Home › S › Swift (JONATHAN Dean of St Patrick's)

Swift (JONATHAN Dean of St Patrick's)

JONATHAN (1667-1745), Dean of St. Patrick's, was born in Dublin on Nov. 30, 1667, the posthumous son of Jonathan Swift, an Irish lawyer of Eng and Trinity College, Dublin, from which he graduated with difficulty. During this period he was supported by his uncles, but their generosity was either so limited and developed a fierce desire for independence. For his mother he gratitude and for independence. For his mother he seems to have always had a genuine affection.

On account of the disturbances at- Swift left Ireland, and after a period with his mother at Leicester, was taken Swift left Ireland, and after a period into the family of Sir William Temple, JONATHAN SWIFT the statesman and essayist, as a kind of secretary, and proved himself extremely useful. In 1694 he took orders and received a living at Kilroot near Belfast, but after two years was recalled by memoirs for publication. He employed his abundant leisure in hard reading, and wrote in 1697 his first important work, "The Battle of the Books," published in to the famous quarrel of the ancients and moderns, which Temple had brought to England from France. Along with powerful satire upon the divisions of Christianity, full of effective ridicule of SWIFT SWIFT shams and pedantry. Temple died in Wood was to have a patent for copper 1699, and a year or more later, Swift re- coinage at the expense of the Irish peoceived the livings of Laracor, Agher, ple. This success made Swift very popand Rathbeggan in Ireland. These he ular, and inclined him to take up politics held till 1713, when he was made Dean again. In 1726 he went to London, of St. Patrick's, Dublin. He had not, however, lived in Ireland continuously during these years, but had spent much of his time in London, where he was intimate with Addison, Steel, Congreve, and others of the wits of the time of Queen Anne. He became involved in politics, first on the Whig, after 1708 on the Tory side. It was the great period of political pamphleteering. Swift's pen was much in demand, and he was deep in the intrigues of the time. He worked hard on behalf of the Irish clergy, and did much to relieve the poverty of fellow authors. Among his most important partisan writings during this period were the papers in the "Examiner," between Nov. 2, 1710, and June 14, 1711, directed against the continuation of the war with France, and a pamphlet on "The Conduct of the Allies" (1711). He was closely associated with Harley, Earl of Oxford, and on his fall and the death of Queen Anne in 1714, Swift retired to Dublin.

During his residence with Sir William Temple, Swift had become intimate with Esther Johnson ("Stella"), also a member of the household. After the death of her mother, Stella and her friend, Mrs.

Dingley, went to live in Ireland, often occupying Swift's houses at Dublin and Laracor, and for her Swift wrote while he was in London the famous "Journal to Stella." The actual nature of their relation has never been definitely ascertained, many authorities believing that they were married. If there was a marriage it was merely formal, though Stella was passionately devoted to Swift, and he had for her great admiration and affection. But it is probable that his knowledge of his own temperament and his love of independence kept him single. During his sojourn in London he formed a close friendship with Esther Vanhomrigh, who also came to love him devotedly, and who was the inspiration of his poem, "Cadenus and Vanessa." She also followed him to Ireland and in 1723 wrote asking if he were married to Stella. He rode to her house, threw down the letter, and went out without speaking. Esther died from the shock.

Some time after his return to Ireland Swift became interested in the political grievances of that country, and in 1724 he published the series of "Drapier's Letters," which was effective in breaking up a scheme by which, through a bribe to the king's mistress, a certain visited Gay and Pope, and published "Gulliver's Travels," which became instantly famous. This political allegory has the curious characteristic of being a children's classic and at the same time a pitiless satire on human nature in general and on the politics of his own day in particular. On this visit Swift attempted in vain to get Walpole, now Prime Minister, to share his view of the wrongs of the English in Ireland. He was again in England in the next year, hoping for preferment under the new King, George II., but he was disappointed and returned to Ireland for the last time, tortured by the prospect of the death of Stella, which occurred in January, 1728.

For some years he continued to write political pamphlets, the tone of which showed, if possible, increasing bitterness and ferocity. He quarrelled elled with most of the people of high station with whom he came in contact, but constantly exerted himself to aid his inferiors.

Toward the end of his life his mind began to give way, and during the last three years he lay paralyzed and apathetic. He died on Oct. 19, 1745, and was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral by the side of Stella. On his grave was carved an inscription by himself, saying that he had gone "ubi saeva indignatio ulterius cor lacerare nequit."

Swift is the greatest of English satirists. He wielded a pen of extraordinary power, and expressed by it a temperament of great intensity. He was a pessimist and misanthropist, and the injustices and shams of men stirred him to rage. In his personal relations he was extremely masterful, but to those who submitted he could be tender and affectionate. He left over £10,000 to found a hospital in Dublin, and he spent a large part of his income on charity. Yet he met few people whom he did not insult, and he was early embittered by disappointed ambition. From his friendships and affections he seems to have suffered more than he enjoyed, and the life of no Englishman of letters is so unhappy and so terrible.