In a short poem on the Presbyterians, whom he always regarded with deteftation, he bestowed one ftricture upon Bettesworth, a lawyer eminent for his infolence to the clergy, which, from very confiderable reputation, brought him into immediate and univerfal contempt. Bettesworth, enraged at his difgrace and lofs, went to Swift, and demanded whether he was the author of that poem. "Mr. Bettefworth," anfwered he, "I was in my youth acquainted with great lawyers, who, knowing my difpofition to fatire, advised me, that, if any fcoundrel or blockhead whom I had lampooned "fhould afk, Are you the author of this paper, "I fhould tell him that I was not the author; "and therefore I tell you, Mr. Bettesworth, that I am not the author of these lines."

Bettefworth was fo little fatisfied with this account, that he publickly profeffed his refolution of a violent and corporal revenge; but the inhabitants of St. Patrick's diftrict embodied themselves in the Dean's defence; and Bettefworth declared in Parliament, that Swift had deprived him of twelve hundred pounds a year.

Swift was popular a while by another mode of beneficence. He fet afide fome hundreds to be lent in fmall fums to the poor, from five fhillings, I think, to five pounds. He took no interest, and only required that, at repayment, a small fee should be given to the accomptant; but he required that the day of promised payment should be exactly kept. A fevere and punctilious temper is ill qualified for transactions with the poor; the day was often broken, and the loan was not repaid. This might have been eafily forefeen; but for this Swift had made no provision of patience or pity. He ordered his debtors to be fued. A fevere creditor has no popular character; what then was likely to be faid of him who employs the catchpoll under the appearance of charity? The clamour against him was loud, and the refentment of the populace outrageous; he was therefore forced to drop his fcheme, and own the folly of expecting punctuality from the poor.

His afperity continually increasing, condemned him to folitude; and his refentment of folitude fharpened his afperity. He was

not,

not, however, totally deferted: fome men of learning, and fome women of elegance, often visited him; and he wrote from time to time either verfe or profe; of his verfes he willingly gave copies, and is fupposed to have felt no difcontent when he saw them printed. His favourite maxim was vive la bagatelle; he thought trifles a neceffary part of life, and perhaps found them neceffary to himself. It feems impoffible to him to be idle, and his diforders made it difficult or dangerous to be long feriously ftudious, or laboriously diligent. The love of eafe is always gaining upon age, and he had one temptation to petty amusements peculiar to himself; whatever he did, he was fure to hear applauded; and fuch was his predominance over all that approached, that all their applaufes were probably fincere. He that is much flattered, foon learns to flatter himself: we are commonly taught our duty by fear or fhame, and how can they act upon the man who hears nothing but his own praises?

As his years increased, his fits of giddiness and deafnefs grew more frequent, and his deafnefs

5

deafnefs made converfation difficult; they grew likewife more fevere, till in 1736, as he was writing a poem called The Legion Club, he was feized with a fit so painful, and fo long continued, that he never after thought it proper to attempt any work of thought or labour.

He was always careful of his money, money, and was therefore no liberal entertainer; but was lefs frugal of his wine than of his meat. When his friends of either fex came to him, in expectation of a dinner, his custom was to give every one a fhilling, that they might please themselves with their provifion. At laft his avarice grew too powerful for his kindness; he would refufe a bottle of wine, and in Ireland no man vifits where he cannot drink.

Having thus excluded converfation, and defifted from study, he had neither business nor amusement; for having, by fome ridiculous refolution or mad vow, determined never to wear spectacles, he could make little ufe of books in his later years: his ideas, therefore,

therefore, being neither renovated by difcourfe nor increafed by reading, wore gradually away, and left his mind vacant to the vexations of the hour, till at last his anger was heightened into madness.

He however permitted one book to be published, which had been the production of former years; Polite Converfation, which appeared in 1738. The Directions for Servants was printed foon after his death. These two performances fhew a mind inceffantly attentive, and, when it was not employed upon great things, bufy with minute occurrences. It is apparent that he must have had the habit of noting whatever he obferved; for fuch a number of particulars could never have been affembled by the power of recollection.

He grew more violent; and his mental powers declined till (1741) it was found neceffary that legal guardians fhould be appointed of his person and fortune. He now loft diftinction. His madness was compounded of rage and fatuity. The laft face that