mons. It might juftly be expected that fome things of the like fort would be done, on other occafions, if the right of the people, in the counties and burghs, to inftruct their reprefentatives, and to oblige them, was once fully eftablished."

The works of doctor Jonathan Swift, dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin. Volumes XV. and XVI. in large octavo. Collected and revised by Deane Swift, efq; of Goodrich, in Herefordshire. London, printed for W. Johnston, &c.

These papers are of various kinds; fome in profe, and fome in verse fome of a public, and fome of a private nature; but all, as the editor very well obferves, carrying their own marks of authenticity. The public pieces relate to the last years of queen Anne's reign, and the affairs of Ireland. The former contain many very curious anecdotes, and very fine obferva tions, interfperfed with fome Characters, which we thought it our duty to infert, as originals of great perfonages drawn by an eminent hand, in our article for this year

volumes of this celebrated writer made their appearance, the public confidered them as the laft, and were even furprised at their having been fo long kept back. We cannot, therefore, help thinking, that it was of more confequence than the editors of the prefent volumes feem to imagine, to publish, by what very extraordinary means the feveral papers compofing them were refcued from the injuries of time and accidents, fince no reader can be fuppofed fo indifferent to the author, as not to take a great concern in the fate of his literary remains. It looks, as if the perfons poffeffed of them had attempted to get hufh-money for the whole, by producing one or two, and representing the fting in them as a faint fpecimen of that contained in the rest. But then, it is very furprifing, how pieces, many of which it appears the dean was fo choice of as to get

plain from thefe papers, that the dean was refolved to wish that princefs and her laft miniftry well at all events, and therefore defirous to find out fome juft grounds to vindicate them from thofe changes, which might be very well accounted for from the character he himfelf gives of her and them; among ft which we cannot help taking particular notice of fuch a low regard in her majefty to common forms, as cannot but take greatly from the ridicule caft by the dean on a foreign minifter for telling prince Eugene, that his highnefs could not appear before her majesty without a perriwig of a certain fashion.

Much as the dean feems to have been difpofed to defend queen Anne and her minifters, he feems. to have been equally difpofed to ridicule her fucceffor and his family; and it is probable, that the pieces in which he does it (one

filed,

ftiled, An account of the court and empire of Japan; the other, Directions for making a birth-day fong) have been the occafion of all the other pieces in thefe volumes being fo long with-held from the public.

The pieces relating to Ireland are thofe of a public nature, in which the dean appears, as ufual, in the best light, because they do honour to his heart as well as to his head; furnishing fome additional proofs, that, though he was very free in his abuse of the inhabitants of that country, as well natives as foreigners, he had their intereft fincerely at heart, and perfectly understood it. His fermon upon doing good, though peculiarly adapted to Ireland, and Wood's defigns upon it, contains perhaps the beft motives to patriotifm, that were ever delivered within fo fmall a compaís.

Amongst the writings of a private nature, are many of a ferious and many of a very oppofite caft: many panegyrical, and many fatyrical. In fome of the latter, the dean has fuffered his wit to outrun his good-nature and regard to decency; and it is for this reafon, we imagine, that fome perfons have wifhed that they had been fuppreffed; for, as to their being trifling and domeftic, that furely can be na fufficient objection to the publicarion of them, fince they are thereby better adapted to fhew, what the dean was in his family and amongst his friends, than twenty characters drawn of him by the pens of others. Of thefe private pieces, that containing an account of his favourite Stella, may be justly deemed the most valuable, as ex

hibiting an uncommon pattern of foftnefs and fortitude, humility and learning, housewifery and politenefs, frugality and good-nature, united in one perfon; for which reason we have likewife inferted it amongst our Characters. There is likewife amongst them a prayer of the dean's for this fame extraordinary woman, which, whatever levities might appear in him, fhew that he was deeply impreffed with the principal truths of the Chriftian religion.

