r agents of the ministry, who met weekly at each
other's houses, and were united by the name of _brother_.

Being not immediately considered as an obdurate tory, he conversed
indiscriminately with all the wits, and was yet the friend of Steele;
who, in the Tatler, which began in April, 1709, confesses the advantages
of his conversation, and mentions something contributed by him to his
paper. But he was now immerging into political controversy; for the year
1710 produced the Examiner, of which Swift wrote thirty-three papers. In
argument he may be allowed to have the advantage; for where a wide
system of conduct, and the whole of a publick character, is laid open
to inquiry, the accuser having the choice of facts, must be very
unskilful if he does not prevail; but, with regard to wit, I am afraid
none of Swift's papers will be found equal to those by which Addison
opposed him[100].

He wrote, in the year 1711, a Letter to the October Club, a number of
tory gentlemen sent from the country to parliament, who formed
themselves into a club, to the number of about a hundred, and met to
animate the zeal and raise the expectations of each other. They thought,
with great reason, that the ministers were losing opportunities; that
sufficient use was not made of the ardour of the nation; they called
loudly for more changes, and stronger efforts; and demanded the
punishment of part, and the dismission of the rest, of those whom they
considered as publick robbers.

Their eagerness was not gratified by the queen, or by Harley. The queen
was probably slow because she was afraid; and Harley was slow because he
was doubtful: he was a tory only by necessity, or for convenience; and,
when he had power in his hands, had no settled purpose for which he
should employ it; forced to gratify, to a certain degree, the tories who
supported him, but unwilling to make his reconcilement to the whigs
utterly desperate, he corresponded at once with the two expectants of
the crown, and kept, as has been observed, the succession undetermined.
Not knowing what to do, he did nothing; and, with the fate of a
double-dealer, at last he lost his power, but kept his enemies.

Swift seems to have concurred in opinion with the October Club; but it
was not in his power to quicken the tardiness of Harley, whom he
stimulated as much as he could, but with little effect. He that knows
not whither to go, is in no haste to move. Harley, who was perhaps not
quick by