to the defk without putting on a furplice or opening the book, began the fervice in an audible voice, and thus won his wager. It has been common, among pretenders to wit, to affect great contempt for every kind of regularity, to live, or pretend to live, in a state of continual diffipation, without regard to the return of those seasons which have been generally allotted to particular purposes, without fleeping or waking, or eating or drinking, like the rest of mankind. To recover these unhappy wretches from a condition so deplorable as to fupprefs indignation, and yet fo contemptible as scarce to excite pity, it is here recorded that the life of Swift was in the highest degree uniform and regular, his hours of walking and reading, of exercise and amusement, never varied; and that he might keep the revolution of his employments with greater exactnefs, his watch was almoft conftantly either in his hand or on the table before him. As his abhorrence of hypocrify exempted him from affectation, the natural equity of his mind fecured him against envy; envy seems to be a defire of equality gratified by degrading others; as emulation is a defire of equality gratified by advancing ourselves. It does not appear that Swift upon a fuppofition that he had no fuperior, was without emulation, but by his ready affistance to advance the reputation and circumstances of others, he appears to have been free from envy. He cultivated genius wherever he found it, and in whatever degree, with great zeal and affiduity, and would chearfully fpend much time in correcting and improving any literary compofition that had the leaft appearance of ingenuity; nor was this kindness confined to those whofe parts could never come in competition with his own, he ftarted many hints to Mr. Gay which he purfued with great fuccefs, and he recom mended mended Congreve, Addifon, Parnel, and many others, to those whose favour was most likely to render them confpicuous. Among his fingularities were his refolution never to wear spectacles, and his obftinate perfeverance in the ufe of too much exercise. His want of fpectacles made it difficult to read, and his immoderate exercise wasted his flesh and produced a poornefs in his blood, as he was often told by his friends and phyficians, Dr. Helfham and Dr. Gratton, and as afterwards appeared by experiment, for, when he was reduced to a state of idiotifm and ceafed from walking, he recovered his flesh in a fhort time. He was cleanly even to fuperftition, his nails were always pared to the quick to prevent the leaft gathering of dirt under them, and he never dreffed without a bafon of water by him, with which he carefully cleansed his feet. In his perfon he was robust and mafculine, his deportment was commanding, and his Orrery's 78. walk erect. His voice was fharp and high toned, especially when he read prayers, but not effeminate, and there was a natural feverity in his afpect, which even his fmiles could fcarce foften, nor his utmost gaiety relax. His manner was without ceremony, but not ruftic, for he had a perfect knowledge of all the modes and variations of politenefs and complaifance which he practised in a manner peculiar to himself; D.S. 360, and the refpect, that was due to him by these 365. rules, he took care to exact without the leaft abatement. It will readily be admitted that every man has fome appetite, affection, or difpofition, which either in kind or in degree is irregular, and which it is the province of reason to order and restrain. As it will always happen that in some instances paffion will predominate and reafon in others, it follows that there must be fome diffimi diffimilitude in every character, from which Swift's could not therefore be exempt; but upon the whole it will be found uncommonly fteady and uniform, though fome, to screen their own scattered and inconfiftent representations of it from cenfure, have pretended that it was capricious, various, and contradictory. Swift appears to have been naturally temperate and chafte, it was therefore easy for him to be frugal; but he was also naturally high-fpirited, and therefore, as wealth is the pledge of independence, it is not strange his frugality fhould verge towards excefs. However, as he acted upon principles, not only of general virtue, but of the nobleft moral fyftem of Chriflianity, he did not deliver himself up to natural propenfities, when they were contrary to his duty, and therefore his love of money did not contract his charity to the poor, or defraud his fucceffors to inrich himself. The fame fpirit which fecured his integrity by difdaining the meanness of a lye, produced that dread of hypocrify which concealed his piety, and betrayed him into appearances of evil; and the fame want of natural tenderness which made him appear obdurate and auftere, transferred the distribution of his liberality from instinct to religion, and made that, which in others is an exercise of self-love, in him an act of obedience to God. Such was Dr. Jonathan Swift, whose writings either stimulate mankind to fuftain their dignity as rational and moral beings, by fhewing how low they stand in mere animal nature, or fright them from indecency by holding up its picture before them in its native deformity and whofe life, with all the advantages of genius and learning, was a fcale of infelicity gradually afcending till pain and anguish destroyed the fa culties culties by which they were felt; while he was viewed at a distance with envy, he became a burthen to himfelf; he was forfaken by his friends, and his memory has been loaded with unmerited reproach: his life therefore does not afford less inftruction than his writings, fince to the wife it may teach humility, and to the fimple content. VERSES, &c. referred to from the LIFE of Dr. SWIFT. STELLA to Dr. SWIFT on his birth-day, November 30, 1721. The Dean declared that these verses had under gone no correction. [D. S. p. 81. T. PATRICK's dean, your country's pride, STM Let me among the reft attend, Your pupil and your humble friend, The day that paid your mother's pains; In gratitude alone to you. When men began to call me fair, Behold that beauty just decay'd, STELLA to you, her tutor, owes You |