Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

ACCOUNT of the LIFE of Dr JONATHAN SWIFT, Dean of St Patrick's, Dublin.

A

LATE writer juftly observes, that "there "has rarely paffed a life, of which a ju"dicious and faithful narrative would not be "ufeful. For" (adds he) “not only every man "has, in the mighty mafs of the world, great. "numbers in the fame condition with him"felf, to whom his mistakes and miscarriages, "efcapes and expedients, would be of immediate and apparent ufe; but there is fuch an uni"formity in the state of man, if it be considered

apart from adventitious and feparable decora"tions and difguifes, that there is fcarce any "poffibility of good or ill, but is common to "human-kind. A great part of the time of "thofe who are placed at the greatest distance by "fortune, or by temper, muft unavoidably pafs "in the fame manner: And though, when the "claims of nature are fatisfied, caprice, and va"nity, and accident begin to produce difcrimi"nations and peculiarities; yet the eye is not

[ocr errors]

very heedful or quick, which cannot discover "the fame caufes ftill terminating their influence "in the fame effects, though fometimes accele"rated, fometimes retarded, or perplexed by

"multiplied

"multiplied combinations. We are all prompted "by the fame motives, all deceived by the fame "fallacies, all animated by hope, obftructed by "danger, intangled by defire, and feduced by "pleasure *."

If a faithful and judicious narrative of an ordinary life would be fo apparently useful; ftill greater utility may be expected to arife, from that of the life of one who has made an illuftrious. figure on the ftage of the world, and employed his talents in the fervice of mankind and his country. Dr Swift was certainly a man of that distinguished character. He was eminent for his genius, his learning, his charities, and many virtues: And tho' he had faults, yet his faults were out-numbered by his virtues: And as the failings of great men are to be carefully avoided, their virtues command refpect, and are proper objects of imitation. An account, therefore, of the life and character of the celebrated Dr Swift, cannot but be highly agreeable to the reader, and will, it is hoped, afford both delight and instruction.

DR JONATHAN SWIFT was defcended from a younger branch of an ancient family of that name in Yorkshire. But the account of his family fhall be as fhort as poffible; fince, (as Lord Orrery obferves), though his ancestors were perfons of very decent and reputable characters, [and the elder branch of the family ennobled,] he himself has been the herald to blazon the dignity

The Rambler, No. 60.

nity of their coat. Bernam Swift, Efq; other wife called Cavaliero Swift, a gentleman of great wit and humour, who, in the reign of K. James I. poffeffed the paternal eftate, was, on the 20th of March 1627, by K. Charles I. created a peer of Ireland, by the title of Lord Viscount Carlingford, tho' it is faid he never went into that kingdom. He died without male iffue; and the family inheritance defcended to the daughters; one of whom married Robert Fielding, commonly called Handfome Fielding, and the other the Earl of Eglinton. Fielding foon diffipated his wife's patrimony; and that of her fifter being transferred to the family of Lord Eglinton, the principal estate of the Swifts was divided from the name for ever. [Sketch, § 1.]

One of the younger branches from the fame ftem, was Sir Edward Swift, who distinguished himself by his attachment to the royal caufe, in the war between King Charles I. and his parliament, from whom there is no defcendent of the name. [Sketch, § 2.]

Another of the younger branches, was the Rev. Mr Thomas Swift, vicar of Goodrich, Herefordfhire, with which he alfo held another ecclefiaftical living.

His father William Swift, rector of St Andrew's in Canterbury, married the heiress of Philpot; who contrived to keep her eftate, which was very confiderable, in her own hands. She is faid to have been extremely capricious and ill-na

tured,

[ocr errors]

tured, and to have difinherited her fon Thomas, an only child, merely for robbing an orchard when he was a boy. But however this be, it is certain, that except a church or chapter leafe, which was not renewed, Thomas never poffeffed more than 100 l. a-year. [Sketch, § 4.] This little estate, which lay at Goodrich, in Herefordfhire, he mortgaged for 300 broad pieces; and having quilted them into his waistcoat, he fet out for Ragland castle, whither King Charles I. had retired after the battle of Nafeby, in 1645. The governor, who well knew him, asked what was his errand? "I am come," faid Swift, to give his Majefty my coat;" at the fame time pulling it off, and prefenting it. The governor told him pleafantly, that his coat was worth little, "Why then," faid Swift, "take my waistcoat." This was foon found to be an ufeful garment by its weight; and it is remarked by Lord Clarendon, that the King received no fupply more feafonable or acceptable than thefe 300 broad pieces during the whole war, his distress being then very great, and his refources cut off. The zeal and activity of this gentleman for the royal cause, expofed him to much danger, and many fufferings. He was plundered more than thirty times by the parliament's army, and was ejected from his church-livings; his eftate was fequeftered, and he was himself thrown into prifon. His eftate, however, was afterwards recovered, and part of it fold to pay the money due on the mortgage, and

fome

fome other debts; the remainder, being about one half, defcended to his heir, and is now poffeffed by his great-grandfon, Deane Swift, Efq; *. [Sketch, § 8.]

This Mr Thomas Swift married Mrs Elizabeth Dryden, of an ancient family in Huntingdonshire, fifter to the father of the famous John Dryden the poet; by whom he had ten fons and four daughters. He died in 1658; and of his fons, fix furvived him, Godwin, Thomas, Dryden, William, Jonathan, and Adam. [Sk. § 14. 15. 16.]

Thomas was bred at Oxford, and took orders. He married the eldest daughter of Sir William D'Avenant; but dying young, he left only one fon, whofe name alfo was Thomas, and who died in May 1752, in the 87th year of his age, rector of Puttenham in Surrey, a benefice which he had poffeffed fixty years. [Sketch, § 5.] Godwin was a barrister of Gray's Inn; and William, Dryden, Jonathan, and Adam, were attorneys.

Godwin having married a relation of the old Marchionefs of Ormond, the old Duke of Ormond made him his attorney-general in the palatinate of Tipperary in Ireland. Ireland was at this time almoft without lawyers, the rebellion having made almost every man, of whatever condition,

* The grandmother of this gentleman, one of the wives of Godwin Swift, was heiress to Admiral Deane, one of the Regicides; whence Deane became a Chriftian name in the family.. [Sketch. § 14.]

« AnteriorContinuar »