, which might be conftrued either into a compliment or an affront, or that had two handles, he always took hold of the best.

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The Dean then asked Mrs. Pilkington, if he were a Queen, what she would choofe to have after dinner? She answered, "your converfation, Sir." "Pooh," "faid he, "I mean, what regale." "A difh of coffee, Sir," anfwered she. Why then," faid he, "I will fo far make you as happy as a Queen; you fall have fome in perfection: for, when I was Chaplain to the Earl of Berkeley, who was in the government here, I was so poor, I was obliged to keep a coffee houfe, and all the Nobility reforted to it to talk treafon." The Dean then fet about making the coffee: but the fire fcorching his hand, he called to Mrs. Pilkington to reach him his glove; and changing the coffee-pot to his left hand, held out his right one, ordering her to put the glove on it; which accordingly fhe did; when taking up part of his gown to fan himself with, and

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