Swift, Jonathan
Swift, Jonathan ( 1667 – 1745 ),born in Dublin after his father's death. He was son of Jonathan Swift by Abigail (Erick) of Leicester, and grandson of Thomas Swift , the well-known Royalist vicar of Goodrich, descended from a Yorkshire family. He was a cousin of Dryden . He was educated with Congreve , at Kilkenny Grammar School, then at Trinity College, Dublin, where he was censured for offences against discipline, obtaining his degree only by ‘special grace’. He was admitted ( 1689 ) to the household of Sir W. Temple , and there acted as secretary. He was sent by Temple to William III to convince him of the necessity of triennial parliaments, but his mission was not successful. He wrote Pindaric odes , one of which, printed in the Athenian Mercury ( 1692 ), provoked, according to Dr Johnson , Dryden's remark, ‘Cousin Swift, you will never be a poet.’ Chafing at his position of...
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