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Jonathan Swift, Letter to Alexander Pope (29 Sept. 1725)
| 'I have ever hated all Nations professions and Communityes and all my love is towards individualls for instance I hate the tribe of Lawyers, but I love Councellor such a one, Judge such a one for so with Physicians (I will not Speak of my own Trade) Soldiers, English, Escotch, French; and the rest but principally I hate and detest that animal called man, although I heartily love John, Peter, Thomas, and so forth. This is the system upon which I have governed my self for many years (but do not tell) and so I shall go on till I have done with them I have got materials Towards a Treatise proving the falsity of that Definition animale rationale; and to show it should be only rationis capax . Upon this great foundation of Misanthropy (though in Timon’s manner) The whole building of [ Gulliver’s] Travells is erected: And I never will have peace of mind till all honest men are of my Opinion: by Conseqence you are to embrace it immediately and procure that all who deserve my Esteem may do so too. The matter is so clear that it will admit of little dispute: nay I will hold a hundred pounds that you and I agree the Point.’ |
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(From Correspondence , Vol. III, p.103; rep. in Seamus Deane, gen. ed., Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing , 1991, Vol. I, p.351.)
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ENG105C1A: University of Ulster
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