Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 19.djvu/221

Rh kindness; so that those who were fed by him could hardly love him.

He made a rule to himself to give but one piece at a time, and therefore always stored his pocket with coins of different value.

Whatever he did, he seemed willing to do in a manner peculiar to himself, without sufficiently considering, that singularity, as it implies a contempt of the general practice, is a kind of defiance which justly provokes the hostility of ridicule; he, therefore, who indulges peculiar habits, is worse than others, if he be not better.

Of his humour, a story told by Pope may afford a specimen.

"Dr. Swift has an odd, blunt way, that is mistaken, by strangers, for ill nature. It is so odd, that there's no describing it but by facts. I will tell you one that first comes into my head. One evening, Gay and I went to see him: you know how intimately we were all acquainted. On our coming in, ’Heyday, gentlemen, (says the doctor) what's the meaning of this visit? How came you to leave the great lords, that you are so fond of, to come hither to see a poor dean!'  ’Because we would rather see you than any of them.'  'Ay, any one that did not know so well as I do might believe you. But since you are come, I must get some supper for you, I suppose?'  'No, doctor, we have supped already.'  'Supped already? that's impossible! why, it is not eight o'clock yet.  That's very strange; but if you had not supped, I must have got something for you. Let me see, . XIX.