SWIFT, JONATHAN, commonly known as Dean Swift, was born in Dublin,
in November, 1667, and died in October, 1745. He was not proud of
his native land, but emphatically declared that his birth in
Ireland was "a perfect accident," and lost no opportunity of
reviling that country. It is doubtful whether great literary talent
has ever, before or since, been found in company with such a wholly
unpleasant personality as that of Dean Swift. At Dublin University,
where he was educated. Swift distinguished himself by his contempt
for college laws, and neglect of his studies; and wholly by special
grace did he receive his degree. He entered the family of Sir
William Temple in the capacity of secretary; in the same household
"Stella," immortalized in Swift's books, was a waiting-maid. King
William took a fancy to Swift because the latter made him
acquainted with asparagus, and offered him the command of a troop
of horse. The favour was declined. In 1694, Swift was admitted to
Deacon's orders and a few years later went to Ireland as Chaplain
to Lord Berkeley. In 1713 he was made dean of St. Patrick's. He
began his career in literature as a writer of political tracts, and
was secretly employed by the Government to write on its behalf. In
1726 appeared _Gulliver's Travels_, his most famous work, and at
frequent intervals thereafter, his other writings, prose and
poetry. In 1740, he evinced the first symptoms of the madness which
clouded his closing years. The story of his life is a sad one and
goes far to encourage the belief that sometimes, if not always,
retribution comes in this life upon the wrong-doer. Swift's career
was supremely selfish; nothing was suffered to stand in the way of
his interest and gratification, and nobody, save the three women
whose names he has linked with his own, and whose unfailing
affection he requited so brutally,--with these exceptions, nobody
loved him. As a writer, his originality was remarkable; no writer
of his time, probably, borrowed so little from his predecessors;
and his versatility--for he succeeded in every department of
literature that he attempted--is not less wonderful. All things
considered, his _Gulliver's Travels_ must be regarded as his
greatest work. A selection from this book is here given,
illustrating his best manner as a satirist.