f 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 co-operate with some of their schemes. What he had
refused has never been told; what he had suffered was, I suppose,
the exclusion from a bishopric by the remonstrances of Sharp, whom he
describes as "the harmless tool of others' hate," and whom he represents
as afterwards "suing for pardon."

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, or agents of the Ministry,
who met weekly at each other's houses, and were united by the name of
"Brother." Being not immediately considered as an ob