end, while another party, called the Littleendians, contends that
eggs shall be opened only at the little end. These differences typify
the quarrels of the age concerning religion and politics. The
_Travels_ also contains much human philosophy. The lover of satire is
constantly delighted with the keenness of the thrusts.

General Characteristics.--Swift is one of the greatest of English
prose humorists. He is noted also for wit of that satiric kind which
enjoys the discomfiture of the victim. A typical instance is shown in
the way in which, under the assumed name of Isaac Bickerstaff, he
dealt with an astrologer and maker of prophetic almanacs, whose name
was Partridge. Bickerstaff claimed to be an infallible astrologer, and
predicted that Partridge would die March 29, 1708, at 11 P.M. When
that day had passed, Bickerstaff issued a pamphlet giving a
circumstantial account of Partridge's death. Partridge, finding that
his customers began to decrease, protested that he was alive.
Bickerstaff promptly replied that Partridge was dead by his own
infallible rules of astrology, and that the man now claiming to be
Partridge was a vile impostor.

Swift's wit frequently left its imprint on the thought of the time.
The results of this special prank with the astrologer were: first, to
cause the wits of the town to join in the hue and cry that Partridge
was dead; second, to increase the contempt for astrologers; and,
third, in the words of Scott: "The most remarkable consequence of
Swift's frolic was the establishment of the _Tatler_." Richard Steele,
its founder, adopted the popular name of Isaac Bickerstaff.

Taine says of Swift: "He is the inventor of irony, as Shakespeare of
poetry." The most powerful instance of Swift's irony is shown in his
attempt to better the condition of the Irish, whose poverty forced
them to let their children grow up ignorant and destitute, or often
even die of starvation. His _Modest Proposal_ for relieving such
distress is to have the children at the age of one year served as a
new dish on the tables of the great. So apt is irony to be
misunderstood and to fail of its mark, that for a time Swift was
considered merely brutal; but soon he convinced the Irish that he was
their friend, willing to contribute both time and money to aid them.
His ironical remarks on _The Abolishing of Christianity_ were also
misunderstood.

His poems, such as _A Description of a City Shower_, and _Cadenus and
Vanessa_,