Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)

Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), poet and cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

Swift is remembered for works such as Gulliver's Travels, A Modest Proposal, A Journal to Stella, Drapier's Letters, The Battle of the Books, An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity and A Tale of a Tub. He is regarded by the Encyclopædia Britannica as the foremost prose satirist in the English language, and is less well known for his poetry. He originally published all of his works under pseudonyms – such as Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff, Drapier's Letters as MB Drapier – or anonymously. He is also known for being a master of two styles of satire, the Horatian and Juvenalian styles.

His deadpan, ironic writing style, particularly in A Modest Proposal, has led to such satire being subsequently termed "Swiftian".

Jonathan Swift Library Average
Circulation records from 1793-1799 are lost.
Books by subject area
As classified in the 1813 Library Catalog.

Check out duration
Circulation Activity
Books by subject area
Check out duration
Jonathan Swift Library Average
Back to Top

The New York
Society Library

53 East 79th Street
New York, NY 10075
212.288.6900
reference@nysoclib.org

Hours of Operation

Monday / Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday / Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Holiday Closing:
Easter

The Library will be closed
Sun, 3/31.

Otherwise we observe normal hours.
 
© Copyright The New York Society Library | Privacy Policy