in princess never put his trust: and, would you make him truly sour, and pity'd those who meant the wound; nor made a sacrifice of those who still were true, to please his foes. And, oh! how short are human schemes! here ended all our golden dreams. What St. John's skill in state affairs, what Ormond's valour, Oxford's cares, to save their sinking country lent, was all destroy'd by one event. Too soon that precious life was ended, on which alone our weal depended. When up a dangerous faction starts, with wrath and vengeance in their hearts; by solemn league and covenant bound, to ruin, slaughter and confound; to turn religion to a fable, and make the government a Babel; pervert the laws, disgrace the gown, corrupt the senate, rob the crown; to sacrifice old England's glory, and make her infamous in story: when such a tempest shook the land, how could unguarded virtue stand! With horror, grief, despair, the Dean beheld the dire destructive scene: his friends in exile, or the Tower, himself within the frown of power: pursued by base invenom'd pens. Far to the land of f and fens; a servile race in folly nurs'd, who truckle most, when treated worst. The Dean did, by his pen, defeat and In exile, with a steady heart, remote from St. John, Pope, and Gay." Alas, poor Dean! his only scope was to be held a misanthrope. This into general odium drew him, which if he lik'd, much good may't do him. His zeal was not to lash our crimes, but discontent against the times : for had we made him timely offers to raise his post, or fill his coffers, perhaps he might have truckled down, like other brethren of his gown; for party he would scarce have bled:I say no more-because he 's dead.What writings has he left behind?" "I hear they're of a different kind : a few in verse; but most in prose-" "Some high-flown pamphlets, I suppose :all scribbled in the worst of times, to palliate his friend Oxford's crimes; to praise queen Anne, nay more defend her, as never favouring the Pretender: or libels, yet conceal'd from sight, against the court to show his spite: perhaps his travels, part the third; a lie at every second wordoffensive to a loyal ear: but not one sermon you may swear. and friends would let him have his way. Nor can I tell what critics thought them; the world must own it to their shame, That kingdom he hath left his debtor, page 1 Life of Swift, Horace, b. 2. sat. 6. Punning, - 63 10 Stella to Dr. Swift, on his Birth- 19 To Stella, on her Birth-day, 22 Stella at Wood park, 1723, An Inventory of Dr. Swift's Goods 26 To Stella, 1624, Cadenus and Vanessa, - 27 Stella's Birth-day, 1725, 66 66 67 70 -71 56 The Place of the damned, -85 In Sickness, - To Dr. Sheridan on his Art of G. Nicholson, Stourport. 57 The Dean's Manner of living, 87 59 Dr. Swift's Answer to a Friend, 87 On the Death of Dr. Swift, -88 |