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SWIFT 194 SWIFT shams and pedantry. Temple died in 1699, and a year or more later, Swift re- ceived the livings of Laracor, Agher, and Rathbeggan in Ireland. These he held till 1713, when he was made Dean 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 vdts 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," be- tween Nov. 2, 1710, and June 14, 1711, directed against the continuation of the war Avith 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 mem- ber of the household. After the death of her mother, Stella and her friend, Mrs. Dingley, went to live in Ireland, often occupying S^vift'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 ascer- tained, many authorities believing that they were married. If there was a mar- riage it was merely formal, though Stella was passionately devoted to Swift, and he had for her great ad- miration and affection. But it is prob- able that his knowledge of his own tem- perament 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 Ire- land and in 1723 wrote asking if he were married to Stella. He rode to her house, threw down the letter, and went out v/ithout 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 break- ing up a scheme by which, through a bribe to the king's mistress, a certain Wood was to have a patent for copper coinage at the expense of the Irish peo- ple. This success made Swift very pop- ular, and inclined him to take up politics again. In 1726 he went to London, visited Gay and Pope, and published "Gulliver's Travels," which became in- stantly 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 gen- eral and on the politics of his own day in particular. On this visit Swift at- tempted 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 disap- pointed and returned to Ireland for the last time, tortured by the prospect of the death of Stella, which occurred in Jan- uary, 1728. For some years he continued to write political pamphlets, the tone of which showed, if possible, increasing bitterness and ferocity. He quarrelled 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 sa- tirists. He wielded a pen of extraordi- nary power, and expressed by it a tem- perament of great intensity. He was a pessimist and misanthropist, and the in- justices 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 affec- tionate. 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 disap- pointed 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. SWIFT, LEWIS, an American as- tronomer; born in Clarkson, N. Y., Feb. 29, 1820; was graduated at Clarkson Academy in 1838, and spent the early part of his life in lecturing. Later he became interested in astronomy, built and set up his own telescope in Roches- ter, N. Y., and began to make observa-