On 8 December 1710 Swift wrote from London to his friends in Dublin about a new publication that concerned the outgoing lord lieutenant of Ireland, Thomas, Earl of Wharton (1648–1715):
Here is a damned, libellous pamphlet come out against lord Wharton, giving the character first, and then telling some of his actions: the character is very well, but the facts indifferent. It has been sent by dozens to several gentlemen’s lodgings, and I had one or two of them; but nobody knows the author or printer. (Journal to Stella, 83)
The author typically deflects responsibility from himself, although Esther Johnson for one would probably have recognised his hand in the work. On 1 January 1711 …
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Citation: Rogers, Pat, Nicholas Seager. "A Short Character of the Earl of Wharton". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 26 May 2022 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40828, accessed 08 September 2024.]