e, of the vast talents and ambition of Swift,
could scarce do otherwise than grasp at his prize, and make his spring at
his opportunity. His bitterness, his scorn, his rage, his subsequent
misanthropy, are ascribed by some panegyrists to a deliberate conviction
of mankind's unworthiness, and a desire to amend them by castigating. His
youth was bitter, as that of a great genius bound down by ignoble ties,
and powerless in a mean dependence; his age was bitter,(33) like that of a
great genius that had fought the battle and nearly won it, and lost it,
and thought of it afterwards writhing in a lonely exile. A man may
attribute to the gods, if he likes, what is caused by his own fury, or
disappointment, or self-will. What public man--what statesman projecting a
_coup_--what king determined on an invasion of his neighbour--what satirist
meditating an onslaught on society or an individual, can't give a pretext
for his move? There was a French general the other day who proposed to
march into this country and put it to sack and pillage, in revenge for
humanity outraged by our conduct at Copenhagen--there is always some excuse
for men of the aggressive turn. They are of their nature warlike,
predatory, eager for fight, plunder, dominion.(34)

As fierce a beak and talon as ever struck--as strong a wing as ever beat,
belonged to Swift. I am glad, for one, that fate wrested the prey out of
his claws, and cut his wings and chained him. One can gaze, and not
without awe and pity, at the lonely eagle chained behind the bars.

That Swift was born at No. 7, Hoey's Court, Dublin, on the 30th November,
1667, is a certain fact, of which nobody will deny the sister island the
honour and glory, but, it seems to me, he was no more an Irishman than a
man born of English parents at Calcutta is a Hindoo.(35) Goldsmith was an
Irishman, and always an Irishman: Steele was an Irishman, and always an
Irishman: Swift's heart was English and in England, his habits English,
his logic eminently English; his statement is elaborately simple; he shuns
tropes and metaphors, and uses his ideas and words with a wise thrift and
economy, as he used his money; with which he could be generous and
splendid upon great occasions, but which he husbanded when there was no
need to spend it. He never indulges in needless extravagance of rhetoric,
lavish epithets, profuse imagery. He lays his opinion before you with a
grave simplicity and a perfect neatness.(36) Dreading r