Jonathan Swift

by Peter Pelham
n.d.

National Portrait Gallery, London, NPG D31519

Below:

Jonathan Swift S.T.D.
Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Patrick's in Dublin.

Four Brilliant Gems, In this Great Genius shine,
The Scholar, Poet, Statesman, and Divine;
Each justly merits our esteem, alone,
But raise our wonder, when conjoyn'd in one,
Who lights the World & like the Wandring day,
Does round the Globe his chearfull beams display,
Revives the Art of the Adepts of Old,
And turns Brass halfpence into Standard Gold;
He damn'd 'em first and sent 'em back, tis true,
But gave to Ireland, Golden Lines in lieu,
Better ten thousand Projects should be crost,
Than one Hibernian Draper's wit be lost.