Exposed to every coxcomb's eyes, Swift's Works, vol. xiv. p. 52. WHO WAS STELLA! Esther Johnson-who purchased, by a life of prolonged hopes and disappointed affection, a poetical immortality under the name of Stella (the Star.) It was during Swift's second residence at Moor Park that the acquaintance commenced between him and Esther Johnson. Her father was a London merchant, according to Scott; or steward to Sir William Temple, according to Sheridan. Swift himself says that she was born at Richmond in 1681;* "her father being the younger brother of a good family in Nottinghamshire, her mother of a lower degree;" and hence it has been suggested that she was an illegitimate daughter of Sir William Temple, and a sort of half-sister to Swift. But that Swift was so closely related to Temple has been satisfactorily disproved, and there seems to be no real ground for the other part of the scandal. Johnson, the father, died soon after Stella's birth. Her mother lived with Lady Gifford, Sir William Temple's sister, who, with Mrs. Johnson and her daughter, resided at this time at Moor Park. Scott tells us that general interest was taken by all the inhabitants of the mansion, in the progress which little Hetty (Stella) made in her education. And much of the task of instruction devolved upon Swift, now a man of thirty, who seems to have, for some time, regarded his lovely pupil with the friendship of an elder brother. He taught her even the most ordinary parts of education, and in particular instructed her in writing: their hands resemble each other in some peculiarities. But her education was very imperfect: she was really deficient in many of the most ordinary points of information. The constant and habitual intercourse of * In one of the registers of the old church at Richmond is the baptism of Stella, viz., "Hester, daughter of Edward Johnson, March 20, 1680-1.” affectionate confidence between the mentor and the pupil, by degrees assumed a more tender complexion; and there is little doubt that the feelings which attended this new connexion must have had weight in disposing Swift to break off a lingering and cold courtship which he had maintained with Mrs. Jane Waryng. Henceforth, the fates of Swift and Stella were so implicated together, as to produce the most remarkable incidents of both their lives. WHO WAS VARINA! The name of Varina has been thrown into the shade by those of the famous Stella and Vanessa; but she had a story of her own to tell about the blue eyes of young Jonathan. Varina was a Miss Jane Waryng, sister to a college chum of his. Although Swift corresponded with Varina for a series of years, there appear to be but two letters left-both written by Swift, one in the height of his passion, and the other in its decline-and both characteristic and curious. The first is dated in 1696, and is chiefly remarkable for its extreme badness and stupidity; though it is full enough of love and lamentation. The lady, it seems, had long before confessed a mutual flame; but prudential considerations made him averse to their immediate union-upon which the lover revels and complains in the following deplorable sentences— written, it will be observed, when he was on the borders of thirty: "Madame,-Impatience is the most inseparable quality of a lover, and indeed of every person who is in pursuit of a design whereon he conceives his greatest happiness or misery to depend. It is the same thing in war, in courts, and in common business. Every one who hunts after pleasure, or fame, or fortune, is still restless and uneasy till he has hunted down his game; and all this is not only very natural, but something reasonable too; for a violent desire is little better than a distemper, and therefore men are not to blame in looking after a cure. I find myself hugely infected with this malady, and am easily vain enough to believe it has some very good reasons to excuse it. For indeed, in my case, there are some circumstances which will admit pardon for more than ordinary disquiets. That dearest object upon which all my prospect of happiness entirely depends, is in perpetual danger to be removed for ever from my sight. Varina's life is daily wasting; and though one just and honourable action would furnish health to her, and unspeakable happiness to us both, yet some power that repines at human felicity has that influence to hold her continually doating upon her cruelty, and me on the cause of it. "Would to Heaven you were but a while sensible of the thoughts into which my present distractions plunge me: they hale me a thousand ways, and I am not able to bear them. It is so, by Heaven. The love of Varina is of more tragical consequence than her cruelty. Would to God you had treated and scorned me from the beginning. It was your pity opened the first way to my misfortune, and now your love is finishing my ruin and is it so then? In one fortnight I must take eternal farewell of Varina; and (I wonder) will she weep at parting, a little to justify her poor pretences of some affection for me? "Surely, Varina, you have a very mean opinion of the joys that accompany a true, honourable, unlimited love; yet either nature and our ancestors have highly deceived us, or else all other sublunary things are dross in comparison. Is it possible that you can yet be insensible to the prospect of a rapture and delight so innocent and so exalted? By Heaven, Varina, you are more experienced and have less virgin innocence than I. Would not your conduct make me think you were hugely skilled in all the little politic methods of intrigue? Love, with the gall of too much discretion, is a thousand times worse than with none at all. It is a peculiar part of nature which art debauches, but cannot improve. Farewell, madam; and may love make you awhile forget your temper to do me justice. Only remember, that if you still refuse to be mine, you will quickly lose, for ever lose, him that has resolved to die as he has lived, all yours, JON. SWIFT." But Swift neither died-nor married-nor broke off the connexion, for four years after; in the latter part of which, having been presented to two livings in Ireland, worth nearly 4007. a year, the lady seems to have been reduced to remind him of his former impatience, and fairly to ask him whether his affections had suffered any alteration. His mean and unfeeling answer to this appeal is contained in the second letter: his affections were estranged, and had now probably settled on Stella. And mark, when he urged immediate marriage so passionately in 1696, he had no provision in the world, and must have intended to live on Varina's fortune-about 1007. a year-and that he thought her health as well as happiness would be saved by the match. In 1700, when he had got two livings, he wrote to her as follows: "I desire, therefore, you will let me know if your health be otherwise than it was when you told me the doctors advised you against marriage, as what would certainly hazard your life. Are they or are you grown of another opinion in this particular? are you in a condition to manage domestic affairs, with an income of less (perhaps) than 3001. a year? [it must have been near 5001.] have you such an inclination to my person and humour, as to comply with my desires and way of living, and endeavour to make us both as happy as you can? can you bend your love and esteem and indifference to others the same way as I do mine? shall I have so much power in your heart, or you so much government of your passions, as to grow in good humour upon my approach, though provoked by a ? have you so much good nature as to endeavour by soft words to smooth any rugged humour occasioned by the cross accidents of life? shall the place wherever your husband is thrown be more welcome than courts and cities without him? In short, these are some of the necessary methods to please men, who, like me, are deep read in the world; and to a person thus made, I should be proud in giving all due returns towards making her happy." "The dismal account you say I have given you of my livings I can assure you to be a true one; and since it is a dismal one, even in your own opinion, you can but draw consequences from it. The place where Dr. Bolton lived is upon a living which he keeps with the deanery; but the place of residence for that they have given me, is within a mile of a town called Trim, 20 miles from home; and there is no other way but to hire a house at Trim or build one on the spot: the first is hardly to be done, and the other I am too poor to perform at present." SWIFTS PREFERMENT. After Sir William Temple's death, Swift repaired to London, and there superintended the publication of his patron's posthumous works, which he dedicated to King William; but finding that the king took no notice of the works, the dedication, or himself, Swift accepted an offer made to him by Lord Berkeley in 1699, who had just been appointed one of the lords justices of Ireland, to attend him there as his chaplain and private secretary. He acted as secretary till they arrived in Dublin, when a person of the name of Bush obtained the office for himself by representing to Lord Berkeley the unsuitableness of such an office to the character and duties of a clergyman. Lord Berkeley, however, to compensate Swift for the loss of his office, promised that he should have the first good preferment in his gift that became vacant. To this arrangement Swift assented. The rich deanery of Derry was soon afterwards at Lord Berkeley's disposal, and Swift intimated to him that he expected him to keep his word. Lord Berkeley told him that Bush had obtained the promise of it for another, but, observing Swift's indignation, advised him to apply to Bush to see if the matter could not be arranged: he did so, when the secretary frankly told him that 1000l. had been offered for it, but that if he would put down the same sum, he should have the preference. Swift, in a rage, exclaimed, "God confound you both for a couple of scoundrels," and immediately left the castle, intending to return no more. Lord Berkeley, however, was unwilling, if it could be avoided, to risk exposure; he therefore offered to him the rectory of Agher and the vicarages of Laracor and Rathbeggan, then vacant, in the diocese of Meath. Though not worth a third of the deanery, Swift deemed it prudent to accept the livings: he still retained his office of chaplain, and continued to reside with the family. The prebend of Dunlavin (St. Patrick's, Dublin) was also bestowed upon Swift in the following year. While Swift resided in Lord Berkeley's family, he produced some of the first specimens of his original vein of humour: among them are 66 the Humble Petition of Frances Harris," and the "Meditation on a Broomstick," according to the style and manner of the "Hon. Robert Boyle's Meditations," which, it seems, Lady Berkeley used to request Swift to read aloud more frequently than was agreeable to him. This was a piece of solemn waggery. In the "Petition," Scott says, "Swift has bound his powerful genius to the thoughts, sentiments, and expressions of a chambermaid." SWIFT'S JOURNEY TO LARACOR. There were three inns in Navan, each of which claim, to this day, the honour of having entertained Dr. Swift when on his journey to Laracor. It is probable that he dined at one of them, for it is certain that he slept at Kells, in the house of Jonathan Belcher, a Leicestershire man, who had built the inn of that town on the English model, which still exists. The host, whether struck by the commanding sternness of Swift's appearance, or from natural civility, showed him into the best room, and waited himself at table. The attention of Belcher seems so far to have won upon Swift as to have produced some conversation. "You're an English 66 man, sir ?" said Swift. Yes, sir."-"What is your name?" "Jonathan Belcher, sir."- "An Englishman, and Jonathan too, in the town of Kells,-who would have thought it! What brought you to this country ?"-"I came with Sir Thomas Taylor, sir; and I believe I could reckon fifty Jonathans in my family."-" Then you are a man of family?" "Yes, sir; and I have four sons and three daughters by one mother, a good woman of true Irish mould." "Have you long been out of your native country ?"-"Thirty years, sir. Do you ever expect to visit it again ?"-"Never." 66 |