On the 6th of December following, the work was resumed by Oldisworth *, who completed four volumes more; and published nineteen numbers more of the sixth volume, when the Queen's death put an end to the work†. During this long period the only articles that are known to be by Dr. Swift are, a hint which he gave about the prorogation of the parlia ment, and to praise the queen for her tenderness to the Dutch, in giving them still time to submit, which he.notices to Mrs. Johnson, Jan. 15, 1712-13; and says, "It suited the occasions at present. The vindication of his friend, Mr. Lewis, in No. 21 of the third volume, Feb. 2, 1712-13, which is printed at length in the fourth volume of the present edition, is undoubtedly Swift's; which he more than

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* Of Mr. William Oldisworth, little is now remembered but the titles of some of his literary productions. He was editor of the Muses' Mercury, 1707; and published, 1. " A Dialogue between Timothy and Philatheus, in which the Principles and Projects of a late whimsical Book, intitled, The Rights of the Christian Church, &c. are fairly stated, and answered in their kind, &c. By a Layman, 1709, 1710," 3 vols. 8vo. 2. “A Vindication of the Bishop of Exeter (Dr. Blackali) against Mr. Hoadly." 3. A volume called "State Tracts," 4. Another called, "State and Miscellany Poems, by the Author of the Examiner, 1715," 8vo. 5. He translated the "Odes, Epodes, and Carmen Seculare of Horace," 6. The "Life of Edmund Smith," prefixed to his Works, written "with all the partiality of friendship;" said by Dr. Burton, to shew "what fine things one man of parts can say of another;" and which Dr. Johnson has honoured by incorporating it into his biographical preface on Smith.-That Oldisworth had an attachment to the abdicated royal family, is admitted; which gave occasion to a report in the Weekly Packet, Jan. 17, 1715-16, that he was killed with his sword in his hand, in the engagement at Preston, in company with several others who had the same fate; having resolved not to survive the loss of the battle." But this report was groundless; as he lived till Sept. 15, 1784.

† No. 19, was published July 26, 1714; and on the 8th of October came out the first number of "The Controller, being a Sequel to the Examiner:" published also by Morphew,

once acknowledges, in his Journal to Stella, Jan. 27, Jan. 31, and Feb. 1.

The publick at large, however, still considered the paper to be under the management of Swift; who tells Mrs. Johnson, March 23, 1712-13, “The Examiner has cleared me to-day of being author of his paper, and done it with great civilities to me. I hope it will stop people's mouths; if not, they must go on, and be hang'd; I care not."-The letter alluded to has the following passage in the 3 th number of vol. III. in which Mr. Oldisworth, speaking of some of his opponents, says, "I shall at once ease them of a great deal of guilt, as well as importance, by putting a final stop to some of their daily clamours, and for ever shutting up one of their most liberal sluices of scandal. They have been a long time laying a load upon a gentleman of the first character for learning, good sense, wit, and more virtues than even they can set off and illustrate by all the opposition and extremes of vice which are the compounds of their party. He is indeed fully accomplished to be mortally hated by them; and they needed not to charge him with writing the Examiner, as if that were a sufficient revenge, in which they shew as little judgment as truth. I here pronounce him clear of that imputation; and, out of pure regard to justice, strip myself of all the honour that lucky untruth did this paper; reserving to myself the entertaining reflection, that I was once taken for a man who has a thousand other recommendations, besides the notice of the worst men, to make him loved and esteemed by the best. This is the second time I have humoured that party, by publickly declaring who is not the author of the Examiner. I will lend them no more light, because they do not love it. I could only wish, that their invectives against that gentleman had been considerable enough to call forth his publick resentments; and I stand amazed at their folly in provoking so

much ruin to their party. Their intellectuals must be as stupid as their consciences, not to dread the terrors of his pen, though they met him with all that spite to his person which they ever expressed against his order."

