the town, from which the bulk of mankind turn with loathing; to place them in a way of gaining an honest livelihood, instead of being publick nuisances in the street; to keep them steady in a course of industry, by frequent visits in such places as the fastidious rich would disdain to enter; to supply their wants when business was slack, and encourage the successful by farther bounties — these are instances of such truly christian charity, as are rarely to be found. And after this shall it be a doubt whether Swift had a heart susceptible of the soft feelings of humanity?
He had a servant well known to all his friends by the name of Saunders; an appellation given him by the dean. He was remarkably kind to him during a course of several years spent in his service; but more particularly throughout a long illness, under which he laboured for many months before he died. He had him buried in the south aisle of his cathedral, where he erected a monument to him in a small piece of statuary marble, with this inscription:
Here lieth the body of
Alexander Magee, servant to doctor
Swift, dean of St. Patrick's.
His grateful master caused this monument to be
erected in memory of his discretion, fidelity,
and diligence, in that humble station.
Ob. Mar. 24, 1721, etat. 29.
In the original draught, which I saw in the dean's own hand writing, it stood thus:
His grateful friend, and master, &c.
A gentleman of the dean's acquaintance, much more distinguished for vanity than wisdom, prevailed
