ty first struck out by Swift which was attended with the greatest benefit to numbers of the lowest class of tradesmen. He lent ont 500 pounds to poor industrious tradesmen in small sums of 5 & 10 pounds, to be repaid weekly, at 2 or 4 shillings without interest. As the sume thus weekly paid in, were lent out again to others at a particular day in each month, this quick circulation doubled the benefit arising from the original sum. In order to insure this fund from destruction, he laid it down as a rule that none should be partakers of it, who could not give good security for the regular repayment of it in the manner proposed. Thus did this fund continue undiminishing to the last; and small as the spring was, yet, by continual flowing, it watered and enriched the humble vale through which it ran, still extending and widening its course. their private views; the supine ness of others arising from despondency; the general information of the richer sort, in adopting certain modes and customs to the last degree rutinous to their country; together with the miseries of the poor, and the universal face of poverty and distress that overspread a kingdom, on which nature had scattered her bounties with a lavish hand, and which properly used might have rendered it one of the happiest regions in the world: all these acted as a perpetual corrosive to the free and generous spirit of Swift, and kept him from possessing his soul in peace. athe Swift was raised by his country men to a rank beyond the power of monarchs to bestow; he was considered by all the first men in the realm the general object of veneration to all who wished well to their country, and of dread to those who betrayed its interests; yet he was far from being at all satisfied with his situation. The load of oppression under which Ireland groaned for the tyrannic system of government over that country established by the false politics of England: the base corruption of some of the principle natives, who acrificed the public interest to Whenever Swift fell into company of any person for the first time, it was his custom to try their tempers and disposition, by some abrupt question that bore the appearance of madness. If this were well taken, and answered with good humour, he afterwards made amends by his civilities. But if he saw any marks of resentment from alarmed pride, vanity, or conceit, he dropped all further intercourse with the party. There was no vice in the world Swift so much abhored as hypocricy; and of consequence nothing he dreaded so much as to be suspected of it. This naturally led, to make him verge sometimes too much to the other extreme; and made him often conceal his piety, with more care, than others take to conceal their vices. I have been assured by Doctor Delany who impression he had made on their minds. No sooner was his death announced, than the citizens gathered from all quarters and forced their way in crowds into the house, to pay the last tribute of grief to their departed benefactor. Nothing but lamentations were heard all lived for a considerable time in his house, that he resided with him for more than six months, before he knew, or so much as suspected that he ever read prayers to his family. Which nevertheless he 'consantly did, at a fixed hour every hight in his own bed-chamber, to which the servants regularly & si-around the quarter where he lived. lentiy resorted,at the time appointed without any notice from a bell, or audible call of any kind, except Happy were they who first got into the chamber where he lay, to procure, by bribes to the servants, locks of his hair, to be handed down as sacred relics to their posterity. And so eager were numbera to obtain at any price this precious memorial, that in less the striking of a clock. And I am well assured, that when he lived in London, his constant way was to go to early prayers and sacrament; which he thought made him less distinguished in his devo-than an hour, his venerable head tions, yet when his duty called on him either as a parish priest, or dean, no one performed all the functions of that sacred office in a more exemplary manner, because in this case nothing of ostentation could be imputed to him. Lord Bolingbroke, who knew Swift well, in two words, summed up his character in this respect, by saying that Swift was a hypocrite reversed. He always appeared to the world in a mask, which he never took off but in the company of his most intimate friends. About the year 1736 his memo- He died October 29, 1745. was entirely stripped of all its silver ornaments, so that not a hair remained. He was buried in the most private manner, according to directions in his will, in the great aisle of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and by way of a monument, a slab of black marble was placed against the wall, on which was engraved the following Latin epitaph, written by himself. Hic depositum est corpus Jonathan Swift, S. T. P. Hugus Ecclesiæ Cathedralis Decani : Ubi saeva indignatio Ulterius cor lacerare nequit. Abi, viator, Et imitare, si potenis, Strenuum pro virilli libertatis van. dicem, Obiit anno (1745) Mensis (Octobris) die (19) SELECTED. For the Lady's Miscellany. It will be exactly two years on the next anniversity of American independence, since I first commenced working at a LITERARY THERMOMETER, Various occur rences not worth mentioning, hindered its completion until the 17th of March, 1811, on the morning of that day 1 completed it, and now send a drawing of my instrument, with a few hasty experi ments. -སཏོ The above is a correct drawing of my new invented instrument, and the subjoined are the experiments made with it: they would have been more numerous, if my collection of books had been more extensive, but as I purpose visite ing the City Library, the public may expect to hear from me again. Jonathan Swift--On applying my Thermometer to the writings of this justly celebrated Irish wit, I found such a wonderful display of different talents; so much good sense and, "strength of reasoning, Although I purpose going to Washington in a few days to secure a patent for my invention, I have no objection to the publicity of this article, accompanied by a wood cut, discriptive of my instrument, if executed by the ingeni-joined to so pure and