A great number of children. of 
good extraction are deftined from 
the earlieft age to commerce, and 
educated accordingly. ‘This prac- 
‘tice, fo wife in itfelf, and which 
was the fource from which the Ge- 
noefe nobility derived their opu- 
lence, and by which the illuftrious 
houfe of Medicis were raifed to 
a throne, where they became the 
benefaftors of mankind, was not 
introduced.into England until about 
the middle of the feventeenth cen- 
tury. ; 
The Englith nobility during the 
civil war, being almoft entirely at- 
tached to a ie were banifhed 
from all employments by the Houfe 
of Commons, whofe power then 
preponderated ; they therefore had 
no refource but in trade, Thofe 
who pofleffed abilities amafled im- 
menfe riches, and contributed by _ 
their example to remove the ancient 
Prejudices which ftill fubfifted in 
their country againft the employ- 
Ment of a merchant. Soon after 
this, fome of the firft people in the 
Kingdom became the mott zealous 
Aes of commerce, and em- 
arked their fortunes in. it, by 
which means they at once gave ac- 
tivity and vigour to trade.. This, 
it is affirmed, was the origin of that 
{fplendour and opulence which Eng- 
land foon after acquired. In our 
_ 9wn time, we have feen the fon of 
ee 
Sir Robert Walpole, formerly prime 
inifter of England, a_ private 
banker, and the brother of lord 
Oxford, a citizen of London. 
i 
| Anecdotes relative to Dean Swift's 
treatment of Mrs, Johnfon and 
Mrs. Vanhomrigh ; from Literary 
Relics, by G. M, Berkeley, E77. 
Cit AgR ACG TEER: S: 
« The 
© both of bedy and, mind, which 
35 
‘¥ Am now come; to the only part 
.of Swift’s conduct. which is, in 
my -opinion, deferving of cenfure; 
I mean. his treatment of Stella and 
Vanefla.. But be it remembered, 
that cenfure, though merited, fhould 
be. proportionate to-the:crime. Had 
the Dean’s accufers taken the trou- 
ble of candidly inveftigating all the 
circumftances relative to that double 
connection, they might poflibly have 
found the: unfortunate lover not 
wholly undeferving of pity. 
But before I proceed to inquire 
how far the treatment. Stella expe- 
rienced: was, or was not excufeable, 
I thall inform my reader who Stella 
really was. On this point a// the 
biographers, of Swift have been 
mifinformed. .The following ac- 
count I received a few days ago in 
a letter. from Mrs. Hearn, niece to 
the celebrated Mrs. Johnfon, and 
who now refides: at Brighton near 
Alresford, Hants, with her daughter 
Mrs. Harrifon, the wife of a moft 
refpectable clergyman of that name. 
«“ Mrs. Either. Johnfon, better 
« known by the name of Stella, was 
« born at Richmond in Surry on 
« the 13th of March 1681. Her 
<<: father.was a.merchant, and the 
« younger brother of a good family 
«in Nottinghamfhire. He died 
«* young, and left his widow with 
< three»children, a fon and two 
« daughters, Whilft Mrs. Johnfon 
« lived at Richmond, fhe had the 
« happinefs of becoming firft ac- 
« guainted with Lady Gifford, the 
“ fifter of Six ,William. Temple. 
uncommon endowments, 
« Mrs. Johnfon certainly pofleficd 
«“ in an high degree, foon gained 
-« her not only the efteem but the 
« warm friendfhip of that excellent 
« Jady; a friendfaip which lafted 
Dz «ull 
- 
