ls and benches, and sleep away the rest of the night; and
generally the landlord or his wife, or some other whore who has a
stronger head than the rest, picks their pockets before they wake. The
misfortune is, that we can never be easy till we are drunk; and our
drunkenness constantly exposes us to be more easily betrayed and taken.

This is a short picture of the life I have led; which is more miserable
than that of the poorest labourer who works for four pence a day; and
yet custom is so strong, that I am confident, if I could make my escape
at the foot of the gallows, I should be following the same course this
very evening. So that upon the whole, we ought to be looked upon as the
common enemies of mankind; whose interest it is to root us out likes
wolves, and other mischievous vermin, against which no fair play is
required.

If I have done service to men in what I have said, I shall hope I have
done service to God; and that will be better than a silly speech made
for me full of whining and canting, which I utterly despise, and have
never been used to; yet such a one I expect to have my ears tormented
with, as I am passing along the streets.

Good people fare ye well; bad as I am, I leave many worse behind me. I
hope you shall see me die like a man, the death of a dog.
E. E.

THE TRUTH

OF SOME

MAXIMS IN STATE AND GOVERNMENT,

EXAMINED

WITH REFERENCE TO IRELAND.

NOTE.

These maxims, written in the year 1724, may be taken as Swift's
opening of his campaign against the oppressive legislation of
England which had brought Ireland to the degraded and
poverty-stricken condition it existed in at the time he wrote.
Burke characterizes these maxims as "a collection of State
Paradoxes, abounding with great sense and penetration." The
subjects they touch on are dealt with in greater detail in the
tracts which follow in this volume, and the reader is referred to
them and the notes for the causes which had brought Ireland in so
low a state.

* * * * *

The text of the present edition is based on that given by Deane
Swift in the eighth volume of the edition of 1765.

[T. S.]

MAXIMS CONTROLLED[37] IN IRELAND.

There are certain maxims of state, founded upon long observation and
experience, drawn from the constant practice of th