upon this occafion returned thither by the advice of his phyficians, who hoped that his native air would contribute to the recovery of his health. But from this journey he received no benefit; and therefore, in a fhort time, returned to Sir William, being ever afterwards fubject to that giddiness, which gradually increased, though with irregular intermiffion, till it terminated in total debility of body and mind *. But he was still indefatigable in his ftudies; and to prevent the lofs of health in the acquifition of knowledge, by the want of bodily exercife, it was his conftant practice to run up a hill that was near the houfe, and back again every two hours. The distance backwards and forwards was about half a mile, and he used to run it in about fix minutes. [D. S. p. 272.] By what books his ftudies were principally directed, cannot certainly be known. But feveral copious extracts from Cyprian, Irenæus, Sleidan's commentaries, and Padre Paolo's hiftory of the council of Trent, were found among his papers, which appear, by memorandums in his own hand-writing, to have been made while he lived with Sir William Temple. [D. S. p. 276.] About *To this furfeit (fays Lord Orrery) I have often heard him afcribe that giddinefs in his head, which, with intermiffions fometimes of a longer, and fometimes of a fhorter continuance, purfued him till it feemed to complete its conqueft, by rendering him the exact image of one of his Struldbruggs, a mifera ble fpectacle, devoid of every appearance of human nature, except the outward form. About a year after his return from. Ireland, he thought it expedient to take his degree of Mafter of Arts at Oxford. With this view he appears to have written to his uncle William Swift, to procure and fend him the teftimonium of his Bachelor's degree. With this teftimonium, which is dated May 3. 1692, he went to Oxford; where having received many civilities, he was admitted ad eundem, June 14, and took his Master's degree July 5. following. It has been faid, that the civilities which he received at Oxford, proceeded from a mifunderstanding of the phrase speciali gratia, which was there fuppofed to be a compliment paid to uncommon merit. [D. S. p. 30. 44. O. let. 1.] But these words are not to be found in that copy of the teftimonium which is entered into the congregation-book at Oxford *; and not to have in ferted * The certificate of his degree is as follows: "Omnibus quorum interest falutem. Nos præpofitus fociique "feniores Collegii Sacro-fanctæ et Individuæ Trinitatis juxta "Dublin, teftamur JONATHAN SWIFT die decimo quinto Fe"bruarii 1685 gradum Baccalaureatus in artibus fufcepiffe, præ"ftito prius fidelitatis erga Regiam Majeftatem juramento; quod de prædicto teftimonium, fubfcriptis fingulorum nomi"nibus, et collegii figillo quo in hifce utimur, confirmandum "curavimus. Datum die tertio Maii 1692. ROB. HUNTINGTON, Præpof. L. S. RICH. READER. GEO. BROWN. BEN. SCROGGS. Quibus in venerabili congregatione magistrorum regentium 14 die Junii 1692 habita publicatis, JONATHAN SWIFT (gra"tia S ferted them there, when they were thought a compliment, would have been an affront. It is therefore, probable, that, by the influence of Swift's uncle, they were omitted in the copy which he procured and fent; especially as fome fuch favour feems to be intimated in Swift's letter to him, after he had received it: "I am "ftill," fays he, "to thank you for your care' "in my teftimonium; and it was to a very "good purpose, for' I was never more fatisfied ❝than in the behaviour of the university." The civilities which he received at Oxford, might indeed proceed from his known connection with Sir William Temple; but he might reasonably impute them alfo to the fuppreffion of a reproach, against which there was good reafon to fear this connection would not have fupported him: Nor is it strange, that Swift, after his reputation was established, should, while he was sporting with this incident, in the gaiety of his heart, pretend a mistake which never happened, or that which he meant as a jest upon the university, should be ferioufly remembered as an event of his life. It has also been faid, that, upon his difgrace at Dublin, he refolved to pursue his ftudies at Oxford, "tia prius petita et conceffa) ad eundem gradum, ftatum, et dignitatem, admiffus fuit, apud Oxonienfes, quibus infigni"tus erat apud fuos Dublinienfes." "10 Nov. 1753, "vera copia "RIC. RAWLINSON." JONATHAN SWIFT, M. A. D. S. p. 43. 44. Oxford, where he almost constantly refided during three years, and was avowedly fupported by Sir William Temple. [O. let. 2.] But the contrary is inconteftably true; for there are not quite two months between the date of his teftimonium, and his taking his Master's degree. Befides, in the letter to his uncle juft mentioned, he fays, "I am afhamed to be more obliged in a few "weeks, to strangers, than in feven years to "Dublin college +." From Oxford he returned again to Moorpark, where he affifted Sir William Temple to revise his works, corrected and improved his Tale of a Tub, and added the digreffions. From the converfation of Sir William, who was minutely acquainted with all the intricacies of party, and the fecrets of state, during the reigns of King Charles II. and King James II. Swift greatly increafed his political knowledge. But having long * See the note above, p. 26. : I He went to college at the age of fourteen, in 1681; continued there feven years, as appears by his letter; fo that he did not leave Ireland till 1688. He was fome months with his mother before he went to Sir William, and two years with him before he went to Ireland for his health, which must therefore be in 1691 He returned from Ireland, and continued fome time longer with Sir William before he went to Oxford; which must therefore be in 1692; and in that very year he took his degree. The fact, therefore, which, Lord Orrery fays, was immediately conftrued to favour an opinion that Swift was Sir William's natural fon, appears never to have happened. See Swift's sketch of his own life. Hawkef. Swift tranflated, for Sir William, his letters out of the original French into English. D. S. p. 99. long fufpected Sir William of neglecting to provide for him, merely that he might keep him in his family, he at length refented it fo warmly, that, in 1694, a quarrel enfued, and they parted. It is probable that Swift did not leave Sir William for fuch a reason, without fevere expoftulation, not only becaufe Swift was no refpecter of perfons, but because it appears that Sir William, though he was extremely angry, admitted his claim to fome provifion, by offering to make him his deputy as Mafter of the Rolls in Ireland. This offer, however, Swift did not accept; but replied, that fince he had now an opportunity of living without being driven into the church for fupport, a fcruple which had hitherto kept him out of it, he was determined to go into Ireland, and take orders. Swift, during his refidence with Sir William, had never failed to vifit his mother at Leicester, once a-year; and his manner of travelling, was very extraordinary. He always went on foot, except the weather was very bad; and then he would fometimes take fhelter in a waggon. He chofe to dine at obfcure alehoufes, among pedlars and hoftlers, and to lie where he faw written over the door' Lodgings for a penny ;' but he ufed to bribe the maid with a tefter, for a fingle bed, and clean fheets. He delighted (fays Lord Orrery) in fcenes of low life. The vulgar dialect was not only a fund of humour for him, but I verily believe was acceptable to his nature; VOL. I. D otherwife |