The Journal to Stella | Page 7

declare I have no other; nor shall any
consideration of my own misfortune, in losing so good a friend and
companion as her, prevail on me, against her interest and settlement in
the world, since it is held so necessary and convenient a thing for ladies
to marry, and that time takes off from the lustre of virgins in all other
eyes but mine. I appeal to my letters to herself whether I was your
friend or not in the whole concern, though the part I designed to act in
it was purely passive." He had even thought "it could not be decently
broken," without disadvantage to the lady's credit, since he supposed it
was known to the town; and he had always spoken of her in a manner
far from discouraging. Though he knew many ladies of rank, he had
"nowhere met with an humour, a wit, or conversation so agreeable, a
better portion of good sense, or a truer judgment of men or things." He
envied Tisdall his prudence and temper, and love of peace and
settlement, "the reverse of which has been the great uneasiness of my
life, and is likely to continue so."
This letter has been quoted at some length because of its great
importance. It is obviously capable of various interpretations, and some,
like Dr. Johnson, have concluded that Swift was resolved to keep Stella

in his power, and therefore prevented an advantageous match by
making unreasonable demands. I cannot see any ground for this
interpretation, though it is probable that Tisdall's appearance as a suitor
was sufficiently annoying. There is no evidence that Stella viewed
Tisdall's proposal with any favour, unless it can be held to be furnished
by Swift's belief that the town thought--rightly or wrongly--that there
was an engagement. In any case, there could be no mistake in future
with regard to Swift's attitude towards Stella. She was dearer to him
than anyone else, and his feeling for her would not change, but for
marriage he had neither fortune nor humour. Tisdall consoled himself
by marrying another lady two years afterwards; and though for a long
time Swift entertained for him feelings of dislike, in later life their
relations improved, and Tisdall was one of the witnesses to Swift's will.
The Tale of a Tub was published in 1704, and Swift was soon in
constant intercourse with Addison and the other wits. While he was in
England in 1705, Stella and Mrs. Dingley made a short visit to London.
This and a similar visit in 1708 are the only occasions on which Stella
is known to have left Ireland after taking up her residence in that
country. Swift's influence over women was always very striking. Most
of the toasts of the day were his friends, and he insisted that any lady of
wit and quality who desired his acquaintance should make the first
advances. This, he says--writing in 1730-- had been an established rule
for over twenty years. In 1708 a dispute on this question with one toast,
Mrs. Long, was referred for settlement to Ginckel Vanhomrigh, the son
of the house where it was proposed that the meeting should take place;
and by the decision--which was in Swift's favour--"Mrs. Vanhomrigh
and her fair daughter Hessy" were forbidden to aid Mrs. Long in her
disobedience for the future. This is the first that we hear of Hester or
Esther Vanhomrigh, who was afterwards to play so marked a part in the
story of Swift's life. Born on February 14, 1690, she was now eighteen.
Her father, Bartholomew Vanhomrigh, a Dublin merchant of Dutch
origin, had died in 1703, leaving his wife a fortune of some sixteen
thousand pounds. On the income from this money Mrs. Vanhomrigh,
with her two daughters, Hester and Mary, were able to mix in
fashionable society in London. Swift was introduced to them by Sir
Andrew Fountaine early in 1708, but evidently Stella did not make
their acquaintance, nor indeed hear much, if anything, of them until the

time of the Journal.
Swift's visit to London in 1707-9 had for its object the obtaining for the
Irish Church of the surrender by the Crown of the First-Fruits and
Twentieths, which brought in about 2500 pounds a year. Nothing came
of Swift's interviews with the Whig statesmen, and after many
disappointments he returned to Laracor (June 1709), and conversed
with none but Stella and her card-playing friends, and Addison, now
secretary to Lord Wharton.[4] Next year came the fall of the Whigs,
and a request to Swift from the Irish bishops that he would renew the
application for the First-Fruits, in the hope that there would be greater
success with the Tories. Swift reached London in September 1710, and
began the series of letters, giving details of the events of