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Irish Wit and Humor / Anecdote Biography of Swift, Curran, O'Leary and O'Connell

DEAN SWIFT

HIS BIRTH

Dr. Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's, was born a.d. 1667, in Hoey's Court, Dublin, the fourth house, right hand side, as you enter from Werburgh-street. The houses in this court still bear evidence of having been erected for the residence of respectable folks. The "Dean's House," as it is usually designated, had marble chimney-pieces, was wainscotted from hall to garret, and had panelled oak doors, one of which is in possession of Doctor Willis, Rathmines—a gentleman who takes a deep interest in all matters connected with the history of his native city.

SINGULAR EVENT

When Swift was a year old, an event happened to him that seems very unusual; for his nurse, who was a woman of Whitehaven, being under the absolute necessity of seeing one of her relations, who was then extremely sick, and from whom she expected a legacy; and being extremely fond of the infant, she stole him on shipboard unknown to his mother and uncle, and carried him with her to Whitehaven, where he continued for almost three years. For, when the matter was discovered, his mother sent orders by all means not to hazard a second voyage till he could be better able to bear it. The nurse was so careful of him that before he returned he had learned to spell; and by the time that he was five years old, he could read any chapter in the Bible.

After his return to Ireland he was sent at six years old to the school of Kilkenny, from whence at fourteen he was admitted into the Dublin University.

A CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE

Swift, in one of his pedestrian journeys from London towards Chester, is reported to have taken shelter from a summer tempest under a large oak on the road side, at no great distance from Litchfield. Presently, a man, with a pregnant woman, wore driven by the like impulse to avail themselves of the same covert. The Dean, entering into conversation, found the parties were destined for Litchfield to be married. As the situation of the woman indicated no time should be lost, a proposition was made on his part to save them the rest of the journey, by performing the ceremony on the spot. The offer was gladly accepted, and thanks being duly returned, the bridal pair, as the sky brightened, was about to return: but the bridegroom suddenly recollecting that a certificate was requisite to authenticate the marriage, requested one, which the Dean wrote in these words:

Under an oak, in stormy weather,

I joined this rogue and wench together,

And none but he who rules the thunder,

Can put this wench and rogue asunder.

GRACE AFTER DINNER

Swift was once invited by a rich miser with a large party to dine; being requested by the host to return thanks at the removal of the cloth, uttered the following grace:—

Thanks for this miracle!—this is no less

Than to eat manna in the wilderness.

Where raging hunger reign'd we've found relief,

And seen that wondrous thing, a piece of beef.

Here chimneys smoke, that never smok'd before,

And we've all ate, where we shall eat no more!

THE THREE CROSSES

Swift in his journeys on foot from Dublin to London, was accustomed to stop for refreshments or rest at the neat little ale-houses at the road's side. One of these, between Dunchurch and Daventry, was formerly distinguished by the sign of the Three Crosses, in reference to the three intersecting ways which fixed the site of the house. At this the Dean called for his breakfast, but the landlady, being engaged with accommodating her more constant customers, some wagoners, and staying to settle an altercation which unexpectedly arose, keeping him waiting, and inattentive to his repeated exclamations, he took from his pocket a diamond, and wrote on every pane of glass in her best room:—

TO THE LANDLORD

There hang three crosses at thy door:

Hang up thy wife, and she'll make four.

CHIEF JUSTICE WHITSHED

Swift, in a letter to Pope, thus mentions the conduct of this worthy Chief Justice:—

"I have written in this kingdom a discourse to persuade the wretched people to wear their own manufactures instead of those from England: this treatise soon spread very fast, being agreeable to the sentiments of a whole nation, except of those gentlemen who had employments, or were expectants. Upon which a person in great office here immediately took the alarm; he sent in haste to Lord Chief Justice Whitshed, and informed him of a seditious, factious, and virulent pamphlet, lately published, with a design of setting the two kingdoms at variance, directing at the same time that the printer should be prosecuted with the utmost rigor of the law. The Chief Justice had so quick an understanding that he resolved, if possible, to outdo his orders. The grand juries of the county and city were practised effectually with to represent the said pamphlet with all aggravating epithets, for which they had thanks sent them from England, and their presentments published for several weeks in all the newspapers. The printer was seized, and forced to give great bail: after this trial the jury brought him in not guilty, although they had been culled with the greatest industry. The Chief Justice sent them back nine times, and kept them eleven hours, until, being tired out, they were forced to leave the matter to the mercy of the judge, by what they call a special verdict. During the trial, the Chief Justice, among other singularities, laid his hand on his breast, and protested solemnly that the author's design was to bring in the Pretender, although there was not a single syllable of party in the whole treatise, and although it was known that the most eminent of those who professed his own principles publicly disallowed his proceedings. But the cause being so very odious and unpopular, the trial of the verdict was deferred from one term to another, until, upon the arrival of the Duke of Grafton, the Lord Lieutenant, his Grace, after mature advice and permission from England, was pleased to grant a nolle prosequi."

CHIEF JUSTICE WHITSHED'S MOTTO ON HIS COACH

Libertas et natale solum.

Liberty and my native country.

Libertas et natale solum;

Fine words! I wonder where you stole 'em:

Could nothing but thy chief reproach

Serve for a motto on thy coach?

But let me now the words translate:

Natale solum:—my estate:

My dear estate, how well I love it!

My tenants, if you doubt, will prove it.

They swear I am so kind and good,

I hug them till I squeeze their blood.

Libertas bears a large import:

First, how to swagger in a court;

And, secondly, to show my fury

Against an uncomplying Jury;

And, thirdly, 'tis a new invention

To favor Wood, and keep my pension:

And fourthly, 'tis to play an odd trick,

Get the Great Seal, and turn out Brod'rick.

And, fifthly, you know whom I mean,

To humble that vexatious Dean;

And, sixthly, for my soul to barter it

For fifty times its worth to Carteret.

Now since your motto thus you construe,

I must confess you've spoken once true.

Libertas et natale solum,

You had good reason when you stole 'em.