ice of the subject that
alone adorns and distinguishes the writer. For, had an hundred such pens
as these been employed on the side of religion, they would have
immediately sunk into silence and oblivion."

The reasonableness of a test is not hard to be proved; but, perhaps, it
must be allowed, that the proper test has not been chosen.

The attention paid to the papers published under the name of
Bickerstaff, induced Steele, when he projected the Tatler, to assume an
appellation which had already gained possession of the reader's notice.

In the year following he wrote a Project for the Advancement of
Religion, addressed to lady Berkeley; by whose kindness it is not
unlikely that he was advanced to his benefices. To this project, which
is formed with great purity of intention, and displayed with
sprightliness and elegance, it can only be objected, that, like many
projects, it is, if not generally impracticable, yet evidently hopeless,
as it supposes more zeal, concord, and perseverance, than a view of
mankind gives reason for expecting.

He wrote, likewise, this year, a Vindication of Bickerstaff; and an
explanation of an ancient Prophecy; part written after the facts, and
the rest never completed, but well planned to excite amazement.

Soon after began the busy and important part of Swift's life. He was
employed, 1710, by the primate of Ireland, to solicit the queen for a
remission of the first fruits and twentieth parts to the Irish clergy.
With this purpose he had recourse to Mr. Harley, to whom he was
mentioned as a man neglected and oppressed by the last ministry, because
he had refused to cooeperate with some of their schemes. What he had
refused has never been told; what he had suffered was, I suppose, the
exclusion from a bishoprick by the remonstrances of Sharpe, whom he
describes as "the harmless tool of others' hate," and whom he represents
as afterwards "suing for pardon[99]."

Harley's designs and situation were such as made him glad of an
auxiliary so well qualified for his service; he, therefore, soon
admitted him to familiarity, whether ever to confidence, some have made
a doubt; but it would have been difficult to excite his zeal, without
persuading him that he was trusted, and not very easy to delude him by
false persuasions.

He was certainly admitted to those meetings in which the first hints and
original plan of action are supposed to have been formed; and was one of
the sixteen ministers, o