MEMOIRS and ANECDOTES of SWIFT, extracted from the former Publications, by Dr. DELANY, and others.

AS Swift had been charged by many with want of

religion, Voltaire, and other Free-thinkers, wifhing to have a man of his genius inrolled in their clafs; Doctor Delany enters into a juftification of him in that respect. Among other paffages to this effect, are the following: As to his religion, I myself have obferved many ftrong indications and proofs of his fincerity in it, beside those now mentioned. His faying Grace, both before and after meat, was very remarkable. It was always in the feweft words that could be uttered on the occafion, but with an emphasis and fervour which every one around him faw and felt, and with his hands clasped into one another; and lifted up to his breast, but never higher. The Religious and Chriftian form. of his last will, and the many prayers compofed, and conftantly offered up by him in Mrs. Johnson's sicknefs, are strong proofs to the fame purpose.

There was no vice in the world he fo much abhorred as hypocrify; and of confequence nothing he dreaded fo much as to be fufpected of it. This naturally led, to make him verge fometimes 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 affured by Doctor Delany, who lived for a confiderable time in his houfe, that he refided with him for more than fix months, before he knew, or fo much as fufpected that he ever read prayers to his family. Which nevertheless he conftantly did, at a fixed hour every night in his own bed-chamber, to which the fer

vants regularly and filently reforted, at the time appointed, without any notice from a bell, or audible call of any kind, except the striking of a clock. And I am well affured, that when he lived in London, his conftant way was to go to early prayers, and facrament; which he thought made him lefs diftinguished in his devotions. But though in his private capacity he indulged himself in his own method of paying his devotions, yet when his duty called on him either as a parish Prieft, or Dean, no one performed all the functions of that facred office in a more exemplary manner, because in this cafe nothing of oftentation could be imputed to him. Of this Doctor Delany gives feveral instances, and concludes with a very remarkable one, where he fays, after a good deal of meditation upon Swift's character, as a man of true religion, I think I have found out one proof of it fo clear and inconteftable, as may well fuperfede the neceffity of any other. His Cathedral of St. Patrick's, is the only church in that city, wherein the primitive practice of receiving the facrament every Lord's day, was renewed, and is ftill continued; and to the best of my remembrance and belief, renewed in his time. At least, as he was Ordinary there, it could not be continued without his consent; and it is moft certain that he conftantly attended that holy office; confecrated and administered the Sacrament in perfon. Nor do I believe he ever once failed to do fo, when it was in his power; I mean when he was not fick, or abfent at too great a distance.

His attention to the ceconomy of his Cathedral was fuch, that he would not fuffer a fhilling of its revenues to be alienated from its proper ufe, even for the purpofes of charity. If any thing of that kind was propofed, his anfwer was, that this money was appropriated; but he would give out of his own pocket, in

proportion

proportion to his income, as much towards any charitable purpose, as any of them would in proportion to theirs. Then turning to the perfon who made the propofal, "You, Sir, declare, upon your confcience, that the perfon you now folicit for, is a proper object of Chriftian Charity. My Deanery is worth seven hundred pounds a year; your Prebend, worth two; if you will give two fhillings to this a charity, I will give feven, or any greater fum in the fame proportion.

ter.

His ftrict religious attention to the revenues of the Deanery, was fo great, that he never failed to facrifice his own present emoluments, to the reasonable profpects of a future fufficient maintenance for his fucceffors and chapOne inftance of this appeared most remarkably in the great decline, and almost total decay of his understanding. He had refolved many years before, never to renew a certain leafe of lands belonging to the Deanery, without railing the rent thirty pounds a year. The tenant had often applied to him for a renewal upon other terms, but to no purpose. And finding now that Swift's understanding was in the decay, and his avarice remarkably predominant; he thought this the proper feason to make his last effort for a renewal, and tempt him with fuch a fine, as he was fure the Dean could not resist in those circumstances. Accordingly he made his attempt; but to as little purpose as ever he, had done before, the Dean remaining immoveable. He refused a large fine, at a time when he loved money incomparably beyond any thing else in the world, and raised the rent, as he had long fince refolved to do. I vifited him the next day after the renewal of this leafe, and enquiring after his health, he told me in a tone of heavy complaint, that his memory was almost totally gone, and his underftanding going; but that he had yesterday done fomething for the benefit of his fucceffor, but he had forgot what; but DocCc 2

tor

tor Wilfon (who then lived in the houfe with him) would tell me. I enquired, and was informed of this renewal, as I have now related it.

As an Ecclefiaftic, he was fcrupulously exact in the exercife of his function, as well with regard to temporal, as fpiritual things. He expended more money to fupport and adorn his Cathedral, than had been applied to the fame ufe in any period fince it was firft built. He was extremely exact and confcientious in promoting the Members of the Choir according to their merit, and never advanced any person to a Vicarage, who was not qualified for it in all refpects, whatever their intereft, or however recommended. He once refufed a Vicarage to a perfon for whom Lady Carteret was very importunate; at the fame time declaring to her Ladyfhip, that, if it had been in his power to have made the Gentleman a Dean, or a Bishop, he would have obliged her willingly, becaufe, he faid, Deaneries and Bishopricks were preferments in which merit had no concern; but the merit of a Vicar would be brought to the teft every day.

It happened that a young Gentleman of his Choir being abroad with his gun, fuffered irreparable hurt by its going off accidentally. When the Dean heard of it he expreffed great concern, and having paufed a little, "well," faid he, "this will be a good opportunity at once to reward merit, and alleviate diftrefs; I will make him a Vicar;" which he did accordingly the fame hour.

The poor in the liberty of his Cathedral, were better regulated than any other in the kingdom; they were all badged, and were never found begging out of their dif trict. For fome of thefe he built and furnished a little almthoufe, being affifted in this by fome voluntary contributions; and preferved among them uncommon cleanlinefs and decency, by conftantly vifiting them in perfon.

In the diftribution of his charity, that he might proportion his bounty to the neceffities and merits of the different objects he met with, and yet give but one piece of money at a time, he constantly kept a pocket full of all forts of coin, from a filver three pence to a crown piece.

He was a ftrenuous fupporter of all the rights and pri vileges belonging to his Deanery, against all incroachments attempted by his powerful neighbour the Archbishop of Dublin; in oppofition to whom he determined to affert his right of abfence without his Grace's permiffion, at the expence of several hundred pounds, at a time when he did not believe he fhould ever again claim the privilege for himself; but because he would not endanger the liberty of his fucceffor by an injurious precedent.

In contradiction to the account given of the great decorum and folemnity with which Swift performed all religious duties, there are two ftories told by Lord Orrery, to which I can give no credit. The firft is thus related by his Lordship: "As foon as he had taken poffeffion of his two livings, he went to refide at Laracor, and gave public notice to his parishioners, that he would read prayers every Wednesday and Friday. Upon the fubfequent Wednesday the bell was rung, and the Rector attended in his defk; when after having fate fome time, and finding the congregation to confift only of himfelf, and his Clerk. Roger, he began with great composure and gravity, but with a turn peculiar to himself, "Dearly beloved Roger -the Scripture moveth you and me in fundry places," &c. And then proceeded regularly through the whole fervice. I mention this trifling circumstance only to fhew you, that he could not refift a vein of humour, whenever he had an opportunity of exerting it."

Now to fuppofe that a man of Swift's religious turn, fhould have made fuch a mockery of this folemn act of worship, and afterwards go through the whole fervice,