the _Epistles_, who, in the famous _Reply to Bentley_,
fought behind the shield of Atterbury. In a combat, which takes place in
the Homeric style, the enemies of the Ancients, Bentley and Wotton, are
slain by one lance upon the field. The mighty deed was achieved by
Boyle. 'As when a slender cook has trussed a brace of woodcocks, he with
iron skewer pierces the tender sides of both, their legs and wings close
pinioned to their ribs, so was this pair of friends transfixed, till
down they fell joined in their lives, joined in their deaths; so closely
joined, that Charon would mistake them both for one, and waft them over
Styx for half his fare.' The humour of the piece is delightful, and it
matters not a whit for the enjoyment of it, that the wrong heroes gain
the victory.

In 1708 Swift produced several pamphlets or tracts, and in one of them,
the _Argument against Abolishing Christianity_, he found ample scope for
the irony of which he was so consummate a master.

'Great wits,' he writes, 'love to be free with the highest objects; and
if they cannot be allowed a God to revile or renounce, they will speak
evil of dignities, abuse the Government, and reflect upon the ministry;
which I am sure few will deny to be of much more pernicious
consequence;' and he observes, in concluding the argument: 'Whatever
some may think of the great advantages to trade by this favourite
scheme, I do very much apprehend that in six months' time the Bank and
East India Stock may fall at least one _per cent._ And since that is
fifty times more than ever the wisdom of our age thought fit to venture
for the preservation of Christianity, there is no reason we should be at
so great a loss merely for the sake of destroying it.'

An amusing piece which appeared also at this time from Swift's pen, is
of literary interest. Under the name of Isaac Bickerstaff he predicted
the death, upon a certain day, of Partridge, a notorious astrologer and
almanac maker. When the day arrived his decease was announced, and he
was afterwards decently buried by Swift, despite a loud protest from the
poor man that he was not only alive, but well and hearty. The town took
up the joke, all the wits joined in it, and Steele, who started the
_Tatler_ in the following year (1709), found it of advantage to assume
the name of Bickerstaff, which these squibs had made so popular. Swift
loved practical jokes, and sometimes yielded to a license that bordered
on buffoonery. He w