Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-25

Illustrated by story that is related about
a crowd which blocked the street around
st. Patricks Cathedral one night to
watch for an eclipse Of the moon and
entirely interrupted traffic. but promptly
dispersed when he sent one OF his serv-
ants TO tell them that the eclipse had
been postponed by his orders
He wrote 'Gulliver's Travels" about this
period OF his life In the deanery Of St.
new the barracks Of the Dublin police
force. The present deanery-a modern
building nearby-contains portraits Of
Swift and other OF the fifty-seven clergy
men who have served as deans Of St.
Patrick's.
A Satire on Charity.
About the same time also he wrote an
other masterpiece Of satire upon the use
less and Impractical measures Of charity
for the poor adopted by the government.
It was entitled "A Modest Proposal for
Preventing the Children OF Poor People
In Ireland From Being a Burden to Their
Parents by Fattening and Eating Them"
ecclesiastical matters which should have
caused his separation from, the deanery
under ordinary circumstances. but the
archbishop as we'll as the civil authori-
In discussing the bishops Of the Church
Of Ireland he declared at one time that
they were all impostors. He asserted that
the government always sent English
e Gle, men Of character and pety to Ire.
they were murdered on their way by the
highwaymen of Hounslow Heath and
other brigands. who put on their robes
travelled to Dublin. presented their
places over the several dioceses OF Ire
land.
In 1923 the parliament Of Ireland was
Installed in the imposing structure that
opposite the main buildings of Trinity
College. Although the people had been
demanding home rule and a legislature of
their own for years the new parliament
voked the hostility Of the tickle people
and II was attacked on all sides for
everything it did. Swift took his Gus
tomary part in the criticisms and chris
because. as he said. the chamber had
crust In the form of a done-shaped roof
ard it was not remarkable for the intel
lect or knowledge Of It's members.
The Legion Club.
One Of his lampoons addressed at par
lament under the name Of The Legion
Club" begins as follows:
A. stroll the city oft
f sow.nat i f1ae IN; the essse
Half the globe from sense and knowledge
TIL Us what the pile contains.
Many head that holds no brains.
Such assemblies yeu might swear
Meet when butchers bait a bear:
Such q noise aud such haran.uinz
When . brother thief is hanging.
This does not sound very disniied for
the dean Of cathedral, blu: 1t was char
acteristic OF Swift.
He became a physical and mental
wreck In 17l2 and died an imbecile Of
softening of the brain October o. 1145.
His will. written before his mind gave
left his slender fortune to found an in
sane asylum. The original copy may be
found in the public record Office, in a
beautiful great building known as the
Four Courts. the seat OF the judiciary Of
Ireland and where the archives of the
government are kept. The insane asylum
10 still used for that purpose and Is known
as St. Patrick's Hospital for Lunatics. 1t
stands near the enormous brewery of this
Guinness Company. 1t was the first Of
the kind In Ireland and was built when
the insane were restrained by shackles.
handouts and iron bars. but more hui
name modern methods of treatment were
introduced long ago and 1t Is considered
345 feet long by ii feet wide with little
cells or bedrooms opening upon them
Swifts writing desk is preserved In the
institution.
Jonathan Swift was buried in St Pat
rick's Cathedral in the same grave with
Stella" the woman be wronged. and
whose life was q sacrifice to his selfish
ness. but there Is SO much else to say that
must leave her story for another letter.
The schomherg Epftaph.
His whimsicalities are illustrated in the
cathedral more than anywhere else. and
among them Is the ''schomberg epitaph."
1t Is found in the north aisle to the left
of the choir and Is chiseled in large
letters upon a slab Of marble. Duke
SchomberR. hero OF the battle OF the
Boyne. was buried In St. Patrick's at tho
time Of his death. but his grave remained
unmarked until his bones were discovered
when some repairs were being made while
Swift was dean Of the cathedral. In or
der that his character and achievements
might be properly recognized and called to
tho attention of posterity. Swift applied
to the head of the Schomberg family for
Atty pounds to pay the expense of a me-
mortal, which his descendants declined to
contribute. Then Swift. whose indigna-
ton WAS excited. put up the slab himself
and punished them by recording in Latin
that the cathedral authorities had en-.
treated to no purpose the heirs of the
great marshal to set up an appropriate
memorial. and, as they had refused to
do So this tablet had been erected that
posterity might know where the great
Schomberg lies.
THE fame of his valor." he adds, rs
much more appreciated by strangers than
by his kinsmen."
Nothing could have been more charac-
teristic Of Jonathan Swift.
Swift's Bodyguard.
Upon the other farther side Of the
church. between the tombs Of the RI Hon
Lady Elizabeth, Viscountess Donneralle
and Archbishop Whateley. the gentleman