Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 1.djvu/29

 sunk by continual attacks of a cruel disorder, made as great a change in his mind, as in his outward form, so that little of his former self remained. To draw his character at length, from observations made at such a period, was the height of injustice; and yet his lordship had no opportunity of knowing any thing of the brighter part of his days, but from common report. For, as Swift was the last man in the world to talk much of himself, his lordship's acquaintance with him furnished him with no materials of that sort; he therefore had recourse to common fame, which, as I have before shown, had been always busy in calumniating that great man; and with a cruel industry he collected and revived all the reports, which had formerly been spread to his disadvantage. His lordship's chief view in publishing this work, being to acquire celebrity as an author — hominum volitare per ora— in order to obtain this end, he knew that satire was more likely to procure a rapid sale to the book, than panegyrick. All regard therefore to truth, justice, honour, and humanity, was to be sacrificed, whenever they came in competition with this great end.

The event did credit to his lordihip'slordship's [sic] sagacity, for the work had a rapid sale, and soon ran through a variety of editions. This was owing to several causes. The whigs were then a great majority of the nation, and in possession of all the power. Though their animosity against those of the opposite party had somewhat subsided, yet was it far from being wholly extinguished. They had always entertained an implacable hatred to Swift, as the great champion of the other side; which was not extinguished