Rare Swift portrait donated to library

A valuable 18^th century engraving of the famous writer Jonathan Swift has been donated to the Monash University Library

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was a satirist, poet, political writer and clergyman. His best known work, the allegorical novel Gulliver's travels, is a satirical denunciation of mankind. Other prose writing included The Tale of the tub, which attacked corruption and divisions within the Christian religion. He was acclaimed for his clarity of style and his wit.

This beautiful print was engraved in Dublin in 1743 by Andrew Miller, from a portrait in oils painted by Francis Bindon in 1739. The painting hangs in St. Patrick's Church in Dublin where Swift was Dean. It shows Swift in his clerical garb pointing to a scroll on which we find details of the benefits he secured for the Protestant clergy of Ireland.

This engraving was formerly in the possession of Sir Harold Williams, editor of Swift's works, and came to Monash from the Australian Swift scholar and editor, David Woolley.

It was presented to the University Librarian, Cathrine Harboe-Ree by Professor Clive Probyn of the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies, Faculty of Arts at a Friends of the Library function on Thursday 10 November, 2005.

David Woolley died in Perth on 27 October. It was his wish that the portrait be presented to the library's Rare Books Collection to accompany books by and about Swift and his circle acquired from him in 1961. These works formed the nucleus of the Rare Books Collection.

The library greatly appreciates the generosity of David Woolley's widow, Frances.

11 November 2005

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Presentation of the portrait to Cathrine Harboe-Ree by Professor Clive Probyn.