Jonathan Swift and the Church of Ireland, 1710-24

About this book

"In the years between 1710 and 1724 Jonathan Swift published little. This hiatus in his work is often dismissed as a consequence of personal disillusionment and political disappointment, and studies of Swift commonly move from 1714 to 1724 with barely a mention of his activities in that decade. Consequently, Swift's apparently sudden conversion to a seeming love of, and concern for, Irish rights as espoused in The Drapier's Letters is either left unexplained, or is treated as a further symptom of his bitterness and contempt for English political life. This book situates Swift in the context of his political endeavours on behalf of the Church of Ireland, especially as demonstrated by the battles between Archbishop William King and the English-appointed authorities. It examines the contemporary economic climate, especially the increasing strains between Great Britain's trade goals and the continuing mercantilist structure of Irish economic life."--BOOK JACKET.