To give fpecimens in this place of the feveral kinds of compofition in these volumes, would require more room than our plan will allow us; but then there is the less need of it, as the reader will meet with them in other parts of our work. However, not to be totally deficient in this refpect, we fhall give our readers two of his pieces; one a confolatory epiftle, the finest perhaps, that ever was written; the other, a collection of itate paradoxes, which, though abounding with great fenfe and penetration, and on a very important fubject, conld not, on account of its locality, and the time for which it was written being so long past, be so properly inferted in any other part of our work.

MAXIMS CONTROLLED IN IRELAND.

The truth of fome maxims in state and government, examined with reference to Ireland.

"There are certain maxims of ftate, founded upon long observation and experience, drawn from the conftant practice of the wifeft

nations,

nations, and from the very principles of government, nor ever controlled by any writer upon politics. Yet all these maxims do neceffarily prefuppofe a kingdom, or commonwealth, to have the fame natural rights common to the reft of mankind who have entered into civil fociety. For, if we could conceive a nation where each of the inhabitants had but one eye, one leg, and one hand, it is plain that, before you could inftitute them into a republic, an allowance must be made for those material defects wherein they differed from other mortals. Or, imagine a legiflator forming a fyftem for the government of Bedlam, and, proceeding upon the maxim that man is a fociable animal, fhould draw them out of their cells, and form them into corporations or general affemblies; the confequence might probably be, that they would fall foul on each other, or burn the house over their own heads.

Of the like nature are innumerable errors committed by crude and short thinkers, who reafon upon general topics, without the leaft allowance for the most important circumstances, which quite alter the nature of the cafe.

This hath been the fate of those fmall dealers, who are every day publishing their thoughts, either on paper or in their affemblies, for improving the trade of Ireland, and referring us to the practice and example of England, Holland, France, or other nations.

I shall therefore examine certain maxims of government, which generally pass for uncontrolled in the world, and confider how far they will fuit with the prefent condition of this kingdom. VOL. VIII.

First, it is affirmed by wife men, that the dearness of things neceffary for life, in a fruitful country, is a certain fign of wealth and great commerce; for, when fuch neceffaries are dear, it must absolutely follow that money is cheap and plentiful.

we

But this is manifeftly false in Ireland, for the following reafon. Some years ago, the fpecies of money here did probably amount to fix or feven hundred thousand pounds; and I have good caufe to believe, that our remittances then did not much exceed the cash brought in to us. But, by the prodigious difcouragements have fince received in every branch of our trade, by the frequent enforcements and rigorous execution. of the navigation-act, the tyranny of under cuftom-houfe officers, the yearly addition of abfentees, the payments to regiments abroad, to civil and military officers refiding in England, the unexpected fudden demands of great fums from the treasury, and fome other drains of perhaps as great confequence, we now see ourselves reduced to a state (fince we have no friends) of being pitied by our enemies; at leaft, if our enemies were of fuch a kind as to be capable of any regard towards us, except of hatred and contempt.

Forty years are now paffed fince the Revolution, when the contention for the British empire was, most unfortunately for us, and altogether againft the courfe of fuch mighty changes in government, decided in the leaft important nation, but with fuch ravages and ruin executed on both fides, as to leave the kingdom a defert, which, in fome fort, it ftill continues. X Neither

Neither did the long rebellion in 1641 make half fuch a deftruction of houses, plantations, and perfonal wealth, in both kingdoms, as two years campaign did in ours, by fighting England's battles.

By flow degrees, and by the gentle treatment we received under two aufpicious reigns, we grew able to live without running in debt. Our abfentees were but few, we had great indulgence in trade, a confiderable fhare in employments of church and ftate; and, while the short leafes continued, which were let fome years after the war ended, tenants paid their rents with ease and chearfulnefs, to the great regret of their Jandlords, who had taken up a spirit of oppofition that is not eafily removed. And although, in thefe fhort leafes, the rent was gradually to increase after fhort periods; yet as foon as the term elapfed, the land was let to the highest bidder, most commonly without the leaft effectual claufe for building or planting. Yet by many advantages, which this ifland then poffeffed and has fince utterly loft, the rents of lands till grew higher upon every leafe that expired, till they have arrived at the prefent exorbitance; when the frog, overfwelling himself, burit at last.

