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tradicted by Oxford, but Bolingbroke

whispered that he was right.

Before this violent diffention had shattered the Ministry, Swift had published, in the beginning of the year (1714), The Publick Spirit of the Whigs, in answer to The Crifis, a pamphlet for which Steele was expelled from the Houfe of ComSwift was now fo far alienated from Steele as to think him no longer entitled to decency, and therefore treats him fometimes with contempt, and fometimes with abhorrence.

mons.

In this pamphlet the Scots were mentioned in terms fo provoking to that irritable nation, that, refolving not to be offended with impunity, the Scotch Lords in a body demanded an audience of the Queen,

5

Queen, and folicited reparation. A proclamation was iffued, in which threehundred pounds was offered for difcovery of the author. From this ftorm he was, as he relates, fecured by a fleight; of what kind, or by whofe prudence, is not known; and fuch was the increase of his reputation, that the Scottish Nation applied again that he would be their friend.

He was become fo formidable to the Whigs, that his familiarity with the Minifters was clamoured at in Parliament, particularly by two men, afterwards of great note, Aiflabie and Walpole..

But, by the difunion of his great friends, his importance and his defigns were now at an end; and feeing his fer

vices

vices at laft ufelefs, he retired about June (1714) into Berkshire, where, in the houfe of a friend, he wrote what was then fuppreffed, but has fince appeared under the title of Free Thoughts on the prefent State of Affairs.

While he was waiting in this retirement for events which time or chance might bring to pafs, the death of the Queen broke down at once the whole fyftem of Tory Politicks; and nothing remained but to withdraw from the implacability of triumphant Whiggism, and fhelter himself in unenvied obfcurity.

The accounts of his reception in Ireland, given by Lord Orrery and Dr. Delany, are fo different, that the credit of

the

the writers, both undoubtedly veracious, cannot be saved but by fuppofing, what I think is true, that they fpeak of different times. When Delany fays that he was received with kindnefs and refpect, he means for the first fortnight, when he came to take legal poffeffion; and when Lord Orrery tells that he was pelted by the populace, he is to be understood of the time when, after the Queen's death, he became a fettled refident.

The Archbishop of Dublin gave him at firft fome difturbance in the exercife of his jurifdiction; but it was foon difcovered, that between prudence and integrity he was feldom in the wrong;

I

and

and that, when he was right, his fpirit did not eafily yield to oppofition.

Having fo lately quitted the tumults of a party and the intrigues of a court, they still kept his thoughts in agitation, as the fea fluctuates a while when the ftorm has ceafed. He therefore filled his hours with fome hiftorical attempts, relating to the Change of the Minifters and the Conduct of the Miniftry. He likewife is faid to have written a Hiftory of the Four laft Years of Queen Anne, which he began in her life-time, and afterwards laboured with great attention, but never published. It was after his death in the hands of Lord Orrery and Dr. King. A book under that title was published, with Swift's name, by Dr.

Lucas;

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