Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 9.djvu/389

Rh was well known, that some time ago, a person with a title was pleased, in two great assemblies, to rattle bitterly somebody without a name, under the injurious appellations of a tory, a jacobite, an enemy to king George, and a libeller of the government; which character," the dean said, "many people thought was applied to him: but he was unwilling to be of that opinion, because the person who had delivered those abusive words had, for several years, caressed and courted and solicited his friendship, more than any man in either kingdom had ever done; by inviting him to his house in town and country, by coming to the deanery often, and calling or sending almost every day when the dean was sick, with many other particulars of the same nature, which continued even to a day or two of the time, when the said person made those invectives in the council and house of lords. Therefore, that the dean would by no means think those scurrilous words could be intended against him; because such a proceeding would overthrow all the principles of honour, justice, religion, truth, and even common humanity. Therefore the dean will endeavour to believe, that the said person had some other object in his thoughts; and it was only the uncharitable custom of the world that applied this character to him. However, that he would insist on this argument no longer: but one thing he would affirm and declare, without assigning any name or making any exception. That, whoever either did, or does, or shall hereafter at any time, charge him with the character of a jacobite, an enemy to king George, or a libeller of the " ment,