sure more than I ever expected from him; particularly in his accounts of the papist and fanatick plots. This work may be more properly called A History of Scotland during the author's time, with some digressions relating to England, rather than deserve the title he gives it. For I believe two thirds of it relate only to that beggarly nation, and their insignificant brangles and factions. What he succeeds best in is in giving extracts of arguments and debates in council or parliament. Nothing recommends his book but the recency of the facts he mentions, most of them being still in memory, especially the story of the Revolution; which, however, is not so well told as might be expected from one who affects to have had so considerable a share in it. After all, he was a man of generosity and good nature, and very communicative; but, in his ten last years, was absolutely party-mad, and fancied he saw popery under every bush. He has told me many passages not mentioned in this history, and many that are, but with several circumstances suppressed or altered. He never gives a good character without one essential point, that the person was tender to dissenters, and thought many things in the church ought to be amended. Setting up for a maxim, Laying down for a maxim, Clapt up, and some other words and phrases, he uses many hundred times, Cut out for a Court, a pardoning planet, Clapt up, Left in the lurch, The Mob, Outed, A great beauty, Went roundly to work: All these phrases used by the vulgar, show him to have kept mean or illiterate company in his youth. MEMOIRS OF CAPTAIN JOHN CREICHTON. FROM HIS OWN MATERIALS. DRAWN UP AND DIGESTED BY DR. J. SWIFT, D. S. P. D. FIRST PRINTED IN THE YEAR 1731. THE PRINTER'S ADVERTISEMENT. WHEN Dr. Swift was at sir Arthur Acheson's, at Markethill, in the county of Armagh, an old gentleman was recommended to him, as being a remarkable cavalier in the reigns of Charles II, James II, and William III; who had behaved with great loyalty and bravery in Scotland during the troubles of those reigns, but was neglected by the government, although he deserved great rewards from it. As he was reduced in his circumstances, Dr. Swift made him a handsome present; but said at the same time, Sir, this trifle cannot support you long, and your "friends may grow tired of you; therefore I would "have you contrive some honest means of getting a "sum of money, sufficient to put you into a way of "life of supporting yourself with independency in your old age." To which captain Creichton (for that was the gentleman's name) answered, "I have "tired all my friends, and cannot expect any such extraordinary favours." Then Dr. Swift replied, "Sir, I have heard much of your adventures; that they are fresh in your memory; that you can "tell them with great humour; and that you have "taken memorandums of them in writing." To which the captain said, "I have; but no one can "understand them but myself." Then Dr. Swift rejoined, "Sir, get your manuscripts, read them to "me, and tell me none but genuine stories; and " then "then I will place them in order for you, prepare "them for the press, and endeavour to get you a subscription among my friends, as you may do among your own." The captain soon after waited on the dean with his papers, and related many adventures to him; which the dean was so kind as to put in order of time, to correct the style, and make a small book of, entitled, THE MEMOIRS OF CAPTAIN JOHN CREICHTON. A subscription was immediately set on foot,, by the dean's interest and recommendation, which raised for the captain above two hundred pounds, and made the remaining part of his life very happy and easy. |