t to Ireland, to try the effects of his
native air; but finding the greatest benefit arose from the exercise
of travelling, he followed his own inclination. He soon returned into
England, and was again received in a most affectionate manner by Sir
William Temple, who was then settled at Shene, where he was often
visited by King William.

Here Swift had frequent conversations with that prince, in some of
which the king offered to make him a captain of horse, which offer, in
splenetic dispositions, he always seemed sorry to have refused; but at
the time he had resolved within his own mind to take orders: and
during his whole life his resolutions, when once fixed, were ever
after immovable.

About this time he assisted Sir William Temple in revising his works.
He likewise corrected and improved his own "Tale of a Tub," a sketch
of which he had drawn up while he was a student at Trinity College,
Dublin. Sir William's conversation naturally turned upon political
subjects, and Swift improved the frequent opportunities he had of
acquiring from this able statesman a competent knowledge of public
affairs. But at length he suspected that Sir William neglected to
provide for him, merely that he might keep him in his family; and he
resented this so very warmly that a quarrel ensued, and they parted in
the year 1694, and he went to Ireland, where he took orders.

Sir William, however, notwithstanding the differences between them,
recommended him in the strongest terms to Lord Capel, then
lord-deputy, who gave him a prebend, of which the income was about
L100 a year. Swift soon grew weary of his preferment: it was not
sufficiently considerable, and was at so great a distance from the
metropolis that it absolutely deprived him of that conversation and
society in which he delighted. He had been used to different scenes in
England, and had naturally an aversion to solitude and retirement. He
was glad, therefore, to resign his prebend in favor of a friend, and
to return to Shene, to Sir William Temple, who was so much pleased
with his return, which he considered as an act of kindness to him in
the close of life, that a sincere reconciliation took place, and they
lived together in perfect harmony till the death of Sir William. By
his will he left him a considerable legacy in money, and the care,
trust, and emolument of publishing his posthumous works. During
Swift's residence at Shene he became intimately acquainted with Miss
Johnson,