pains in drawing up that famous political Tract, called, The Conduct of the Allies; the effects of which will prefently be fhewn.

But Swift had ftill a more difficult point to manage; and one, which was attended with more immediate danger than all the reft; I mean, that of keeping the Ministry from quarrelling among themselves, which he forefaw muft end in their total deftruction *. The Treasurer and Secretary were of fuch different difpofitions, and fo little agreed about the means to be purfued towards the attainment of the common end they had in view, that it required the utmost addrefs to prevent their coming to an open rupture; which would probably have happened, even at that critical time, had it not been for Swift's interpofition. Perhaps there was no man living fo well qualified for the office of a mediator between them, as Swift. The cafe required the constant interpofition of fome common friend to both, who fhould not be fufpected of any partiality to either, or of any interested views in the advice he fhould give; at the fame time of one, who would speak his mind with unlimited freedom to each feparately, or both together, without fear of difobliging. He must therefore be a man, whose affiftance was of fo much moment to each, in the profecution of their feveral defigns, that neither would dare to break with the other unreasonably, left his whole weight fhould be thrown into the opposite scale. And perhaps there was no man living, at that juncture, who could perfectly answer this description, but Swift. Accordingly we find, that for the space of more than two years afterwards, though

* Swift, in a letter to the Archbishop of Dublin, fays, “I take the fafety of the prefent Ministry to confift in the agreement of three great men, Lord Keeper, Lord Treasurer, and Mr. Secretary; and fo I have told them together, between jest and earnest, and two of them feparately, with more earneftnefs."

there

there was much ill blood, and many bickerings between them, he kept them from coming to an open rupture; and the incurable breach, which afterwards enfued, was made during his abfence in Ireland, when he went to take poffeffion of his Deanry.

In this critical fituation of affairs, and in the midst of that load of bufinefs which was thrown upon Swift's fhoulders, let us ftop a while, to admire the vigour and activity of his mind, which, at fuch a juncture, could find leisure to throw out, as if it were a holiday task, his favourite defign, of eftablishing the English language on fome folid foundation.

In a letter to the Archbishop of Dublin, dated July 12, 1711, there is this paffage. I have been engaging my Lord Treasurer, and the other great men, in a project of my own, which they tell me they will embrace, efpecially his Lordship. He is to erect fome kind of fociety, or academy, under the patronage of the Ministers, and protection of the Queen, for correcting, enlarging, polishing, and fixing our language, The methods must be left to the fociety; only I am writing a letter to my Lord Treafurer, by way of propofals, and fome general hints, which I defign to publifh, and he expects from me. All this may come to nothing, although I find the ingenious and learned men of all my acquaintance fall readily in with it; and fo I hope will your Grace, if the defign can be well executed. I would defire at leifure fome of your Grace's thoughts on this matter."

As the time of the Parliament's meeting approached, which was to decide the fate of the parties, Swift applied himself clofely to the finishing of a work, from which great matters were expected, toward inclining people to the main object of the Ministry, a Peace.

His first mention of it to Stella, is in his Journal, October 26, 1711. "We have no quiet with the Whigs, they are fo violent against a Peace'; but I will cool them, with a vengeance, very foon. I have written a paper, which the Ministers reckon will do abun→ dance of good, and open the eyes of the nation, who are half bewitched against a Peace. Few of this generation can remember any thing but war and taxes, and they think it is as it should be; whereas it is certain, we are the most undone people in Europe, as I am afraid I shall make appear beyond all contradiction."

