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Literary
February 25, 1789
The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
Anecdote recounting how Dr. Sacheverel, after impeachment for an inflammatory sermon in 1709, sought a church living through Dean Swift's intervention. Swift persuades Lord Bolingbroke with a humorous story comparing Sacheverel to a spared louse, securing the position.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
ANECDOTE, of Dean SWIFT.
R. SACHEVEREL, in consequence of a most inflammatory sermon, preached before the Lord Mayor, on November 5, 1709, was impeached at the bar of the House of Lords, in the name of the Commons of Great-Britain, for high crimes and misdemeanors, &c. Having been tried before the Lords, and found guilty, he was silenced for the space of three years, and his sermon was condemned to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman, which sentence was rigidly executed.
When this affair was over, the Ministry took very little notice of him, & treated him with great indifference; but upon the Rectory of St. Andrew's, Holborn, being vacant, the Doctor applied to them for that living; but they paid no regard to his solicitation. Upon which he wrote to Dr. Swift, with whom he had a very slender acquaintance, to request his interest with the Government for that parish; and set forth, how much he had suffered for them and their cause. Dr. Swift immediately carried this letter to Lord Bolingbroke, then Secretary of State, who railed much at Sacheverel, calling him a busy, intermeddling fellow, a prig, and an incendiary, who had set the Kingdom in a flame, which could not be extinguished, and therefore deserved censure instead of a reward. To which Swift replied, "True, my lord; but let me tell you a short story: In a sea fight in the reign of Charles II. there was a very bloody engagement between the Dutch and the English fleets; in the heat of which a Scotch seaman was very severely bit by a louse in his neck, which he caught, and stooping down to crack it between his nails, many of the sailors near him had their heads taken off by a chain shot from the enemy, which scattered their brains and blood about him. On this he had compassion on the poor louse, returning him to his place, and bid him live there at discretion; for, as he had saved his life, he was bound in gratitude to save his." The recital of this put my Lord Bolingbroke into a fit of laughter; who, when it was over, said, "The louse shall have the living for your story," and soon after Sacheverel was presented to it.
R. SACHEVEREL, in consequence of a most inflammatory sermon, preached before the Lord Mayor, on November 5, 1709, was impeached at the bar of the House of Lords, in the name of the Commons of Great-Britain, for high crimes and misdemeanors, &c. Having been tried before the Lords, and found guilty, he was silenced for the space of three years, and his sermon was condemned to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman, which sentence was rigidly executed.
When this affair was over, the Ministry took very little notice of him, & treated him with great indifference; but upon the Rectory of St. Andrew's, Holborn, being vacant, the Doctor applied to them for that living; but they paid no regard to his solicitation. Upon which he wrote to Dr. Swift, with whom he had a very slender acquaintance, to request his interest with the Government for that parish; and set forth, how much he had suffered for them and their cause. Dr. Swift immediately carried this letter to Lord Bolingbroke, then Secretary of State, who railed much at Sacheverel, calling him a busy, intermeddling fellow, a prig, and an incendiary, who had set the Kingdom in a flame, which could not be extinguished, and therefore deserved censure instead of a reward. To which Swift replied, "True, my lord; but let me tell you a short story: In a sea fight in the reign of Charles II. there was a very bloody engagement between the Dutch and the English fleets; in the heat of which a Scotch seaman was very severely bit by a louse in his neck, which he caught, and stooping down to crack it between his nails, many of the sailors near him had their heads taken off by a chain shot from the enemy, which scattered their brains and blood about him. On this he had compassion on the poor louse, returning him to his place, and bid him live there at discretion; for, as he had saved his life, he was bound in gratitude to save his." The recital of this put my Lord Bolingbroke into a fit of laughter; who, when it was over, said, "The louse shall have the living for your story," and soon after Sacheverel was presented to it.
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Political
What keywords are associated?
Dean Swift
Sacheverel
Impeachment
Bolingbroke
Anecdote
Political Satire
Church Living
Literary Details
Title
Anecdote, Of Dean Swift.
Key Lines
In A Sea Fight In The Reign Of Charles Ii. There Was A Very Bloody Engagement Between The Dutch And The English Fleets; In The Heat Of Which A Scotch Seaman Was Very Severely Bit By A Louse In His Neck, Which He Caught, And Stooping Down To Crack It Between His Nails, Many Of The Sailors Near Him Had Their Heads Taken Off By A Chain Shot From The Enemy, Which Scattered Their Brains And Blood About Him. On This He Had Compassion On The Poor Louse, Returning Him To His Place, And Bid Him Live There At Discretion; For, As He Had Saved His Life, He Was Bound In Gratitude To Save His.
The Recital Of This Put My Lord Bolingbroke Into A Fit Of Laughter; Who, When It Was Over, Said, "The Louse Shall Have The Living For Your Story," And Soon After Sacheverel Was Presented To It.