of confidence from Temple, who permited him to be present at his confidential interviews with King William, when that monarch honoured Moorpark with his visits, a distinction which Temple owed to their former intimacy in Holland, and which he received with respectful ease, and repaid by sound and constitutional advice. Nay, when Sir William's gout confined him to his chamber, the duty of attending the king devolved upon Swift; and it is recorded by all the poet's biographer's, that William offered him a troop of horse, and shewed him how to cut asparagus the Dutch way. It would be unjust to suppress the additional advantage he acquired in learning, by the royal example, to eat the same vegetable with Dutch economy, on which subject the reader will find a lively anecdote at the bottom of the page. Other advantages of a more solid

* This characteristic story is given on the authority of the father of my friend, Mr M. Weld Hartstonge. Alderman George Faulkner of Dublin, the well-known bookseller, happening one day to dine in company with Dr Leland the historian, the conversation adverted to the illustrious Dean of St Patrick's. Faulkner, who was the Dean's printer and publisher on many occasions, mentioned, that one day being detained late at the Deanery-house, in correcting some proofsheets for the press, Swift made the worthy alderman stay to dinner. Amongst other vegetables, asparagus formed one of the dishes. The Dean helped his guest, who shortly again called upon his host to be helped a second time; when the

nature were, however, held out to his ambition; and he was led to hope that he would be provided for in the church, to which profession he was destined, as well by inclination as by so fair a prospect of preferment*. The high trust reposed in him warranted these hopes. For he was employed by Sir William Temple to lay before King William the reasons why his majesty ought to assent to the bill for triennial parliaments; and he strengthened Temple's opinion by several arguments drawn from English history. But the king persevered in his opposition, and the bill was thrown out by the influence of the crown, in the House of Commons. This was the first intercourse that Swift had with courts; and he was wont to tell his friends that it helped to cure him of vanity having probably anticipated success in his negociation, and being mortified in proportion by its unexpected failure.

Dean, pointing to the alderman's plate, "Sir, first finish what you have upon your plate." "What, Sir, eat my stalks?" "Aye, Sir! King William always eat the stalks!" "And George," rejoined the historian, (who was himself remarkably proud, and very pompous,) "What, were you blockhead enough to obey him ?" "Yes, doctor, and if you had dined with Dean Swift, tete-a-tete, faith you would have been obliged to eat your stalks too!"

*He writes to his uncle, William Swift, 29th November 1692, "I am not to take orders till the king gives me a prebend." Vol. XV. p. 226.

In 1692, Swift went to Oxford for the purpose of taking his master's degree, to which he was admitted on the 5th July in that year. He seems to have been pleased with the civilities he met at Oxford, and observes, that he was ashamed to have been more obliged, in a few weeks, to strangers, than ever he was, in seven years, to Dublin college*. The favour of Oxford necessarily implies learning and genius. In the former Swift was now eminent, and in the latter shewed the fair promise of an active and enterprising mind. Even in 1691, he informs his friend, Mr Kendal, that he had "written and burned, and written again upon all manner of subjects, more than perhaps any man in England +." Amidst these miscellaneous efforts, poetry was not neglected. The muses met him on their own sacred ground, and it is at Oxford that Swift produced his first verses, (reserving only his claim to any of those contained in the

The passage reminds us of a similar expression in Dryden's prologue to the university of Oxford.

Oxford to him a dearer name shall be

Than his own mother university;

Thebes did his green unknowing youth engage,

He chuses Athens in his riper age.

Both poets had received some censure from their Alma Mater.

+ Vol. XV. p. 221.

Tripos of Jones). It is a version of Horace, Book II. Ode 18.*

'Tis true my cottage mean and low,
Not built for grandeur but for ease,
No ivory cornices can show,

Nor ceilings rough with gold displays.

No cedar beams for pomp and state,
(To nature names confest unknown,)
Repose their great and precious weight
On pillars of the Parian stone.

Not dropt an accidental heir

To some old kinless miser's means;
No wealthy vassal's gifts I wear,

Rich purple vests and sweeping trains :

But virtue and a little sense,

Have so endeared me to the great,
That, thanks to bounteous Providence,
Nor have, nor want I an estate.

Blest in my little Sabine field,

I'll neither gods above implore,
Nor, since in sneaking arts unskill'd,
Hang on my wealthy friends for more.

From day to day with equal pace
Our sliding moments steal away,
Nor is the fleeting moon's increase
Aught but her progress to decay.

* These verses were copied by Dr Hill of Dublin, from the original in the possession of Mr Worral, who was one of the Dean's curates, and lived in great habits of friendship with him.

Yet you, amused with airy dreams,
Forgetful that the grave is near,
Are busied with your endless schemes
Of pleasant seats and houses here.

The bounds of nature for your mind
Too little scem, and you are poor,
Unless the ocean be confin'd

T'enlarge your borders on the shore.

Nay more, profanely you leap o'er

Your peaceful neighbour's ancient bounds, Invade the weak, unfriended poor,

And seize his patrimonial grounds.