Saffron Walden, Aug. 10.
_Was Stella Swift's Sister?_ (Vol. iii., p. 450.; Vol. iv., p.
110.).--That Swift was the son of Sir William Temple seems to have been
completely disproved by Mason. Swift was born in Dublin, 30th November,
1667, in the house of his uncle Godwin Swift, who, after the death of
his younger brother, Jonathan, in the preceding April, took charge of
his widow. Sir William Temple appears from his letters to have been
abroad in a public capacity from 1665 to 1670. If therefore, there
existed such consanguinity between Swift and Stella as to be a bar to
their marriage, it must have arisen in some other way. Swift says that
Stella "was born at Richmond in Surrey, on 13th March, 1681; her father
being the younger brother of a good family in Nottinghamshire [Qy. Sir
Wm. Temple? Sheen, where he resided, was close by], her mother of a
lower degree." There can be little doubt that she was illegitimate. The
question arises, who was her mother? On this point the Richmond registry
might perhaps throw some light. _Has it ever been searched?_ In order
that the supposed consanguinity should have existed, her mother must
have been either Swift's mother, Abigail Swift (_née_ Erick) of
Leicestershire, or (what seems more probable) an illegitimate
half-sister of Swift. It has been surmised, however, that an impediment
to Swift's marriage of an entirely different nature from consanguinity
may have existed; or that, feeling himself to be labouring under an
hereditary disease, he may have been unwilling to propagate it. I am
much inclined to think that the objection to the marriage of Swift and
Stella, which certainly must have existed, was of this last description;
and that it would have been equally strong the case of any other
female. However this may be, I believe that full credit may be given to
what Swift has stated respecting the perfect purity of his intercourse
with Stella.
"I knew her from six years old, and had some share in her
education, by directing what books she should read, and
perpetually instructing her in the principles of honour and
virtue, from which she never swerved in any one action or moment
of her life."--Swift's _Works_, vol ix. p. 489. (_citante_ Mason).