With the price of land, of neceflity rofe that of corn and cattle, and all other commodities that far mers deal in: hence likewife, obviously, the rates of all goods and manufactures among hopkeepers, the wages of fervants, and hire of labourers. But although our miferies came on faft, with neither trade nor money left, yet neither will the landlord abate in his rent, ner can the tenant abate in the

price of what the rent must be paid with, nor any fhopkeeper, tradefman, or labourer live, at lower expence for food and cloathing, than he did before.

I have been the larger upon this first head, because the fame obfervations will clear up and ftrengthen a good deal of what I fhall affirm upon the rest.

The fecond maxim of those who

reafon upon trade and government is, to affert, that low interest is a certain fign of great plenty of money in a nation, for which, as in many other articles, they produce the examples of Holland and England. But, with relation to Ireland, this maxim is entirely false.

There are two reafons for the lowness of intereft in any country. First, that which is ufually alledged, the great plenty of fpecie: and this is obvious. The fecond is want of trade, which feldom falls. under common obfervation, altho' it be equally true. For, where trade is altogether difcouraged, there are few borrowers. In thofe countries where men can employ a large ftock, the young merchant, whofe fortune may be four or five hundred pounds, will venture to bors row as much more, and can afford a reasonable intereft. Neither is it eafy at this day to find many of those whofe bufinefs reaches to employ even fo inconfiderable a fum, except among the importers of wine; who, as they have moft part of the prefent trade in these parts of Ireland in their hands, fo they are the most exorbitant, exacting, fraudulent dealers, that ever trafficked in any nation, and are making all poffible fpeed to ruin both themselves and the na tion.

From

From this defect, of gentlemen's not knowing how to difpofe of their ready money, arifeth the high purchase of lands, which in all other countries is reckoned a fign of wealth. For the frugal fquires, who live below their incomes, have no other way to dispose of their favings but by mortgage or purchafe, by which the rates of land muft naturally increafe; and, if this trade continues long under the uncertainty of rents, the landed men of ready money will find it more for their advantage to fend their cash to England, and place it in the funds; which I myfelf am determined to do, the first confiderable fum I fhall be mafter of.

It hath likewise been a maxim among politicians, that the great increase of buildings in the metropolis argues a flourishing ftate. But this, I confefs, hath been controlled from the example of London; where, by the long and annual parliamentary feffions, fuch a number of fenators, with their families, friends, adherents, and expectants, draw fuch prodigious numbers to that city, that the old hofpitable cuftom of lords and gentlemen living in their ancient feats among their tenants, is almoft loft in England; is laughed out of doors; in fo much that, in the middle of fummer, a legal house of lords and commons might be brought in a few hours to London, from their country villas within twelve miles round.

The cafe in Ireland is yet fomewhat worfe; for the abfentees of great eftates, who, if they lived at home, would have many rich retainers in their neighbourhoods,

having learned to rack their lands, and fhorten their leafes, as much as any refiding fquire; and the few remaining of thefe latter, having fome vain hope of employments for themfelves or their children, and difcouraged by the beggarliness and thievery of our own miferable farmers and cottagers, or feduced by the vanity of their wives, on pretence of their children's education (whereof the fruits are fo apparent), together with that most wonderful and yet more unaccountable zeal for a feat in their affembly, though at fome years purchase of their whole eftates: thefe, and fome other motives better let pass, have drawn fuch concourfe to this beggarly city, that the dealers of the feveral branches of building have found out all the commodious and inviting places for erecting new houses, while fifteen hundred of the old ones, which is a seventh part of the whole city, are faid to be left uninhabited, and falling to ruin. Their method is the fame with that which was firft introduced by Dr. Barebone at London, who died a bankrupt. The mafon, the bricklayer, the carpenter, the flater, and the glazier, take a lot of ground, club to build one or more houfes, unite their credit, their stock, and their money; and when their work is finished, fell it to the beft advantage they can. But, as it often happens, and more every day, that their fund will not anfwer half their defign, they are forced to underfell it at the first ftory, and are all reduced to beggary. Infomuch that I know a certain fanatic brewer*, who is reported to have fome hundreds of