had been used to ride; and he would then fay he had earned a fhilling or eighteen-pence, which he had a right to do what he pleased with, and which he constantly applied to his ufual charities; which by this expedient he could continue, and yet expend lefs upon the whole than before. But the diftribution of this charity even was marked with the peculiarity of his character; for that he might proportion his bounty to the neceffities and the merit of various objects, and yet give but one piece of money at a time, he conftantly kept a pocket full of all forts of coin, from a filver three-pence to a crown-piece. [J. R. p. 13.]

But as his defire of immediate gain was not gratified at the expence of the poor, to whofe diftrefs he was a witnefs; neither was it gratified at the expence of those whom it was impoflible he fhould know, though he had many opportunities of doing it.

He once refolved never to renew a certain leafe belonging to the deanry, without raising the rent 30l. a year. The tenant had often folicited him. instead of raifing the rent, to take a large fine : And this man, a very short time before the Dean loft his memory, urged him with a very large fum, fuppofing, that as raifing the rent could only enrich the Dean's fucceffor, and a large fine would come into his own coffer, he fhould certainly fucceed. The Dean however maintained his integrity, refufed the offer with indignation, and fulfilled his purpose of raifing the rent ; though

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though at this time his memory was fo bad, that the next day he did not remember what he had done, and his love of money fo predominant over every thing but his virtue, that, though he complained of being deferted, yet he banished his best friends, merely to fave the expence of entertaining them; and would fometimes refufe them a fingle bottle of wine. [J. R. p. 208, 145.]

As an ecclefiaftic, he was scrupulously exact in the exercise of his function, as well with regard to fpiritual as temporal things *. As to his cathedral, he expended more money to fupport and adorn

Great coolness of temper, gentleness of deportment, and a profound respect to his fuperiors in the church, were the distinguishing characteristics of Dr Swift. The following story may not be improper here. Bp ***, who had been lately tranflated from Bangor to the fee of Meath, had not only the misfortune, in the violent days of party, to reflect with fome degree of afperity on the Reverend Mr ***. one of his own clergy; but alfo to recommend unto his whole diocefe the wearing of numms, or fcraps of linen to cover dirty fhirts. This behaviour in the Bishop, and especially this recommendation of numms, fired the indignation of Swift to the uttermoft. He fell upon the Bishop, when he got him into the fynod, with outrageous feverity; and after he had fpoken in defence of Mr "What," said he, "do you think you have gotten among your Welch clergy? I would have you to know, faid he, ftripping up his caflock from his arms, and tearing open the breaft of his wailcoats" that you have gotten into a diocefe of gentlemen, who " abhor dirt, and filth, and nastinefs." And thus he drove on, lafhing the Bishop, and making him feel his farcafins. Two gentlemen lay concealed in the church of Trim, during the time of the fynod, not without the connivance of Dr Swift, who had in a great measure invited them to the feaft. D. S. p. 272, 3.

adorn it, than had been applied to the fame use in any period fince it was firft built *. He was extremely exact and confcientious, in promoting the members of his choir according to their merit; and never advanced any person to a vicarage, who was not qualified in all respects, and in the highest degree, whatever their intereft, or however recommended: And he once refused a vicarage to a perfon for whom the Lady Carteret was very importunate; though he declared to her Ladyfhip, that if it had been in his power to have made the gentleman a Dean or a Bishop, he would have obliged her willingly; because, he faid, deanries and bishopricks were preferments

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* In all business relating to his chapter, he pursued their public intereft with firmness and conftancy. He, befides, took as much care to regulate his choir, as if he himself had really fome regard for mufic. But in this he was always guided by the opinion of those who were fuppofed to have been judges of harmony. And that his choir might do their duty, particularly on Sunday nights, when variety of the better fort ufually came to hear the anthem, he conftantly went to the church himself. This purs me in mind of an anecdote which happened in those times. An idle, carelefs fellow, but an excellent finger, and one of the best performers belonging to his cathedral, having laboured for fome time under the higheft difpleasure of the Dean, was forced to abfent himself from the church, and keep entirely out of his fight. But at laft, one Sunday evening, having ventured into the finging loft, full in the view of the Dean, he began that particular anthem, Whither fhall I go, whither fhall I go, whither fhall I fly, from thy prefence? "jail, you dog you, to jail," faid the Doctor, in a voice loud enough to be heard by many that were about him. But the next morning, he forgave the poor finner, on his promise of amendment. D. S. p. 371.

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in which merit had no concern, though the merit of a vicar would be brought to the teft every day. Nor would he fuffer one fhilling of the cathedral-money to be alienated from its proper ufe, even for the purpose of charity. When any perfon folicited fuch an alienation, he used to tell them that this money was appropriated; but, fays he, as you declare the person to be relieved is an object of Christian charity, I will give out of my private purse any fum proportioned to my revenue, if you will contribute a fum in the fame proportion to yours. My deanry is worth seven hundred pounds, your income is two: If you will give two fhillings, I will give feven, or any larger fum after the fame rate. [J. R. p. 192.]

As to the poor in the liberty of his own cathedral, they were better regulated than any other in the kingdom; they were all badged, and were never found begging out of their diftrict: For thefe he built and furnished a little alms-house, being affifted by fome voluntary contributions; and preferved among them uncommon cleanlinefs and decency, by conftantly vifiting them in perfon. [J. R. p. 8.]

It has already been remarked, that though he did not himself understand mufic, yet he always attended at the performance of the anthem, that the choir might do their duty. But he had another practice yet more fingular and more useful. As foon as the preacher mounted the pul

pit, he pulled out a pencil and piece of paper, and carefully noted whatever was wrong, both in the expreffions, and the manner in which they were delivered, whether they were too fcholaftic to be generally understood, or fo coarfe and vulgar as to lose their dignity; and he never failed to make these the fubject of an admonition to the preacher, as foon as he came into the chapterhoufe. [See Letter to a young Clergyman, in vol. x. p. 1.]

He improved even his living of Laracor, tho' he continued there but a short time, and left both the house and glebe a convenient and agreeable retreat to his fucceffor, at a confiderable expence, for which he knew no return would be made to his executors; and he determined to affert his right of abfence against the Archbishop of Dublin, at the expence of feveral hundred pounds, at a time when he did not believe he fhould ever more claim the privilege for himfelf, because he would not endanger the liberty of his fucceffor by an injurious precedent.

There is no act of virtue which men have fo often substituted for the peculiar pofitive duties of Chriftians, as liberality to the poor, nor any by which they have fo often hoped to atone for the breach of every other moral obligation.

But the Dean, though he abounded in charity, was not lefs diligent in the practice of other virtues, or lefs devout and conftant in the folemnities of religion. He was remarkably temperate both

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