prince found in the simplicity and naturalness of the a relief from the corruption and hollowness of a deprav court. Swift, in the straightforward character, and u assuming devotion of the other, obtained consolation f the folly, perverseness and deceit which his "savag indignation" led him to regard as the dominating qualities of all mankind.

CHAPTER IX.

SETTLED IN IRELAND.

Commencement of the last period of Swift's life-A Dublin potentate -Lord Carteret his only Castle friend-Swift's manner of life— His circle-Close intimacy with Dr. Thomas Sheridan-Trifles passing between them-The art of punning-Occasional verses -"Mary the Cookmaid's Letter to Dr. Sheridan "—Sheridan and the vice-regal chaplaincy-Swift's harshness-Parsimony-His views on woman-"Letter to a very young lady on her marriage" -Public affairs-The government of Ireland-Swift's isolation— The "Answer to The Craftsman"-The Intelligencer-The famine of 1729-" The Modest Proposal for preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland from being a Burden to their Parents"-Significance of this work-Growing alienation between Swift and the Irish Parliament.

THE year 1728 ushers in the last period of Swift's life. The death of Stella had deprived him of his chief link with early memories. Never again does he leave Ireland; and the connection with his English friends grows fainter year by year. There is nothing now to check the deepening bitterness and despondency which were eventually to crush his genius in their icy grasp.

Yet these last years are not without their brighter side. Swift had always made the most of his position as dean of St. Patrick's. But the immense reputation he acquired through the Drapier's Letters turned him into the autocrat of Dublin as well. "Shall Jonathan die?" cried an

enthusiastic Quaker during the height of the agita against Wood's halfpence, "who has wrought this g salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord live there shall not one hair of his head fall to the grour for he hath wrought with God this day." The text h been taken up with delight; and from that time Swif popularity was assured. His eccentric character, h sardonic humour, his ready insight into their peculiariti were thoroughly appreciated by the citizens of the Iris capital. They gave him a tremendous welcome on hi return from England, and celebrated his birthday regu larly every year with public rejoicings. In 1729 th Corporation presented him with the freedom of the cit He was hated by the ruling faction, or English ascendenc party, as they were called. But Lord Carteret, though Whig in politics, was a personal friend of Swift's; and during that nobleman's viceroyalty (1724-1730) Swift was a frequent guest at Dublin Castle. Carteret incurred much obloquy from his intimacy with an opposition partisan. To check this, Swift put forth an amusing "Vindication of Lord Carteret," in which it was pointed out that literary tastes and a predilection for learned acquaintances, irrespective of the fact whether they were Whig or Tory, need not necessarily place a man outside the pale of humanity.

On the whole, Swift, after his settlement at St. Patrick's, led a rather secluded life. He spent a great deal of time in renewing his acquaintance with classical and historical literature. He performed his ecclesiastical duties with exemplary care; and he carried on an extensive correspondence with his English friends. All contemporary writers speak in the highest terms of the Dublin society of that time. The presence of a legislature consisting mainly of wealthy and well-born men gave it a fulness

d éclat which it has ceased to possess since the Act of nion. Hospitality was generous without display; public ertainments were brilliant, refined, and at the same me devoid of the formalism which marked the great orld of London. Swift, however, preferred to confine mself to a small circle of chosen friends. Among hers, he speaks well of Dr. Helsham, "an ingenious good-humoured physician, a fine gentleman, an excellent scholar, easy in his fortunes, kind to everybody, has abundance of friends, entertains them often and liberally." He was intimate with several of the Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, notably the accomplished Dr. Patrick Delany, whose biographical notice of Swift is a work of great value. Swift's circle also comprised the Grattans, a family of seven brothers, the sons of a wealthy clergyman, resident in Dublin. The latter, so Monck Mason records on the authority of the old Bishop of Clogher, "kept hospitality beyond both the lords who lived on either side of him." One of the Grattan brothers, an eminent merchant, became lord mayor of Dublin. The others earned equal distinction in the liberal professions. But Swift's favourite was the Lord of Quilca, Dr. Thomas Sheridan.1 The latter was always welcome at the deanery. Alone among Swift's friends Sheridan had the power, by a sudden jest, of diverting the dean from those sudden fits of anger to which he became liable with declining years. Swift and Sheridan delighted in writing to one another in doggerel Latin, or more frequently in Latin words written so as to sound like English. The following is a brief example of the latter :

"Præbe specus a Superaturus. Summas par a gusto

His son wrote a Life of Swift. Richard Brinsley Sheridan was his grandson.

eat. Sum colli flo ures, ac ab age lætis fora Sal ad." The interpretation of this is: "Pray bespeak us a supper at your house. Some asparagus to eat. Some cauliflowers, a cabbage, lettuce for a salad."

Both Swift and Sheridan were fond of punning. They wrote to one another in letters composed of puns, and united together to write a curious tract, "Ars Punica, i.e. The Art of Punning," in a preface and thirty-seven rules. Puns are given to illustrate every rule: e.g.

"Rule 1. The Capital Rule. He that puns must have a head for it; that is, he must be a man of letters, of a sprightly and fine imagination, whatever men may think of his judgment; like Dr. Swift, who said, when a lady threw down a Cremona fiddle with the frisk of her mantua Mantua, væ! miserae nimium vicina Cremonae !'

"Rule 12. The Elementary Rule. Keep to your elements, whether you have fish, fowl, or flesh for dinner; as, for instance, 'Is not this fish ex-stream sweet? On my sole, I never tasted better.'"

"Rule 24. The Salic Rule is a pretence to a jumping of wits that is, when a man has made a good pun, the other swears with a pun he was just coming out with it. One night, I remember, Mr. served Dr.

so. The former, saying over a bottle, 'Will, I am for my mistress here.'-'How so?' says Tom.-' Why, I am for Wine-if-red!'-' By this crooked stick' (cane-awry, i.e. Canary) 'I was coming out with it.'

"Rule 28. The Brazen-head Rule is when a punster stands his ground against a whole company, though there is not one to side with him, to the utter destruction of all conversation but his own; e.g. says one, I hate a pun.' Then he, 'When a pun is meant, is it a punishment ? ’— 'Deuce take your quibbling!'-'Sir, I will not bate