*

Upon the meeting of Parliament, on the 7th of December, 1711, Swift's apprehenfions and prognofticks proved to be but too well founded. He faw clearly, that if the Queen did not stand firm in fupport of the Ministry, they were undone; and from a knowledge of her temper, he dreaded fome change in her, from the influence which the Duchefs of Somerfet had over her; who had fucceeded the Duchefs of Marlborough in her favour, and whose husband was avowedly bent on the deftruction of the Miniftry. His fears proved indeed to have been too well founded. What paffed on this occafion, is thus related in his Journal, December 7, 1711. "The Earl of Nottingham began, and fpoke against a Peace, and defired, that in their Addrefs they might put in a claufe, to advise the Queen not to make a Peace without Spain; which was debated, and carried by the Whigs, by about fix voices, in a Committee of the whole Houfe." The queftion's being then carried against the Ministry, was no small furprise to them, as they did not expect it, though

• In a letter to the Archbishop of Dublin, Swift says, “You know the Duchefs of Somerset is a great favourite, and has got the Duchefs of Marlborough's key. She is infinuating, and a woman of intrigue and will, I believe, do what ill offices fhe can to the Secretary."

Swift had often warned them of it, and pointed out the means by which it would be effected. But the behaviour of the Queen, upon that occafion, was fuch a thunderclap, as perfectly astounded them, and made them give over all as loft. This circumftance is thus related by Swift in his Journal, December 8, 1711. "When the Queen was going from the Houfe of Lords, where the fate to hear the debate, on the 7th of December, 1711, the Duke of Shrewsbury, Lord Chamberlain, afked her Majefty, whether he, or the Great Chamberlain Lindfay, ought to lead her out; fhe answered short, Neither of you, and gave her hand to the Duke of Somerfet, who was louder than any in the House against a Peace." This behaviour of the Queen could be conftrued in no other light than a defertion of the Miniftry, and accordingly it produced fuch an effect, that Swift tells us," the claufe was carried the next day, in the Houfe of Lords, almost two to one." The confequences of this, are thus defcribed by Swift, in his Hiftory of the Peace of Utrecht, "When this Addrefs, against any Peace without Spain, &c. was carried in the Houfe of Lords, it is not eafy to defcribe the effect it had upon moft men's paffions, The partifans of the old Miniftry triumphed loudly, and without any referve, as if the game were their own, The Earl of Wharton was obferved in the House to fmile, and to put his hands to his neck, when any of the Ministry was fpeaking; by which he would have it understood, that fome heads were in danger. Parker, the Chief-Justice, began already, with great zeal and officioufnefs, to profecute authors and printers of Weekly and other Papers, and written in defence of the Administration: in short, joy and vengeance fat vi fible in every countenance of that party.

"On the other fide, all well-wishers to the Church, the Queen, or the Peace, were equally dejected; and the Treasurer ftood the foremost mark, both of his enemies fury, and the cenfure of his friends. Among the latter, fome imputed this fatal miscarriage to his procraftinating nature; others, to his immeafurable publick thrift! Both parties agreed, that a First Minifter, with very moderate skill in affairs, might eafily have governed the events; and fome began to doubt, whether the great fame of his abilities, acquired in other stations, were what he justly deferved." Swift gives the following account of his firft interview with the Lord Treasurer on this occafion, in his Journal, December 8, 1711. "Mr. Masham begged us to ftay, because Lord Treasurer would call, and we were refolved to fall on him about his negligence in fecuring a Majority. He came, and appeared in good humour, as ufual, but I thought his countenance was much cast down. I raillied him, and defired him to give me his ftaff, which he did; I told him, if he would fecure it me a week, I would fet all right: he asked, how? I faid I would immediately turn Lord Marlborough, his two daughters, the Duke and Duchefs of Somerset, and Lord Cholmondeley, out of all their employments; and I believe he had not a friend but was of my opinion. Arbuthnot afked, How he came not to fecure a Majority? He could answer nothing, but that he could not help it, if people would lie and forfwear. A poor answer for a great Minifter. There fell from him a Scripture expreffion, that the hearts of Kings are unSearchable. I told him, it was what I feared, and was from him the worst news he could tell me. I begged him to know what we had to truft to: he ftuck a little, 'but at last bid me not fear, for all would be well yet."

Swift's