broad, he was apologifing to the Dean for the trouble he had given him; faying, "I fear, Mr. Dean, I have been an expensive lodger to you this bout." Upon which Mrs. W—, a relation of the Dean's, who then chiefly managed his affairs, and who happened to be prefent, brifkly faid, it is in your power, Doctor, easily to remedy this, by removing to another lodging. Swift was filent. The poor Doctor was quite thunder-ftruck. As this Lady had always profeffed great friendship for him, and lay under confiderable obligations to him, he quickly faw that this must have been done by Swift's direction; in which he was confirmed by his filence on the occafion. He immediately left the house, in all that anguish of mind, which a heart poffeffed of the warmest friendship must feel, upon the abrupt breach of one of fo long a standing, and fo fincere on his part; nor did he ever enter it again. He lived but a fhort time after this. His friend and phyfician, Dr. Helfham, foretold the manner, and almost the very time of his death. He faid his disorder was a polypus in the heart, which was fo far advanced, that it would probably put an end to his existence in a short time, and so fuddenly, as to give hin no warning of it; and therefore recommended it to him to settle his affairs. The Doctor upon this, retired to a houfe of one of his fcholars, Mr. O'Callaghan, at Rathfarnham, three miles from Dublin. In a few days he fent for his friend and namefake, Counfellor Sheridan, to

The ftory told by a lying biographer, in a work published under the name of Theophilus Cibber, and fince transferred into a note on the Dean's Works is utterly falfe. It is there related, that the Doctor being in fear of his creditors, had retired for refuge to the Deanery, and one evening requesting a bottle of wine, the Dean grudgingly answered, though he had given him a lodging, he had not promised to furnish him with wine;" for the Doctor, at that time, did not owe fhilling in the world; having fold a great part of his landed property to pay his debts.

draw

draw his will; and when that was done, he feemed cheerful and in good fpirits. The Counfellor, and a brother of Mr. O'Callaghan's, who had lent him his houfe, upon being called away to another part of the kingdom, dined with him that day. Soon after dinner, the converfation happened to turn on the weather, and one of them obferved, that the wind was eafterly. The Doctor upon this, faid, "let it blow Eaft, Weft, North, or South, the immortal foul will take its flight to the destined 11 point." These were the laft words he ever spoke, for he immediately funk back in his chair, and expired without a groan, or the fmalleft ftruggle. His friends thought he had fallen asleep, and in that belief retired to the garden, that they might not difturb his repofe; but on their return, after an hours walk, to their great aftɔnishment, they found he was dead. Upon opening the body, Doctor Helfham's fagacious prognoftic proved to be true, as the polypus in the heart was difcovered to be the immediate caufe of his death. I know not whether it is worth mentioning, that the furgeon faid, he never faw fo large a heart in any human body.

It is with reluctance I have dwelt fo long on this part of Swift's life; but as many reprefentations of his conduct at that juncture, founded on truth too, had got abroad, much to the disadvantage of his character, I thought it neceffary to draw at full length a picture of his ftate of mind at that time, to fhew how unreasonable it is to impute faults to the found and perfect man, which were the natural confequence of the decay of his faculties, the infirmities of age, and cruel difeafe; by which fo total a change was made in him, that fcarce any thing of his former felf remained. Among the charges against him, none bore more hard than his latter behaviour to Dr. Sheridan, for which I have already accounted. In their whole intercourfe, previous to that period, I have fhewn

Z 2

fhewn how fincere a friend he had always proved himself to be; and afterwards, when his understanding was gone, and his memory failed, when fome former feelings of the heart only remained, I had a ftrong inftance given me by his fervant William, how deep an impreffion the Doctor had made there; who told me that when he was in that ftate, the Dean, every day, for a long time, conftantly afked him the fame queftion-" William, did you know Doctor Sheridan?" Yes, Sir, very well-and then, with a heavy figh, Oh I loft my right hand when I loft him.

SECTION VII.

