38 
ceded; and: in 1716 they were 
married. by-the -Bithop of Clogher, 
who himfelf related the -circum- 
ftance to Bithop Berkeley, by whofe 
relict the ftory was communicated 
to me. 
Swift, by marrying Stella at a 
time when it is pretty certain he 
ceafed to entertain for her any very 
impaflioned feritiments, is one proof 
that he thought the laws of honour 
intitled to the flrifteft obfervance. 
He {aw when it was too late, the error 
of this condu&t towards that amia- 
ble woman, and made reparation ; 
though, to be fure, his declining 
to acknowledge her was’ a ftep that 
cannot be juftified, and which muft 
be attributed: merely to that love 
of fingularity, which in a greater 
or lefs degree is infeparable from 
enius. 
With refpec& to Vanefla T have 
little to fay. Whilft, in juftice to 
Swift, I cannot refrain from obferv- 
ing, that the firft advances came 
from her, I fhould,; not forbear re- 
calling to the reader’s recollection 
what is remarked a few-pages back, 
that when Vanefla feleGted Cadenus 
for her lover, fhe was aniverfally 
Sollowed and admired; and whatever 
conftruction.may be put on a cele- 
brated poem,:which it is to be 
wiihed had never feen the light, I 
fhall venture to affert, that the paf- 
fion fhe entertained for Swift was 
perfe@ly innocent. 
no engagement to’ prevent their 
union; and to obtain’ that union 
was the fole objet of her withes. 
Although the encouragement fhe 
"gave to Swift might be rather in- 
confiftent with the: etiquette ‘ob- 
ferved by all prudent and experienced 
women when in a ftate of courtfhip; 
yet for this inattention itis by no 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
means right to brand her memory. - 
She knew of . 
1790. 
with the fevereft obloquy. 
With refpe&t to the Dean’s con- 
duét towards this lady, no- other 
apology can be offered than this: 
That the violence of the paffion 
which he entertained for her, blind- 
ed him to the fatal effeéts that were 
likely to arife from fuch a connec- ~ 
tion ; andthat he found himfelf un- 
expectedly ina fituation where ger- 
Severance was wrong, ard where re- 
treat was impofible. Swift has been 
feverely blamed for continuing his 
connection with Vanefla after his 
marriage with Stella: But be it re- 
membered, that though in this 
point he erred, his motive was fuch 
as, though it could not juftify, cer- 
tainly palliated, the crime. 
wanted refolution mortally to wound 
the peace of one who loved fo well. 
Juftice and natare contefted the 
point; and thofe who in this in- 
ftance may cenfure, cannot regret 
the triumph of the latter. It is 
likewife more than. probable, that 
one of the motives which induced 
Swift to’ conceal his marriage, was 
a wifh to fpare Vanefla fo fevere a 
pang; the effects produced by the 
difcovery of that fatal fecret were 
forefeen, and are too well known 
to need recapitulation. Her aft 
will declared whather feelings were : 
Her appointing Swift’s moft inti- 
mate friend Bithop Berkeley to be 
one of the executioners of her ven» 
geance, fhows the violence of her 
refentment. At thefame time, had 
the hour of Vaneffa’s diffolution 
been lefs rapid in its approach, had 
death allowed the ftorm of paffion 
time’to fubfide, it is more than pro- 
bable fhe would have recalled her 
order refpeéting the publication of 
their mutual correfpondeace. Her 
iy paffions 
