he knew was that of Mrs. Whiteway, and her he ceafed to know in a little time. His meat was brought him cut into mouthfuls; but he would never touch it while the fervant ftaid, and at laft, after it had stood perhaps an hour, would eat it walking; for he continued his old habit, and was on his feet ten hours a-day.

Next year (1742) he had an inflammation in his left eye, which swelled it to the size of ar egg, with boils in other parts; he was kept long waking with the pain, and was not eafily restrained by five attendants from tearing out his eye.

The tumour at laft fubfided; and a fhort interval of reafon ensuing, in which he knew his physician and his family, gave hopes of his recovery; but in a few days he funk into lethargick ftupidity, motionless, heedlefs, and fpeechlefs. But it is faid, that, after a year of total filence, when his housekeeper, on the 30th of November, told him that the ufual bonfires and illuminations were preparing to celebrate his birth-day, he an→

fwered,

fwered, It is all folly; they had better let it alone.

It is remembered that he afterwards spoke how and then, or gave some intimation of a meaning; but at last funk into perfect filence, which continued till about the end of October 1744, when, in his seventy-eighth year, he expired without a struggle.

WHEN Swift is confidered as an author. it is just to estimate his powers by their effects. In the reign of Queen Anne he turned the ftream of popularity against the Whigs, and must be confeffed to have dictated for a time the political opinions of the English nation. In the fucceeding reign he delivered Ireland from plunder and oppreffion; and fhewed that wit, confederated with truth, had fuch force as authority was unable to refift. He faid truly of himself, that Ireland was his debtor. It was from the time when he firft began to patronize the Irish, that they may date their riches and profperity. He taught VOL. III.

Ff

them

them first to know their own intereft, their weight, and their ftrength, and gave them fpirit to affert that equality with their fellowfubjects to which they have ever fince been making vigorous advances, and to claim those rights which they have at last established. Nor can they be charged with ingratitude to their benefactor; for they reverenced him as a guardian, and obeyed him as a dictator.

In his works, he has given very different fpecimens both of sentiment and expreffion. His Tale of a Tub has little resemblance to his other pieces. It exhibits a vehemence and rapidity of mind, a copiousness of images, and vivacity of diction, fuch as he afterwards never poffeffed, or never exerted. It is of a mode fo diftinct and peculiar, that it must be confidered by itself; what is true of that, is not true of any thing else which he has written.

In his other works is found an equable tenour of eafy language, which rather trickles than flows. His delight was in fimplicity. That he has in his works no metaphor, as

has

has been said, is not true; but his few metaphors feem to be received rather by neceffity than choice. He ftudied purity; and though perhaps all his ftrictures are not exact, yet it is not often that folecifms can be found; and whoever depends on his authority may generally conclude himself safe. His fentences are never too much dilated or contracted; and it will not be easy to find any embarraffment in the complication of his clauses, any inconsequence in his connections, or abruptnefs in his tranfitions.

His ftyle was well fuited to his thoughts, which are never fubtilised by nice difquifitions, decorated by fparkling conceits, elevated by ambitious fentences, or variegated by far-fought learning. He pays no court to the paffions; he excites neither surprise nor admiration; he always understands himfelf, and his reader always understands him: the perufer of Swift wants little previous knowledge; it will be fufficient that he is acquainted with common words and common things; he is neither required to mount elevations, nor to explore profundities; his pas

fage is always on a level, along folid ground, without afperitics, without obftruction.

This easy and safe conveyance of meaning it was Swift's defire to attain, and for having attained he certainly deferves praise, though perhaps not the highest praife. For purposes merely didactick, when fomething is to be told that was not known before, it is in the Highest degree proper, but against that inattention by which known truths are suffered to lie neglected, it makes no provision; it infructs, but does not perfuade.

By his political education he was affociated with the Whigs; but he deferted them when they deferted their principles, yet without running into the contrary extreme; he continued throughout his life to retain the dispoition which he affigns to the Church-of-England Man, of thinking commonly with the Whigs of the State, and with the Tories of the Church.

He was a churchman rationally zealous; he defired the profperity and maintained the honour