LIFE OF PARNELL.
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more than hints, that his religious zeal cooled, in proportion as his prospects of advancement closed. I do not, however, think that we have a right to adopt an opinion, perhaps hastily advanced, and which leads to so unfavorable a construction of our poet's conduct.
About this time he had the misfortune to lose his wife;[1] and in the great disappointment of his hopes, and dejection of spirits which followed, Pope represents him as having fallen into some intemperance of wine.[2] Pope and Swift were not
- ↑ Swift, in his journal to Stella, Aug. 24, 1712, says, 'I am heartily sorry for poor Mrs. Parnell's death; she seemed to be an excellent good natured young woman, and, I believe, the poor lad is much afflicted; they appeared to live perfectly well together.'
- ↑ In the first MS. Memoranda of Pope's conversation, as preserved in Spence's Anecdotes, Pope is made to say,-'that Parnell is a great follower of drams, and strangely open and scandalous in his debaucheries,'—this was omitted in the transcript; Spence probably thought it not correct. It is somewhat singular, as the Editor of Spence observes, that the same charge of dram-drinking has been brought against Pope himself, in King's Anecdotes of his Own Time, p. 12, 'Pope hastened his death by feeding much on high seasoned dishes, and drinking spirits.' See Spence's Anecdotes, p. 139. Ruffhead, on the authority of Warburton, has given a different account of the cause which led to Parnell's intemperance. When Parnell had been introduced by Swift to Lord Treasurer Oxford, and had been established in his favour by the assistance of Pope, he soon began to entertain ambitious views. The walk he chose to shine in was popular preaching; he had talents for it, and began to be distinguished in the mob-places of Southwark and London,
