his new mint upon Ireland, when Swift, finding that the metal was debafed to an enormous degree, wrote Letters, under the name of M. B. Drapier, to fhew the folly of receiving, and the mischief that must enfue, by giving gold and filver for coin worth perhaps not a third part of its nominal value.

The nation was alarmed; the new

coin was univerfally refufed: but the governors of Ireland confidered refiftance to the King's patent as highly criminal; and one Whitshed, then Chief Juftice, who had tried the printer of the former pamphlet, and fent out the Jury. nine times, till by clamour and menaces they were frighted into a special verdict, now presented the Drapier, but

could

could not prevail on the Grand Jury to

find the bill.

Swift had

Lord Carteret and the Privy Council published a proclamation, offering three hundred pounds for difcovering the author of the Fourth Letter. concealed himself from his printers, and trufted only his butler, who transcribed the paper. The man, immediately after the appearance of the proclamation, ftrolled from the house, and staid out all night and part of the next day. There was reafon enough to fear that he had betrayed his mafter for the reward; but he came home, and the Dean ordered him to put off his livery, and leave the houfe; "for," fays he, "I know that my life is in your power, and I will

"not not bear, out of fear, either your info"lence or negligence." The man excufed his fault with great fubmiffion, and begged that he might be confined in the house while it was in his power to endanger his mafter; but the Dean refolutely turned him out, without taking farther notice of him, till the term of information had expired, and then received him again. Soon afterwards he ordered him and the rest of the fervants into his prefence, without telling his intentions, and bade them take notice that their fellow-fervant was no longer Robert the butler; but that his integrity had made him Mr. Blakeney, verger of St. Patrick's; an officer whofe income was between thirty and

forty

forty pounds a year, but he ftill- continued for fome years to ferve his old mafter as his butler.

Swift was known from this time by the appellation of The Dean. He was honoured by the populace as the champion, patron, and instructer of Ireland; and gained fuch power as, confidered both in its extent and duration, scarcely any man has ever enjoyed without greater wealth or higher station.

He was from this important year the oracle of the traders, and the idol of the rabble, and by confequence was feared and courted by all to whom the kindness of the traders or the populace was neceffary. The Drapier was a fign; the Drapier was a health; and which

way

way foever the eye or the ear was turned, fome tokens were found of the nation's gratitude to the Drapier.

The benefit was indeed great; he had refcued Ireland from a very oppreffive and predatory invafion; and the popularity which he had gained he was diligent to keep, by appearing forward and zealous on every occafion where the publick intereft was supposed to be involved. Nor did he much fcruple to boast his influence; for when, upon some attempts to regulate the coin, Archbishop Boulter, then one of the Juftices, accufed him of exafperating the people, he exculpated himself by faying, "If I had lifted up my finger, "they would have torn you to pieces."

But