THE

WORKS

OF

JONATHAN SWIFT, D.D.

DEAN OF ST PATRICK'S, DUBLIN ;

CONTAINING

ADDITIONAL LETTERS, TRACTS, AND POEMS,

NOT HITHERTO PUBLISHED;

WITH

NOTES,

AND

A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR,

BY

SIR WALTER SCOTT, Bart.

SECOND EDITIO

VOLUME I.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED For ArchibaLD CONSTABLE AND CO. EDINBURGH;
AND HURST, ROBINSON, AND CO. LONDON.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED BY JAMES BALLANTYNE AND CO.

CONTENTS

OF

VOLUME FIRST.

MEMOIRS OF JONATHAN SWIFT, D. D.

FAGE.

iii

ADVERTISEMENT,

SECT. I. Swift's Parentage and Birth. His Life at College. His first

Residence with Sir William Temple. Visits Oxford. He takes Or-

ders, and obtains the Living of Kilroot. Resigns that Living in

favour of a Friend, and returns to England. His second Re-

sidence with Sir William Temple. The Battle of the Books, and

Tale of a Tub. Verses on the Burning of Whitehall. Swift's

Correspondence with Miss Waryng. He becomes acquainted

with Stella. Sir William Temple dies, and bequeaths his Works

to Swift. Swift's views of Promotion at the Court are disap-

pointed,

SECT. II.-Swift goes to Ireland with Lord Berkeley. His Differen-

ces with that Nobleman. Obtains the Living of Laracor. He is

displeased with his Sister's Marriage. His mode of Life at Lara-

cor. Mrs Dingley and Stella come to Ireland. Tisdal makes Pro-

posals of Marriage to Stella. Swift embarks in Politics. His opi-

nion of the affairs of Church and State. Tale of a Tub,

SECT. III.-Swift's Journey to England, in 1710. His Quarrel with

the Whigs, and Union with Harley and the Administration. He

writes the Examiner, the Character of Lord Wharton, and

other Political Tracts. Obtains the First-Fruits and Twentieth-

Parts for the Irish Clergy. His Correspondence with Archbishop

King. His intimacy with the Ministers. The Services which

he renders to them. Project for improving the English Language.

His protection of Literary Characters. Difficulties attending his

Church preferment. He is made Dean of St Patrick's, and re-

turns to Ireland,

3

59

112

PAGE.

173

222

SECT. IV. Swift takes possession of his Deanery. Is recalled to Eng-

land to reconcile Harley and St John. Increases in favour with

Oxford. Engages again in Political Controversy. Writes the Pub-

lic Spirit of the Whigs. A reward offered for discovery of the

Author. The Dissensions of the Ministers increase. Swift retires

to the Country. Writes Thoughts on the Present State of Affairs.

Writes to Lord Oxford on his being displaced. And retires to

Ireland on the Queen's Death. His Reception. His Society.

The interest he displayed in the Misfortunes of his Friends,

SECT. V. Swift's first Acquaintance with Miss Vanhomrigh. She

follows him to Ireland. Swift's Marriage with Stella. Death of

Miss Vanhomrigh. Poem of Cadenus and Vanessa. Swift's Stu-

dies during his retirement from 1714 to 1720. His System of

Life and Amusements. Engages in Irish Politics. His Proposal

for Encouragement of Irish Manufactures, and other Tracts.

Drapier's Letters. Swift's subsequent Popularity,

SECT. VI.-Swift retires to Quilca. His Friendship for Sheridan. He

visits England. Has an Audience of Walpole. Becomes known

at the Prince of Wales's Court. Returns to Ireland, and pub-

lishes Gulliver's Travels. He revisits England, and is recalled

by Stella's Indisposition. Her Death. Swift breaks with the Court

and Minister. His Writings on Irish Affairs. He quarrels with

Lord Allen. Is intimate with Carteret. A Letter is forged in his

name to the Queen. His Miscellaneous Prose Writings about this

period. His Poems. His Residence at Gossford with Sir Arthur

Acheson, and the Verses which were written there,

. 306

SECT. VII.-Swift's Conduct as a dignified Clergyman. His Contro-

versies with the Dissenters, and with the Bishops of Ireland.

Verses on his own Death. Faulkner's Edition of his Works. His

Quarrel with Bettesworth. Satire on Quadrille. Legion Club.

Controversy concerning the Lowering of the Gold Coin. History

of Queen Anne's Reign. Swift's private Life at this period. He

disposes of his Fortune to found an Hospital. He sinks into In-

capacity. His Death,

CONCLUSION.-Person, Habits, and Private Character of Swift. His

Conversation. His Reading. Apparent Inconsistencies in his Cha-

racter. His Charity. His Talents for Criticism.

the Dean as a Poet. As a Prose Author,

APPENDIX TO MEMOIRS OF JONATHAN SWIFT,

Character of

395

457

497

ADVERTISEMENT.

No Author in the British language has enjoyed the extensive popularity of the celebrated Dean of St Patrick's. Neither the local and temporary nature of the subjects on which his pen was frequently engaged, nor other objections of a more positive nature, have affected the brilliancy of his reputation. In spite of the antiquated and unpopular nature of his politics,-in spite of the misanthropical and indelicate tone of some of his writings, and the trifling character of others, -the vivid and original power of his genius has supported him in the general opinion, to an extent only equalled by his friend Pope, and far surpassing any other of those geniuses