New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
DEAN SWIFT.

DEAN SWIFT
uwIrr nv LESLIE STEPHEN. English Men or LettcrsJ
.l2mo. PIP tx, 205. Harper q brothers.
Mr. Stenhen takes more favorable Wow VI
Swlfts character than that IN which " mas pie"'o"
some other critics to indulge; probably NO presents
the unhappy man OF genius IN the least ropu'''''
aspect consistent with historic truth. Anu so'
when all due respect has been paid to the fervor OIL
Swifts nobler feelings TO the sincerity OF ms hreu
for wrongs and shams, to the warmth oil ms liie"'
shps and the abundance of his eharty'-"non
nroner allowance has been made for the ravages of
the disease which preycd upon him during he"'lS
all his adult hfe,-thc fact remains that among vi
The authors who have delighted the world with
their books he is one of those io'
Nbom IL Is hardest to feel a personal SYM
n,thv An unclerical chuTchman IS always ah
offensive object; and although the Dean oi 81"
Patricks was an ardent defender oil the bs''o"S"
mert he cannot be called a religious man lie h'o =
savage hatred of his official duties; 10 DO CUT vi
from political prefermcnt and banishei IRON '"0
great world to his deanery was to dle III rage
I;Lo noisoned rat in hole 1t is true that 1t
was ouite in accordance with the Customs Vi wv
time TO look upon the clerical profession less as
ministry of religion than as livelihood and con
venieuce: and if Swift did not show any higher
sense of his calling at least he RETAINED from dis
cracinq il by vicious life But the strictcr taste
OF our age 1--WE are not sure about our prlncipiesl
smiles with more complacency upon laynan WIN
out virtue than a. parSon without pIety' MI
Stenbcn confcsse, that Swift took what may ne
called The political view Of religion. lie SAID OF
himself that he could only preach political pam
phlets In hls hunt after promotion ne 1ouhu IL
necessary or expedent to prove that he was not
that most hideOus of ro9ues a sceptical priest Mr.
Stephen makes what is probably the most bcncyo-
lent possible statement of his position. lie was in
different to the mystical or imaginative aspects OF
religion" lie had a pride in his order and love
of its privileges hut he never emphasized his pro
fe>sionaI character. He wished to be acceI TED as
n man OF the world and of business lie despSed
the impractical and visionary tyre and the KIND OF
reNqious utteTaucc congcnial 70 men of that type
was abhoIrent to him. At once the rrouheS'
an most sensitive Of men, ii was his imperative
instinct TO hide his emotions as much as possible
In cases of great excitement he retired into some
secluded corner. where, II he was loTceG 10
feel he could be sure of hiding his feelings. lie
ALWAYS masked his strongest passions under some
itouical veil and thus practised X nat his friends
regarded rs an inverted hypocrisy. Delany tells
Ms that he STAYED for six months IN SWitts house
before discovering that the Dean always READ
prayers to his servants at fixed hOur III private
He stinted his expenditures TO the polut OF par
smony that lie might save money to give away
HIS generosity to the poor of his pari'h was
abundant aud systematic; and although ID tue
decline cf his intellect the habit of saving
amounted with him to mOnOmdlia' his lie was
full of instances of observation-disclosures IN money
affairs and of a liberality which might well be
called munihcent. He was a msanthrope who
would denv himself to help the poor, and would go
In great trouble for his friends " | heartily nate
and detest that animal called man. he wrote TO
Pore, "a.though I heartily love John Peter'
Thomas and so forth
# is difficult for us now TO take much Interest III
the political quarrolS aud conflicts which Engaged
SO many of Swit'S best years aud gave occasion 70
so much Of his strongest writing. The ISSUES at
stake were sometimes moment'us. and great
names were often associated with that of The poor
CLERGYMAN in these cmbittered controversies; YET
oven the skin and clcarness OF Mr.. Stephens nara
tiy, caLnot save this part of the biography from
being a little dull Swift was tarl0dS pam
phlet,.r, bat not pampnleteer OF the ordinary
eighteenth century pattern. lie never was Tie
creature of ministers or politicians. His sincerity
was beyond question; and while it is true that he
was always Il dissatisfied petitioner for preiermeht'
it equally trGe that his pen never was foI hIre'
TRIED leaders slw his value and paid court to him.
lie ouarfclled Gcrcely with Harley who presumed
TO OFFER him Gfty-pound note. and refused to he
recOnciled without ample apology aud ter long
eptrea.ios The incident led finally to close
friendship with both Harley and st John. He bore
tbe favor oil the great with NapoeOnc absence
of magnanimity" lie liked to Gaunt his spendors
In the eyes of the servo wei as 70 enjoy the
consciousness of real power. lie forced himself
upon Ministers by sclfas,ertion; and ha held them
in awe of him as the lion-taner keeps DOWN the
latent ferocity OF the Wild beast"
In the early period OF his acquaintance with ~.
John 'ebruarv >. III )he sends the Prime Minister
into the House OF Commons, TO tell the Secretaiy OF
STATE that would not line with INN IL ne uIheu
when the Duke Of Shrewsbury appears: SWtt
whispers that he does not like TO see % stranger
among them; and st. John has to explain 'hal me
luke has written fOr leave st. John then tells
Swift that the Duke of Buckingham desires his
acquaintauce. The DIXIE, replied Swift, has not
made su licIcnt advances: and he always expects
greater advances from men III proportion 10 thelt
rank Dukes and great men yielded, . only to
humOr the p.ide of this audacious paJson ard
Swift soon came to be pestered by ;nnumeraD!e
applicants aitra Ted by his Ostentauon OF IN
6uencc. Even Ministers applied through MN
"Thrre is not one of them" he says, in January.
1913 " but what viii employ me IS gravely to
speak for them to Lord Treasurer rs II were their
brother or his"
His imperlous temper showed itself still moro
clearly in his intercourse with women. He affected
brutality toward them part of system His
coarsc and heartless treatment of Nariha Miss
Warin.) is described bv tho bograpber with be-
coming Indignation. OF the double affair with
Stella and Vanessa, at once the reproach and the
mystery of SwIft's life Mr.. Stephen speaks with
more reserve He acInow lodges that the facts still
battle INV est gators and ho contents himself with
setting forth whatever is known about the matter
and suggesting or two explanations which
leaye us in doubt rs to his opinion, if, Indeed,
he has really formed any The story OF Swfts
secrst marriage with Stella-Esther Johnson-he
is appsrcntly disposed to accept though the testi-
mony upon which it rests cannot be called satsfac-
tory. But if there was a marriage at all it was Il
marriage only in namc, and there are grounds Tor