wasterly a ous Mr. Anderson. My native country is entirely free from serpents. My adopted nearly so of criticks; with the assistance of my Thermometer, and 1 work I am about giving to the world, 'Every man his own critic,' great hopes may be entertained that those pests to society will soon be compelled to resign the quill, shut up shop, and finally become useful members to society. LITERARY THERMOMETER. style," that I was induced to place When Swift's earliest produc tion, the Tale of a Tub, came in contract with my instrument, the critique, or liquid contained in the glass tube, was thrown in great commotion. It played with the utmost velocity between 5 and 9; 6 and 9 however appeared to be the paints of greatest attraction. When his Discourse of the Contest and Dissentions in Athens and Rome was brought in contract, the critique appeared to be stationary at 7, but when his argument against abolishing christianity was brought to the test, the critique again got in commotion and played from 5 to 7. It kept the same points when I turned to those brazen monuments of his fame, the Dra. fier's Letters. I found little variation on trying his Examinera, &c. &c. but when Gulliver's Travels came to be examined, the critique flew to the top of the tube, with a force that nearly destroyed the instrument, and gave my hand which held it a shock equal to that from a powerful electrifying machine.When turning over the leaves of this moral political romance, the critique played from 5 to 9 and from 9 to 5 in the most curious manner; its motion was quick with a distinct pause at each point of criticism,--When his letters to Dr Sheridan, at the time Stella's life was despaired of, came in contract, the critique flew to 4, it remained at that point on turning over his letters to Stella, giving an account of the stabbing of Mr. Harley, as also at the account of the illness and death of poor Harrison.-Swift's works may with justice be set down 5 to 9. of this justly celebrated French critic, will deny it deserves to be classed at 9; and all who have read his sattires,or his poem "Le Lutrin," will concur at my placing them at 6. His works, taken to gether, entitle him to rank high on the Thermometer. Burk-On turning over the leaves of this great man's work 7 was found the most prevalent point, yet 9, 8 and 6; caused many variations. A momentary pause of the citique was once observed between 6 and 5, 5 appeared to have greater attraction than 6. Corneille The Shakespeare of the French stage. His work entitle him to credit at 8 and 7. 8, the point of greatest attraction. Cumberland--When the instrument was first applied to the works of this man, the critique made a dead set at 6,from that it rose to 7, and then to 8, from this point it made many flights to 4, 6 and 7 the greater points of attraction. Racine-when his Phedre came in contract, the critique stood at 9, Iphigene, Athalie, and Brittanicus, it remained at that point when came to the test. His Epigrams and Les Plaideurs, caused a variation to 5 and 6. Mons. Boileau Despreaux-Who that has everread "L'art Poetique" Moliere-On first applying his comedies, the critique stood apparently fixed at 6, but it soon got in motion and played from 3 to 7. Shakspeare-When the dramatic works of this "sweet poet of nature" came in contract with the Thermometer, the critique was observed in the greatest commo“, tion playing from 8 to 6, and frequently to 5 and 4.8 and 6 the most at ractive. Laurence Sterne--Twice have I been consumptive, and twice by the perusal of this odd fellows, have I laughed myself out of it, works. My wife attributes my Alcornoque wood; last cure entirely to the use of the she and I differ, yet I am not fearAlcornoque wood; on this point sumptive cases, the utmost confidence might be placed on the efficacy of this wood. ful of saying, that to remove con- || opposite 2. This supposed variation was soon accounted for, for on rubbing the tube I found it nothing. more than a little blood from the. finger of this would be wit. Sterne's laugh and be fat medicine, may not be equally applicable to all constitutions; goats milk by many is considered preferable, and in stubborn cases the Alcornoque is prefered to either; yet in my opinion every family should possess Sterne's works, and all captains of vessels to be as particular in having them on board, as they would the medicine chest. But to my subject. When the instrument was applied to Sterne's Tristram Shandy, the critique appeared stationary at 6, but it soon got in motion and played from 4.to 9. 8 and 6 were the greatest points of attraction. When the Sentimental Journey came in contract, 4 was found the most attractive, yet 6 caused many flights to 7, 8, and 9, but little variation was found on applying the instrument to the Fragments, Letters, Koran, &c. MACTWOLTER. THE OBSERVER,. NUMBER VIII. The value of supposed advant-ages is best known by comparison. They who possess groveling minds, seek others that are like their own, and delight themselves with a combination of interest.-Men of corrupt minds, abandon'd wretches, of profligate principles, herd together like beasts of the fields, and lay plans to riot on the destruction of others; the baccanalion roar is let loose, and the yell of anticipated triumph already resounds ;—slaves to a base and tyranical master, whose wages are death, thus hie to deeds of mischief under his influence, and glut their passions on the basest indulgencies; and yet value themselves happy. A person looking over my shoulder who had made many unsuccessful attempts in imitation of Sterne's style, shewed great uneasiness at the motion of the critique in my experiments, and playing with a penknife to hide his uneasiness, unfortunately run it into his finger. This accident caused me for a short time to suspend my amusement, on resuming it, I was surprised to find a red liquid, resembling the critiques on the tube j imaginary joys, are like the grapes These are the sons of vice, who assume the titles of libertines and free-thinkers ;-when in truth, they are drudges, hard labourers, and disorganizers. They who thus pursue the service of Lucifer, drag with them, the badges of bondage, and weary themselves. with their own vanity; their fancied pleasures, pierce their own souls; |