he was a young man; and, ftill perfifting to doubt, that he was a very pofitive young man. Three years afterward (1704), was published The Tale of a Tub: of this book charity may be perfuaded to think that it might be written by a man of a peculiar character, without ill intention, but it is certainly of dangerous example. That Swift was its author, though it be univerfally believed, was never owned by himself, nor very well proved by any evidence; but no other claimant can be produced, and he did not deny it when Archbishop Sharpe and the Duchefs of Somerfet, by fhewing it to the Queen, debarred him from a bishop rick. B When When this wild work firft raised the attention of the publick, Sacheverell, meeting Smalridge, tried to flatter him, by feeming to think him the author; but Smalridge anfwered with indignation, "Not all that you and I have in the world, nor all that ever we fhall have, fhould hire me to write the Tale of "a Tub." The digreffions relating to Wotton and Bentley must be confeffed to difcover want of knowledge, or want of integrity; he did not understand the two controverfies, or he willingly mifreprefented them. But Wit can ftand its ground against Truth only a little while. The honours due to learning have been justly distributed by the decifion of pofterity. The The Battle of the Books is fo like the Combat des Livres, which the fame queftion concerning the Ancients and Moderns had produced in France, that the improbability of fuch a coincidence of thoughts without communication is not, in my opinion, balanced by the anonymous proteftation prefixed, in which all knowledge of the French book is peremptorily difowned. For fome time after Swift was probably employed in folitary ftudy, gaining the qualifications requifite for future eminence. How often he vifited England, and with what diligence he attended his parishes, I know not. It was not till about four years afterwards that he became a profeffed author, and then one year (1708) produced The Sentiments of a Church-of-England Man; the ridicule of Aftrology, under the name of Bickerstaff; the Argument against abolishing Christianity; and the defence of the Sacramental Teft. The Sentiments of a Church-of-England Man is written with great coolness, moderation, cafe, and perfpicuity. The Argument against abolishing Chriflianity is a very happy and judicious irony. One paffage in it deferves to be selected. "If Christianity were once abolished, "how could the free-thinkers, the strong "reafoners, and the men of profound "learning, be able to find another fub "ject "ject so calculated, in all points, where"on to display their abilities? What "wonderful productions of wit should "we be deprived of from thofe, whose genius, by continual practice, hath "been wholly turned upon raillery and "invectives against religion, and would "therefore never be able to fhine, or 66 diftinguish themfelves, upon any other "fubject? We are daily complaining "of the great decline of wit among us, "and would take away the greatest, "perhaps the only, topick we have left. "Who would ever have fufpected Afgill "for a wit, or Toland for a philofo 66 pher, if the inexhauftible ftock of Christianity had not been at hand to "provide them with materials? What "other B 3 |