He now resolved to enter into the church, and obtained in Ireland the prebend of Kilroot in Connor, of about one hundred pounds a year. Temple, conscious of having given reasons of complaint, invited him back, with a promise to procure him English preferment. With this request Swift quickly complied, and they lived on together in mutual satisfaction; and in the four years that passed between his return and Temple's death, it is probable that he wrote the "Tale of a Tub," and the "Battle of the Books.

"

Swift began early to think that he was a poet, and wrote Pindaric odes to Temple, to the King, and to the Athenian Society. It is said that Dryden, having perused these verses, said "Cousin Swift, you will never be a poet, and that this denunciation was the motive of Swift's perpetual malevolence to Dryden.

"

In 1699 Temple died, and left a legacy, with his manuscripts, to Swift, for whom he had obtained from King William a promise of the first prebend that should be vacant at Westminster or Canterbury; but this promise the King forgot, although Swift endeavoured indirectly to call it to his recollection.

He was then invited by the Earl of Berkley to accompany him to Ireland as his private secretary; but, after having done the business till their arrival at Dublin, he then found that one Bush had persuaded the Earl that a clergyman was not a proper secretary, and had obtained the office for himself. Swift was compelled to content himself with the

P.

livings of Laracor and Rathbeggin in the diocese of Meath.

Soon after his settlement at Laracor he invited to Ireland the unfortunate Stella, a young woman whose name was Johnson, the daughter of the steward of Sir William Temple, who left her a thousand pounds. With her came Mrs. Dingley, whose whole fortune was twenty-seven pounds a year for her life. With those ladies he passed his hours of relaxation; but they never resided in the same house, nor did he see either without a witness.

His first work, except his few poetical essays, was the "Dissensions in Athens and Rome, published (1701) in his 34th year. Three years afterwards (1704) was published the "Tale of a Tub," and next the "Battle of the Books." It was not till about four years after this period that he became a professed author, and then one year (1708) produced "The Sentiments of a Church of England Man;" the "Ridicule of Astrology, under the name of Bickerstaff; the "Argument against abolishing Christianity"; and the "Defence of the Sacramental Test. "

In the year following he wrote a "Project for the Advancement of Religion." He wrote likewise this year a "Vindication of Bickerstaff," and an explanation of an "Ancient Prophecy. Soon after began the busy and important part of Swift's life. He was employed (1710) by the Primate of Ireland to solicit the Queen for a remission of the first fruits and twentieth parts of the Irish clergy.

With this purpose he had recourse to Mr. Harley, who soon admitted him to familiarity, glad, no doubt, of having an auxiliary so well qualified for his service. Swift was now immerging into political controversy, for the same year produced the "Examiner," of which he wrote thirty-three papers.

Early in the next year he published "A Proposal for correcting and ascertaining the English Tongue," in a letter to the Earl of Oxford. He wrote the same year a "Letter to the OctoberClub. "

In the midst of the controversies between the Whigs and Tories he attained the zenith of his political importance. He published 1712 "The Conduct of the Allies" ten days before the parliament assembled. The purpose was to persuade the nation to a peace, and never had any writer more success. The power of a political treatise depends much upon the disposition of the people; the nation was then combustible, and a spark set it on fire. It is said that between November and January eleven thousand were sold.

"

This year (1712) he published his "Reflections on the Barrier Treaty. This was followed by "Remarks on the Bishop of Sarum's Introduction to his third volume of the History of the Reformation."

Swift, being now the declared favourite and supposed confidant of the Tory ministry, was treated by all who depended on the court with the respect which dependents know how to pay. In 1713

he accepted the Deanery of St. Patrick, the best preferment that his friends could venture to give him, in consequence of his performance of the "Tale of a Tub," levelled against the clergy, who in a great degree supported the ministry.

In the midst of his power and his politics he kept a journal of his visits, his walks, his interviews with ministers, and quarrels with his servants, and transmitted it to Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Dingley.

He went to take possession of his Deanery as soon as he obtained it, but he was not suffered to stay in Ireland more than a fortnight before he was recalled to England, that he might reconcile Lord Oxford and Lord Bolingbroke, which he attempted in vain. Before this violent dissension had shattered the ministry, Swift had published in the beginning of the year (1714) " The public Spirit of the Whigs," in answer to the " Crisis, a pamphlet for which Steele was expelled the House of Commons.

In this pamphlet the Scots were mentioned in terms so provoking to that irritable nation that the Scotch Lords in a body demanded an audience of the Queen, and solicited reparation. A proclamation was issued, in which three hundred pounds were offered for discovery of the author. From this storm he was, as he relates, secured by a sleight. He was become so formidable to the Whigs that his familiarity with the ministry was clamoured at in parliament, particularly by two men, afterwards of great note, Aislabie and Walpole.

But, by the disunion of his great friends, his

importance and his designs were now at an end; and seeing his services at last useless, he retired about June (1714) into Berkshire, where he wrote what was then suppressed, but has since appeared under the title of "Free Thoughts on the present state of Affairs.

"

While he was waiting in this retirement, the death of the Queen broke down at once the whole system of Tory politics, and nothing remained but to withdraw from the implacability of triumphant Whiggism and shelter himself in unenvied obscurity. He therefore went over to Ireland; but, having so lately quitted the tumults of a party and the intrigues of a court, his thoughts were still in agitation, and he made some historical attempts relating to the "Change of the Ministers" and the "Conduct of the Ministry." He likewise is said to have written a History of the four last Years of Queen Anne," which he began in her life time, and afterwards laboured with great attention, but never published.

He now considered himself in a state of exile, and the thoughts of death rushed upon him, at this time, with such incessant importunity, that they took possession of his mind when he first waked for many years together.

He opened his house by a public table two days a week; and found his entertainments gradually frequented by more and more visitants of learning among the men, and of elegance among the women. Mrs. Johnson had left the country, and lived in lodgings not far from the Deanery. On his public