THE CHARACTER OF DOCTOR SWIFT, AFTER HIS DEATH.

October 21st 1734.

On Saturday last, died, at the Deanery-
House in Kevin Street,

The Rev. JONATHAN SWIFT, D. D.
Dean of St Patrick's Dublin:

The greatest genius that this or perhaps any other age or nation ever produced.

His indefatigable application to study in his earlier
days, induced a total deprivation of his
understanding, in which state he has
continued for some years past.
His writings,

Which must be admired as long as the English
language continues to be understood,
Are remarkable for a vein of wit and humour,
Which runs through the whole of them without
exception, and which is not to be met with
in those of any other author.

His satire, though poignant, was intended rather to reform than ridicule;

His manner was ever easy and natural;
His thoughts new and pleasing;
His style chaste and polished:

His verse smooth and flowing.

In his private character he was no less excellent :
His conversation was always pleasant and agreeable;
He was pious without hypocrisy,
Virtuous without austerity,

And beneficent without ostentation.
As he loved his country,

So he was ever watchful of its interest,
And zealous to promote it.
No wonder then,

That, with these qualifications and endowments,
He became the delight of his countrymen,
And the admiration of foreigners.
In short, it may with justice be said,
That he was a great and good man,

An honour to his country, and to human nature.

A PORTRAIT OF DR SWIFT,

Presented to the University of Oxford by the late John Barber, Esq. is placed in the Picture Gallery there, with this Inscription:

JONATHAN SWIFT,

DECAN. R. PATRIC. DVBL.

EFFIGIEM VIRI MVSIS AMICISSIMI,

INGENIO PRORSVS SIBI PROPRIO CELEBERRIMI,
VT IPSVM SVIS OXONIENSIBVS ALIQVATENVS
REDONARET,

PARIETEM HABERE VOLVIT BODLEIANVM,
A. D. MDCCXXXIX,

IOHANNES BARBER, ARMIGER,
ALDERMANNVS,

NEC ITA PRIDEM PRAETOR LONDINENSIS.

In English:

JONATHAN SWIFT,

DEAN OF ST PATRICK'S, DUBLIN. This portrait of the Muses' friend, Of a happy turn of wit, peculiar to himself, That he might in some sort be restored to his Oxford Friends,

Was placed in the wall of the Bodleian gallery.

A. D. MDCCXXXIX,

At the desire of JOHN BARBER, Esquire,
Alderman, and some time Lord Mayor of London.

Dr Stopford, bishop of Cloyne, who always acknowledged that he owed every step of his preferment entirely to Swift, paid the following tribute to the memory of his deceased friend and benefactor :

66 MEMORIE JONATH. SWIFT, S.

"QUEM vivum ex animo coluit, amico liceat mortuum deflere, atque hoc qualicunque fungi munere.

"A. C. 1745 Octobris die 1900 obiit JONATHAN SWIFT Decanus Ecclesia Cathedralis Sancti Patricii Dubliniensis ; vixit annos septuaginta septem, decem menses, 19 dies.

"Vir ultra quam homini concessum videtur, maximis ornatus virtutibus. Vires ingenii mirandæ potius, quam a quoquam exoptandæ ; quas exercuit præcipuè in politicis & poetica.

"Incorruptus inter pessimos mores; magni atque constantis animi; libertatis semper studiossimus, atque nostri reipublicæ status, a Gothis quondam sapienter instituti, laudator perpetuus, propugnator acerrimus. Cujus tamen formam, ambitu & largitione adeo fædatam ut vix nunc dignosci possit, sæpius indignabundus plorabat.

"Patriæ amore flagrans sortem Hiberniæ, quoties deflevit! quoties laboranti subvenit! Testis epistolæ illæ nunquam interituræ, quibus, insulam miserè labantem, jamque juga ahenea subeuntem, erexit, confirmavit; impiis inimicorum conatibus fortiter infractis, prostratis.

"Privatam si inspicias vitam, cum illo gratias, lepores, sales interiisse dicas; quibus suavissimè sermones conditi, summo tamen cum decore, utpote cui unicè propositum, quod verum, quod decens, amicis, et civibus suis assidue commendare.

"Nec levior flagitiorum vindex, fraudes, ambitionem, avaritiam, dictis acerrimè laceravit, exemplo feliciter oppressit.

"Erga bonos comis, liberalis, pius, commodis amicorum anxiè inserviens; pro pauperibus semper sollicitus ; quorum egestati in hac urbe mirè consuluit, pecuniâ mutuo datâ infimis artificum, in ratâ, eâque exigua portione per septimanas rependenda, unde multi paupertati jam succumbentes, sese paulatim expedierunt.

"Idem, abstinentiæ exemplar antiquum, parcè atque duriter rem familiarem administravit; quasque sibi inutiles spernebat opes, sedulo tamen comparatas, domui hospitali condendæ, moriens magnificè legavit: ubi idiotæ et lunatici, collati muneris ignari, piè semper tractarentur.

"Hic vir, tantus talisque, qui vividis ingenii viribus longè genus humanum superabat, a civibus ingratis diu neglectus, magnatum invidiam sæpius, gratiam vix unquam expertus, triginta duos annos latuit in Hiberniâ, nullo ultra decana

tum insignitus titulo; quod tamen illi pro votis accidisse inter amicos constat, quippe cui semper in ore erat; non tam referre, quo genere honorum sis ornatus, quam a quibus et inter quos.

"Tandem senio, atque intolerandis capitis doloribus confectus, mente, memoria, sensu paulatim deficientibus, jamque penitus extinctis, per quatuor postremos vitæ annos, inter mærentes amicos mortuus vixit; quem tamen omni laude dignissimum ritè consecrant divina ingenii lumina.”

END OF VOLUME I.

Printed by G. Ramsay & Co.
Edinburgh, 1814.