Item, I bequeath to Deane Swift, Efq; + my large filver ftandish, confifting of a large filverplate, an ink-pot, a fand-box, and a bell of the fame metal. Item, I bequeath to Mrs. Mary Barber, the medal of Queen Anne and Prince George, which fhe formerly gave me. Item, I leave to the Reverend Mr John Worral ‡ my best beaver hat. * Item, I bequeath to the Reverend Dr. Patrick Delany my medál of Queen Anne in filver, and on the reverse the bishops of England kneeling before her Moft Sacred Majefty. Item, I bequeath to the Reverend Mr. James King, Prebendary of Tipper, my large gilded me Author of the Essay on the life, writings, and character of Dr. Swift, published in 1755. Vicar to the Dean of Chrift church, and mafter of both choirs, He was a foundling, for which reafon Swift used to call him Melcbifedek. Though he was not a man of an improved understanding, nor a man of humour, yet he was a good walker, ever in the way, and always at the command of Dr. Swift. His wife, a neat, clean looking woman in her drefs, understood the business of marketting perfectly well; had studied what the Dean liked; and if the markets afforded any thing nice, when the Dean's ftomach, as years came on, began to be in fome meafure weak and capricious, the conftantly bought it for him, and sent it home to the deanery. From a principle of wisdom, taking the world as he found it, no man ever ftudied more than Swift did, to reduce every man's talents to his own particular gratification. He could feast upon the delicacies of wit and learning, when they happened to fall in his way; and at other times be content with plain common entertainment. He could laugh, and drink a bottle with Sheridan over night; and the next morning walk into the fields, and prattle to Worral. Perhaps there never was a man equally defirous with Dr. Swift, to have a companion always at his beck, of fome fort or other; and, withou: difpute, throughout all Dublin he could not have fixed upon another fo exactly calculated to receive his commands, and especially to attend him in his morning exercife, as Mr. Worral He died fome time after the Dean, worth a good deal of money; 500 1. of which his ex cutors appropriated to the Doctor's hospital, and 500 1. each to two other hofpitals. Swift. *The fame to whom the Dean addreffes feveral copies of verles, in vol. 8. and of whom he gives an excellentr character above. P. 76. 2 dal dal of King Charles I. and on the reverse a crown of martyrdom, with other devices. My will neverthelefs is, that, if any of the above named legatees should die before me, that then, and in that cafe, the refpective legacies to them bequeathed fhall revert to myself, and become again fubject to my difpofal. Item, Whereas I have the lease of a field in trust for me, commonly called the vineyard let to the Reverend Dr. Francis Corbet, and the trust declared by the faid Doctor; the faid field, with fome land on this fide of the road, making in all about three acres, for which I pay yearly to the dean and chapter of St. Patricks *** * Whereas I have built a strong wall round the faid piece of groud, eight or nine feet high, faced to the fouth afpect with brick, which coft me above fix hundred pounds Sterling; and likewife another piece of ground, as aforefaid, of half an acre, adjoining to the burial-place, called the Cabbagegarden, now tenanted by William White, gardener; my will is, that the ground inclofed by the great wall may be fold for the remainder of the leafe, at the highest price my executors can get for it, in belief and hopes, that the faid price will exceed three hundred pounds at the lowest value. For which my fucceffor in the deanery fhall have the first refufal; and it is my earnest defire, that the fucceeding deans and chapters may preferve the faid vineyard, and piece of land adjoining, where the faid White now liveth, fo as to be always in the hands of the fucceeding deans, during their office, by each dean leffening one fourth of the purchasemoney to each fucceeding dean, and for no more than the prefent rent. And I appoint the Honourable Robert Lindfay one of the judges of the court of common * *See a poem wrote by this gentleman, intitled, A dialogue between a lawyer and Dr. Swift, in vol. 8. p. 270. Dd VOL. X. pleas; pleas; Henry Singleton, Efq; Prime Serjeant to his Majefty; the Reverend Dr. Patrick Delany, Chancellor of St. Patrick's: the Reverend Dr. Francis Wilfon, Prebendary of Kilmacktolway; Eaton Stannard, Efq: Recorder of the city of Dublin; the Reverend Mr. Robert Grattan, Prebendary of St Audeon's; the Reverend Mr. John Grattan, Prebendary of Clonmethan; the Reverend Mr. James Stopford, Vicar of Finglafs, the Rev. Mr James King, Prebendary of Tipper; and Alexander M'Aulay, Efq; my executors. In witness whereof, I have hereunto fet my hand and feal, and publifhed and declared this as my last will and teftament, this third day of May, 1740. JONATHAN SWIFT, Signed, Sealed, and published by the abovenamed Jonathan Swift, in the presence of us who have fubfcribed our names in his prefence. Jo. WYNNE. *** The Two LETTERS to the Earl of ORRERY, defcribing the melancholy fituation of Dr. SWIFT's health and understanding. I. Mrs. MARTHA WHITEWAY's * Letter. Dublin. Nov 22. 1742. My LORD, THE eafy manner in which you reproach me for not acquainting you with the poor Dean's fituation, lays a frefh obligation upon me; yet mean as an excufe is for a fault, I fhall attempt one to your Lordship; and only for this reafon, that you may not think me capable of neglecting any thing you could command me. I told you in my laft letter, the Dean's understanding was quite gone, and feared the farther particulars would only fhock the tenderness of your nature, and the melancholy fcene make your heart ach, as it has often done mine. I was the laft perfon whom he knew; and when that part of his memory failed, he was fo outrageous at feeing any body, that I was forced to leave him, nor could he reft for a night or two after feeing any perfon; fo that all the attendance which I could pay him was, calling twice a week to inquire after his health, and to obferve that proper care was taken of him, and durft only look at him while his back was towards me, fearing to difcompofe him. He walked ten hours a-day, would not eat or drink if his fervant ftaid in the room. His meat was ferved up ready cut, and fometimes it would lie an hour on the table before he would The lady mentioned in feveral of Swift's letters, and in his will, in this volume. Dd 2 touch touch it, and then eat it walking. About fix weeks ago, in one night's time, his left eye fwelled as large as an egg, and the lid Mr. Nichols (his furgeon) thought would mortify, and many large boils appeared upon his arms and body. The torture he was in, is not to be defcribed. Five perfons could fcarce hold him for a week, from tearing out his own eyes; and, for near a month, he did not fleep two hours in twenty-four: yet a moderate appetite continued; and what is more to be wondered at, the laft day of his illness he knew me perfectly well, took me by the hand, called me by my name, and fhewed the fame pleafure as ufual in feeing me. I asked him, if he would give me a dinner? He faid, to be fure, my old friend. Thus he continued that day, and knew the doctor and furgeon, and all his family fo well, that Mr. Nichols thought it poffible he might return to a fhare of understanding, fo as to be able to call for what he wanted, and to bear fome of his old friends to amufe him. But, alas! this pleafure to me was but of fhort duration; for the next day or two it was all over, and proved to be only pain that had roufed him. He is now free from torture ; his eye almoft well; very quiet, and begins to fleep; but cannot, without great difficulty, be prevailed on to walk a turn about his room; and yet, in this way, the phyficians think he may hold out for for fome time.' I am, my Lord. Your Lordship's most obedient, M. WHITEWAY. What a fhocking, what a melancholy account is this! of how fmall eftimation muft the greatest genius appear in the fight of God! II. |