common things; he is neither required. to mount elevations, nor to explore profundities; his paffage is always on a level, along folid ground, without afperities, without obftruction.

This cafy and fafe conveyance of meaning it was Swift's defire to attain, and for having attained he certainly deferves praife, though perhaps not the highest praise. For purposes merely didactick, when fomething is to be told that was not known before, it is in the highest degree proper, but against that inattention by which known truths are fuffered to lie neglected, it makes no provifion; it inftructs, but does not perfuade.

By his political education he was affociated with the Whigs; but he deserted them when they deferted their principles, yet without running into the contrary extreme; he continued throughout his life to retain the difpofition which he affigns to the Church-of-England Man, of thinking commonly with the Whigs of the State, and with the Tories of the Church.

He was a churchman rationally zealous; he defired the profperity and maintained the honour of the Clergy: of the Diffenters he did not wish to infringe the toleration, but he opposed their encroachments.

Of his duty as Dean he was very obfervant. He managed the revenues of

his church with exact economy; and it is faid by Delany, that more money was, under his direction, laid out in repairs than had ever been in the fame time fince its firft erection. Of his choir he was eminently careful; and, though he neither loved nor understood mufick, took care that all the fingers were well qualified, admitting none without the teftimony of fkilful judges.

In his church he restored the practice of weekly communion, and diftributed the facramental elements in the most folemn and devout manner with his own hand. He came to church every morn ing, preached commonly in his turn, and attended the evening anthem, that it might not be negligently performed.

He

He read the fervice rather with a

Strong nervous voice than in a graceful manner; his voice was sharp and hightoned, rather than harmonious.

He entered upon the clerical ftate with hope to excel in preaching; but complained, that, from the time of his political controverfies, he could only preach pamphlets. This cenfure of himself, if judgement be made from thofe fermons which have been published, was unreasonably fevere.

The fufpicions of his irreligion proceeded in a great measure from his dread of hypocrify; instead of wishing to feem better, he delighted in feeming worse than he was. He went in London to

early prayers, left he fhould be seen at

church ;

church; he read prayers to his fervants every morning with fuch dexterous fecrecy, that Dr. Delany was fix months. in his houfe before he knew it. He was not only careful to hide the good which he did, but willingly incurred the fufpicion of evil which he did not. He forgot what himself had formerly afferted, that hypocrify is lefs mifchievous than open impiety. Dr. Delany, with all his zeal for his honour, has juftly con-demned this part of his character.

The perfon of Swift had not many. recommendations. He had a kind of muddy complexion, which, though he washed himself with oriental fcrupulofity, did not look clear. He had a countenance four and fevere, which he fel

dom: