Swift, Deane

, a near relation to the celebrated dean of St. Patrick’s, being grandson to Godwin Swift, the dean’s uncle, was in 1739 recommended by Swift to the notice of Pope, as “the most valuable of any in his family.” “He was first,” says the dean, “a student in this university [Dublin], and finished his studies in Oxford, where Dr. King, principal of St. Mary Hall, assured me, that Mr. Swift behaved with reputation and credit: he hath a very good taste for wit, writes agreeable and entertaining verses, and is a perfect master, equally skilled in the best Greek and Roman authors. He hath a true spirit for liberty, and with all these advantages is extremely decent and modest. Mr. Swift is heir to a little paternal estate of our family at Goodrich, in Herefordshire. He is named Deane Swift, because his great grandfather, by the mother’s side, was admiral Deane, who, having been one of the regicides, had the good fortune to save his neck by dying a year or two before the Restoration.” He published, in 1755, “An Essay upon the Life,' Writings, and Character of Dr. Jonathan Swift;” in 1765, the eighth quarto volume of the dean’s | works; and, in 1763, two volumes of his “Letters.” Mr. Swift died at Worcester, July 12, 1783: he had long meditated a complete edition of his relation’s works, and had by him many new materials for that purpose. ¹