Cromwell's soldiers, adventurers, established here, who were all of the sourest leaven and the meanest birth, and whose posterity are now in possession of their lands and their principles." His faithful servant, Alexander Magee, died within a few days. The Dean buried him in the cathedral, and read the service over him with tears in his eyes. Four and twenty years later, when his own turn came, and he was to be laid in the grave, his cousin, Mrs. Whiteway, indignant at "the sordid and unbecoming obscurity" in which the executors proposed to perform the funeral, wrote to one of them as follows: Surely to hang the room Dr. Swift lies in with black, to give him an hearse, and a few mourning coaches, would be judged a funeral sufficiently private for so great a man; and that he himself thought decency requisite at a funeral, may be known by what he did for his honest, trusty servant, Alexander Magee." Swift put over him the following inscription : "Here lieth the body of His grateful master caused this monument to be Ob. Mar. 24, 1721. Etat. 29." "In the original draught," writes Dr. Delany, 66 which I saw in the Dean's own handwriting, it stood thus:- 'His grateful friend and master, &c.' A gentleman of the Dean's acquaintance, much more distinguished for vanity than wisdom, prevailed upon him to leave out the word 'friend,' and only write 'his grateful master'; and this in contradiction to a known maxim of his own: That an affectionate and faithful servant should always be considered in the character of an humble friend.' Lord Chesterfield held with him in this, who in his will, bequeathing legacies to all his household servants that had lived with him five years, added: "Whom I consider as unfortunate friends, my equals by nature, and my inferiors only by the difference of our fortunes." Mrs. Pilkington tells how "Swift discharged a servant only for rejecting the petition of a poor old woman. She was very ancient, and on a cold morning sat at the Deanery steps a considerable time, during which the Dean saw her through a window. His footman happened to come to the door; and the poor creature besought him in a piteous tone to give that paper to his reverence. The servant read it, and told her with infinite scorn, His master had something else to mind than her petition.' What is that you say, fellow?' said the Dean, looking out at the window. • Come He up here.' The man tremblingly obeyed him. also desired the poor woman to come before him, made her sit down, and ordered her some bread and wine. After which he turned to the man, and said, At what time, Sir, did I order you to open a paper directed to me, or to refuse a letter from any one? Hark ye, sirrah, you have been admonished by me for drunkenness, idling and other faults; but since I have discovered your inhuman disposition, I must dismiss you from my service, so pull off my clothes, take your wages, and let me hear no more of you.' The fellow did so, and having vainly solicited a discharge [a character], was compelled to go to sea, where he continued five years. At the end he begged the Dean would give him some sort of discharge, since the honour of having lived with him would certainly procure him a place." Swift gave him the following certificate : "DEANERY-HOUSE. Jan. 9. 1739-40. "Whereas the bearer served me the space of one year, during which time he was an idler and a drunkard, I then discharged him as such; but how far his having been five years at sea may have mended his manners I leave to the penetration of those who may hereafter choose to employ him. "JON. SWIFT." to Mrs. Pilkington adds that the man London, and was taken by Pope into his service, "in which he continued till the death of his master." XXVI. DUBLIN. Feb. 12th 1722-3. SR-Upon my Return last October, after five months absence in the Country, I found a Letter of yours, which I believe was then 2 months old; it contained no Business that I remember, and being then out of Health and Humer, I did not think an Answer worth your Receiving; I had no other Letter from you till last Friday, which I could not answer on Saturday, that being a day when the Bishop saw no Company; however I was with him. a few minutes in the Morning about signing a Lease and then I had onely time to say a little of your Business, which he did not seem much to enter into, but thought you had no Reason to Stir in it, and that you ought to stay till you are attacked, which I believe you never will be upor so foolish an Accusation. On Sunday when usually see him, he was abroad against his Custon and yesterday engaged in Business and Company. To-day he sees no body it being one of the two days in the week that he shuts himself up. I look upon the Whig Party to be a little colder in the Business of Prosecutions, than they formerly were, nor will they readily trouble a Gentleman who lyes quiet and minds onely his Gardens and Improvements. The Improbability of your Accusers Story will never let it pass, and the Judges have [having] been so often shamed by such Rascals, are not so greedy at swallowing Informations. I am here in all their Teeth which they have shewn often enough, and do no more. And the Ch. Just. [Chief Justice] who was as venomous as a Serpent was forced to consent that a noli prosequi should pass after he had layd his hand on his Heart in open Court and Sworn, that I designed to bring in the Pretender. Do you find that your Trees thrive and your drained Bog gets a new Coat? I know nothing so well worth the Enquiry of an honest Man, as times run. I am as busy in my little Spot of a Town Garden, as ever I was in the grand monde; and if it were five or ten miles from Dublin I doubt I should be as constant Country Gentleman as you. I wish you good success in your Improvements for as to Politicks I have long forsworn them. I am sometimes concerned for Persons, because they are my Friends, but for Things never, because they are desperate; I always expect to-morrow will be worse, but I enjoy today as well as I can. This is my Philosophy, and I think ought to be yours; I |