May 12, 1713, after several sparrings between the Examiner and the Guardian, Steele thus indirectly states, in the Guardian, No. 53, that the Examiner was written either by Dr. Swift or Mrs. Manley: "I have been told, by familiar friends, that they saw me such a time talking to the Examiner; others, who have rallied me upon the sins of my youth, tell me it is credibly reported, that I have formerly lain with the Examiner. I have carried my point, and rescued innocence from calumny; and it is nothing to me, whether the Examiner writes against me in the character of an estranged friend, or an exasperated mistress."-This paragraph raised the indignation of Swift*; who complained of it to their common friend Mr. Addison: "Is he so ignorant," Swift says, "of my temper, and of my style? Had he never heard that the author of the Examiner (to whom I am altogether a stranger) did a month or two ago, vindicate me from having any concern with it? Should not Mr. Steele have first expostulated with me as a friend?"-In a letter which this produced from Steele it being still insinuated that Swift was an accomplice of the Examiner; he thus indignantly repels the charge; "I appeal to your most partial

"In the latter part of Swift's life, affliction throws a satredness around him, that sets discerument and discrimination at defiance. My eye tries in vain to get a glimpse of his features; it can see nothing distinctly for tears. But in his best condition, his virulent treatment of Steele, and his very many unaccountable instances of insolence and caprice, seem to have been indications or ebullitions of that insanity, which afterwards overpowered him." Dr. Calder, in the notes on the Tatler, 1786, vol, v, p. 311. N.

friends, whether you might not either have asked or written to me, or desired to have been informed by a third hand, whether I were any way concerned in writing the Examiner? And if I had shuffled, or answered indirectly, or affirmed it, or said I would not give you satisfaction; you might then have wreaked your revenge with some colour of justice. I have several times assured Mr. Addison, and fifty others, that I had not the least hand in writing any of those papers; and that I had never exchanged one syllable with the supposed author in my life, that I can remember, nor even seen him above twice, and that in mixed company, or in a place where he came to pay his attendance."'

Of Swift's Examiners, Dr. Johnson observes, that "in argument he may be allowed to have the advantage; for, where a wide system of conduct, and the whole of a publick character, is laid open to inquiry, the accuser, having the choice of facts, must be very unskilful if he does not prevail."-Lord Orrery, who commends the Examiners for their "nervous style, clear diction, and great knowledge of the true landed interest of England," observes, that "their author was elated with the appearance of enjoying ministeral confidence;" that he was employed, not trusted." Remarks, &c. Letter iv. The earl of Chesterfield also asserts, that "the lie of the day was coined and delivered out to him, to write Examiners and other political papers upon." It may be proper, however, to take notice, that neither of these noble peers appear to have seen Swift's " Preface" to his "History of the Four last Years of the Queen ;" and, with all due deference to these great authorities, the present Editor cannot but be of opinion, that Swift's manly fortitude and very accurate discernment of the human heart would have prevented his being a dupe to the intrigues of a statesman, however dignified. He himself assures us, "that he was

of a temper to think no man great enough to set him on work: that "he absolutely refused to be chaplain to the lord treasurer, because he thought it would ill become him to be in a state of dependance." Indeed his whole conduct in that busy period (in which it was his lot to have been daily conversant with the persons then in power; never absent in times of business or conversation, until a few weeks before her majesty's death; and a witness of every step they made in the course of their administration") demonstrates the respectable situation he then so ably filled. And when at last the time arrived in which he was to be rewarded for his services, in how different a light does he appear from that of a hireling writer! He frankly told the treasurer," he could not with any reputation stay longer here, unless he had something honourable immediately given to him." Whilts his noble patrons were undetermined whether he should be proinoted to St. Patrick's or to a stall at Windsor, he openly assured lord Bolingbroke," he would not stay for their disputes. And we find he exerted his interest so effectually with the duke of Ormond, as to overrule a prejudice that nobleman had conceived against Dr. Sterne, whose promotion to the see of Dromore made the vacancy at St. Patrick's. "The duke, with great kindness, said, he would consent; but would do it for no man else but me." Swift acknowledges" this affair was carried with great difficulty;" but adds, "they say here, it is much to my reputation, that I have made a bishop in spite of the world, and to get the best deanery in Ireland." N.