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Memoirs of Jonathan Swift, D. D., Dean of St. Patricks, Dublin
Memoirs of Jonathan Swift D D Dean of St Patricks Dublin Author:Jonathan Swift Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SECTION 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... more » 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 returns to Ireland. Swift had now become more than doubtful of those well-grounded views of preferment, -which his interest with the great Whig leaders naturally offered. He resided at Laracor during the greater part of Lord Wharton's administration ; 1saw the lieutenant very seldom when he came to Dublin, and entered into no degree of intimacy with him or his friend?, excepting only with Addison. Such is his own account of his conduct, which he prepared for publication at a time when hundreds were alive and upon the watch to confute any iuaccuracy in his statement.' He adds, that upon an approaching change in the political administration, Lord Wharton affected of a sudden greatly to caress him, which he imputes to a wish of rendering him odious to the church party. The fall of that ministry, which had conducted with so much glory the war upon the Continent, was caused, or at least greatly accelerated by one of those explosions of popular feeling peculiar to the English nation. Swift, with all his genius, had in vain taught the doctrine of moderation ; but Sacheverel!, with as little talent as principle, at once roused the whole nation, and became himself elevated into a saint .and a martyr, by a single inflammatory sermon. He was carried in...« less