HAVING thus finished the Life of Swift, and related in a regular feries all that I thought moft worthy to be recorded, I have purposely referved to a separate part of the Work, fuch Anecdotes, Memoirs, and detached Pieces, as could not have been interwoven into the hiftory, without much interruption. This was the method pursued by that great Biographer Plutarch, and that is the part of his Work, which, in general, is read with moft pleasure. There is a wonderful curiofity in mankind to pry into the fecret actions of men, who have made a distinguished 'figure in public, as it is from private Anecdotes alone that a true estimate can be formed of their real characters, fince the other may be affumed only to answer the purposes of ambition. Even circumftances in themselves trifling, often lead to this, and on that account are registered with care, and read with avidity. I fhall, therefore, without farther preface, relate fuch Anecdotes of Swift, as have come to my knowledge, and have not hitherto been made known to the world, as they rife in my memory; but fhall fet down none which I have not good reason to believe authentic; as I received mcft of them from my father; others from his

and

and the Dean's intimate friends; and fome came within my own knowledge.

We have already seen that soon after the Dean's acquaintance with Doctor Sheridan commenced, being both equally fond of the bagatelle, they were laying: themselves out for various contrivances to create innocent fport. There happened to arrive in town at this time, one Gibbons, who had been a contemporary of the Doctor's in the College, but had been abfent in the country for fome years. On his arrival he renewed his acquaintance with Doctor Sheridan. He had a great fimplicity of character, which made it eafy to impofe on him, and certain oddities and peculiarities, which rendered him a proper fubject for a practical joke. A plan was immediately concerted between them, that Swift should perfonate the character of a diftreffed Clergyman, under the name of Jodrel, applying to Doctor Sheridan to be made one of his Ufhers. A time was appointed for their meeting at the Doctor's an hour before dinner, and several of their fet were invited to be prefent at the fport. When they were affembled, Swift as Jodrel, entered the room in an old rufty gown, and lank shabby perriwig, which were provided at the Doctor's for the purpose. As he was an excellent mimick, he perfonated the character of an aukward Country Parfon to the life. Gibbons was requested by the Doctor to examine him, in order to fee whether he was fit for the poft; and Jodrel gave fuch anfwers to the queftions afked by Gibbons, as afforded high entertainment to all present. One of his questions was, "What is Chrift's Church?" To which Jodrel replied, "A great pile of building near the four Courts."-For fo that church is called, On which Gibbons exclaimed, "Was there ever fuch a blockhead? Who the devil put you in orders?" The fport occafioned by this was too

rich to be fuddenly given up. Gibbons, Jodrel, and the other guests met feveral times at dinner, where Jodrel's behaviour was always aukward and absurd. One time he held out his plate with both his hands, ftretching it in the most ridiculous posture quite across the table, which provoked Gibbons to call him fool! dunce! and even to give him a flap on the wrist with the flat of his knife; at the fame time fhewing him how he ought to hold his plate, or that he should send it by one of the fervants. When this fort of amusement was adjudged to have continued long enough, Doctor Sheridan delivered a meffage to Gibbons from the Dean, inviting him to dine with him. Gibbons, who had expreffed a great ambition to be known to Swift, received the meffage with tranfport, but faid, fure he won't ask that fool Jodrel. Sheridan told him he might fet his heart at reft, for that the Dean never had, nor never would ask him as long as he lived. When the appointed day came, Gibbons went with the Doctor to the Deanery, who placed him at a window from which he could fee the Dean returning from prayers. He was dreffed that day in as high a ftyle as the clerical function will allow; in a paduafoy gown, fquare velvet cap, &c. Gibbons looked at him with great attention, and turning to Sheridan with much perturbation of countenance, cried out, why Doctor, that is Jodrel. Peace, fool, faid the Doctor, I was very near lofing the Dean's acquaintance, by happening to fay that Jodrel had fome refemblance to him. When the Dean entered the chamber where they were, Gibbons changed colour, and in great confufion faid to Sheridan, by my foul it is Jodrel-What fhall I do? Sheridan then smiled; fo did the Dean, and opened the matter to Gibbons in fuch a way as to fet him at cafe, and make him pafs the remainder of the day very pleasantly. But Swift had not

yet