ing in the goddess's favour, and may, perhaps, at last, obtain the highest, or at least the second place, in these her solemnities. In the mean time, see how he is received by the man who is best qualified here to judge of his dignity. I looked at him again, and saw Raphael making him the most affectionate congratulations *."

In No 70, the Dean has continued his observations, in a letter signed Jonathan Rosehat, on the eloquence of the pulpit, and has thrown some unmerited ridicule on a Mr. James Ford, a man of worth and ingenuity, who taught those who stammered, or were deaf and dumb, to speak. In the subsequent essay, however, N° 71, he has atoned, in some measure, for this ill-placed satire, by a sensible letter on the slovenly and negligent conduct of a clergyman in the discharge of his duty. Swift was himself a zealous churchman, and, in his capacity of Dean, remarkably attentive to the revenues of the church, to the repairs of the structure, and to the skill and harmony of his choir; he administered the sacrament weekly, and regularly and daily attended the service morning and evening.

The only entire paper which Swift wrote in the Tatler, is N° 230, on improper phraseology and affected abbreviations in our language. It * Dodsley's Museum, No 13.

is a well written and useful essay, and may be considered as a kind of appendix to his letter addressed to Lord Oxford. The following assertion, however, must be considered as too sweeping; and to be admitted, therefore, with many grains of allowance: "I would engage," says he, "to furnish you with a catalogue of English books, published within the compass of seven years past, which at the first hand would cost you a hundred pounds, wherein you shall not be able to find ten lines together of common grammar or common sense."

When the Dean in this paper inveighed against the adoption of cant words, he had strangely forgotten his own addiction to their use; even when speaking of this very number in his Journal to Stella, he says, "I have sent a long letter to Bickerstaff, let the Bishop of Clogher smoke it if he can."

N° 238 includes a poem by our author, entitled The City Shower, prefaced by Steele; it has merit as an accurate description, though it be of circumstances not very pleasing to the imagination. The Dean, however, entertained a very high opinion of it, and says in his Journal, "This day came out the Tatler, made up wholly of my Shower, and a Preface to it. They say it is the best thing I ever writ, and I think so too *." * Swift's Works by Nichols, vol. xiv. p. 235, edit, of 1801.

The last piece which Swift contributed to the Tatler, was a letter on the words "Great Britain," in N° 258, written in conjunction with Prior and Rowe, and with the view of ridiculing Steele for an assertion in No 241, in a letter signed Scoto-Britannus, that since the union the term "Great Britain" should be used for England and Scotland. This Swift denied, and affirmed, that “the modern phrase 'Great Britain' is only to distinguish it from Little Britain, where old clothes and old books are to be bought and sold" Time has sanctioned the opinion of Steele.

It has been a matter of dispute, whether Swift had any share in the Spectator; we may, however, on his own authority, ascribe to him the greater part, if not the whole, of N° 50, containing the remarks of the Indian kings on the English nation. The paper has been usually given to Addison, who yet appears to have been little more than an amanuensis on this occasion; for Swift, in his Journal to Stella, April the 28th, 1711, observes, "The Spectator is written by Steele, with Addison's help; it is often very pretty. Yesterday it was made of a noble hint I gave him, long ago, for his Tatlers, about an Indian, supposed to write his travels into Eng*Letter to Alderman Barber.

land. I repent he ever had it. I intended to have written a book upon that subject. I believe he has spent it all in one paper; and all the under hints there are mine too: but I never see him or Addison." A paragraph, likewise, in N° 575, has been claimed for the Dean by the editor of his works, commencing with the line, "The following question is started by one of the," and terminating with the word "choice." To the Guardian it is not known that he afforded any assistance.

7. THOMAS PARNELL, D. D. was born in Dublin, in the year 1679. His ancestors, who were of great respectability, had been long fixed at Congleton, in Cheshire; but his father, in consequence of a strong attachment to the republican party, quitted this country at the Restoration, and purchased several large estates in Ireland; which, together with the family seat in England, became the property of the subject of our memoir.

Young Parnell received his school education under the tuition of Dr. Jones, of Dublin, and was admitted a member of the college of that metropolis so early as at the age of thirteen. He acquired his degree of Master of Arts on July the 9th, 1700, and was ordained a deacon the

same year by Dr. King, Bishop of Derry; but, being under twenty years of age, it was necessary that he should apply for a dispensation from the primate. Three years after this event he entered into priest's orders; and, on the 9th of February, 1705, he was collated to the arch-deaconry of Clogher, by Dr. Ashe, Bishop of Clog

her.

He shortly afterwards married MISS ANNE MIN CHIN, a lady of great beauty, and of most amiable temper; and on whom, during the period of his addresses, he wrote the beautiful little song, beginning," My days have been so wondrous free." Hitherto Parnell had led a very retired academical life; but he now began to make yearly excursions to England, and soon became familiar with the first literary characters of his age. great sweetness of disposition he added interesting manners, and powerful talents for conversation; and being possessed of an ample fortune, with a liberal and benevolent turn of mind, he wanted not, nor did he neglect, numerous opportunities of conferring favours and succouring dis

tress.

То

To Gay, to Swift, to Pope, and Arbuthnot he was endeared by daily intercourse and mutual kindness, by that reciprocation of talent and harmless gaiety which can alone render life a scene of rational enjoyment. They together