Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 18.djvu/270

256 to the greatest degree imaginable; robbed of that character which was dearer to me than life itself; and all that by an overbearing, overpowering interest.

I sought in England for that peace and protection which was denied me at home. My publick character followed me: my countrymen avoided me. The nature of man is sociable: I was forced to herd with strangers. A prime minister, engaged in the success of a scheme, wants no emissaries to spy out all that makes for him, and to fly with what they have found to their employer. I was unfortunately set by those sort of creatures: my sentiments on the state of our money matters were industriously sifted through me; and when that was done, before I knew any thing of the matter, I was served with his majesty's summons: in a hurry I ran out of town, and staid in the country awhile; but, on my return again, found another summons at my lodgings; and terrified by the dismal effects of power at home from risking a second shipwreck abroad, I yielded to it, and appeared at the cockpit.

It is true, my appearance at the cockpit, to those who knew me only by the votes of the house of commons, must have looked like a design of a revenge; and I had many and powerful enemies, who gave all my actions the worst colour. But, to take the matter impartially, sir, is there no allowance to be made for a mind already broken by the dismal effects of prevailing power, and filled with the apprehensions of second dangers? Is there no allowance for a man, young in the knowledge of the world, under all these fears and misfortunes, if he has yielded to the repeated summons of the council of England, in which