Inspirational Quotations by Jonathan Swift (Irish Satirist)

Jonathan Swift (1667–1745,) known as “Dean Swift,” was an Irish satirist, poet, and Anglican cleric. His work has not only been continuously in print, but also influenced writers as diverse as William Makepeace Thackeray and George Orwell.

Born in Dublin of English parents, Swift was educated at Kilkenny School and Trinity College, Dublin. He became secretary to the English statesman and essayist William Temple and took holy orders in 1695. Swift’s initial works include The Battle of the Books (1704,) and the witty and notorious A Tale of a Tub (1704,) which established Swift’s reputation.

Ordained an Anglican priest in 1694, Swift became Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, in 1713. There he wrote his best-known work, Gulliver’s Travels (1726,) a satire on human follies and social institutions in the form of a fantastic tale of travels in imaginary lands.

Swift also wrote many works condemning England’s treatment of Ireland, including A Modest Proposal (1729.) His notable poems include Verses on the Death of Dr Swift (1739,) in which he evaluates his life and his work with sarcastic detachment and the satirical On Poetry, a Rhapsody (1733.)

Swift is buried in St Patrick’s Cathedral; his famous epitaph reads “ubi saeva indignatio ulterius cor lacerare nequit” (“where fierce indignation cannot further tear apart the heart.”)

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