Swift contrived an interview, from which they both departed difcontented: he procured a fecond, which only convinced him that the feud was irreconcilable; he told them his opinion, that all was loft. This denunciation was contradicted by Oxford, but Bolingbroke whispered that he was right.

Before this violent diffenfion had fhattered the Miniftry, Swift had published, in the beginning of the year (1714), The publick Spirit of the Whigs, in anfwer to The Crifis, a pamphlet for which Steele was expelled from the House of Commons. Swift was now fo far alienated from Steele as to think him no longer entitled to decency, and therefore treats him sometimes with contempt, and sometimes with abhorrence.

In this pamphlet the Scotch were mentioned in terms fo provoking to that irritable nation, that, resolving not to be offended with impunity, the Scotch Lords in a body demanded an audience of the Queen, and folicited reparation. A proclamation was ifflued, in which three hundred pounds was offered for discovery of the author. From this form

he was, as he relates, fecured by a fleight; of what kind, or by whofe prudence, is not known; and fuch was the increase of his reputation, that the Scottish Nation applied again that he would be their friend.

He was become fo formidable to the Whigs, that his familiarity with the Ministers was clamoured at in Parliament, particularly by two men, afterwards of great note, Aislabie and Walpole.

But, by the difunion of his great friends, his importance and his defigns were now at an end; and seeing his services at last useless, he retired about June (1714) into Berkshire, where, in the house of a friend, he wrote what was then fuppreffed, but has fince appeared under the title of Free Thoughts on the prefent State of Affairs.

While he was waiting in this retirement for events which time or chance might bring to pass, the death of the Queen broke down at once the whole fyftem of Tory Politicks; and nothing remained but to withdraw from

the

the implacability of triumphant Whiggism, and shelter himself in unenvied obfcurity.

The accounts of his reception in Ireland, given by Lord Orrery and Dr. Delany, are fo different, that the credit of the writers, both undoubtedly veracious, cannot be faved but by fuppofing, what I think is true, that they speak of different times. When Delany says that he was received with kindness and refpect, he means for the first fortnight, when he came to take legal poffeffion; and when Lord Orrery tells that he was pelted by the populace, he is to be understood of the time when, after the Queen's death, he became a fettled refident.

The Archbishop of Dublin gave him at firft fome difturbance in the exercise of his jurifdiction; but it was foon discovered, that between prudence and integrity he was feldom in the wrong; and that, when he was right, his spirit did not easily yield to oppofition.

Having fo lately quitted the tumults of a party and the intrigues of a court, they still

kept

kept his thoughts in agitation, as the fea fluctuates a while when the form has ceased. He therefore filled his hours with fome hiftorical attempts, relating to the Change of the Minifters and the Conduct of the Miniftry. He likewife is faid to have written a History of the Four laft Years of Queen Anne, which he began in her lifetime, and afterwards laboured with great attention, but never publifhed. It was after his death in the hands of Lord Orrery and Dr. King. A book under that title was published, with Swift's name, by Dr. Lucas; of which I can only fay, that it feemed by no means to correfpond with the notions that I had formed of it, from a converfation which I once heard between the Earl of Orrery and old Mr. Lewis.

Swift now, much against his will, commenced Irishman for life, and was to contrive how he might be beft accommodated in a country where he confidered himself as in a state of exile. It feems that his firft recourfe was to piety. The thoughts of death rushed upon him, at this time, with fuch inceffant importunity, that they took poffeffion

of

of his mind when he firft waked for many years together.

He opened his house by a publick table two days a week, and found his entertainments gradually frequented by more and more vifitants of learning among the men, and of elegance among the women. Mrs. Johnson had left the country, and lived in lodgings not far from the deanery. On his publick days the regulated the table, but always appeared at it as a mere gueft, like other Ladies.

On other days he often dined, at a stated price, with Mr. Worral, a clergyman of his cathedral, whofe houfe was recommended by the peculiar neatnefs and pleafantry of his wife. To this frugal mode of living, he was firft difpofed by care to pay fome debts which he had contracted, and he continued it for the pleasure of accumulating money. His avarice, however, was not fuffered to obftruct the claims of his dignity; he was ferved in plate, and used to fay that he was the pooreft gentleman in Ireland that eat up