The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. — Volume 04 Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church — Volume 2 — Story, Setting & Ideas

The Rhetoric of Self-Knowledge

In the sermon 'On the Difficulty of Knowing One's-Self,' Swift builds his argument on a sustained analogy between physical sight and moral introspection. He notes that a man 'can tell all the inward bents and tendencies of his soul' only by 'a very frequent use of looking within himself.' The passage is notable for its concrete imagery: passions are described as 'not always upon the wing,' but retiring into 'the more dark and hidden recesses of the heart.' Swift insists that self-knowledge requires 'pain and difficulty,' a 'work and labour of the mind' that most men avoid because they are 'pre-engaged' by business or diversion. This emphasis on effort—rather than revelation—marks Swift's practical, almost skeptical approach to moral improvement.

Polemical Personae and the Test Act

The political writings in this volume are dominated by the debate over the Sacramental Test in Ireland. Swift adopts a variety of personae: the concerned Irish MP, the ironic defender of Catholic interests, and the exasperated churchman. In 'A Letter from a Member of the House of Commons in Ireland,' he writes as an insider warning English counterparts of the consequences of repeal. The tone is measured but pointed, relying on logical inference rather than scriptural authority. By contrast, 'Reasons Humbly Offered to the Parliament of Ireland for Repealing the Sacramental Test, &c. in Favour of the Catholics' employs heavy irony, pretending to advocate for Catholics while exposing the absurdity of the proposal. Swift's control of voice—shifting from earnest to sardonic—is a central feature of these tracts.

The Structure of the Sermons

The sermons in this volume follow a consistent structural pattern: a scriptural text, a division into 'heads,' and a series of numbered reasons or observations. In 'On the Difficulty of Knowing One's-Self,' Swift enumerates two reasons why men avoid self-reflection: the 'pain and difficulty' of the task, and the 'business of the world' that consumes time. Each reason is developed with illustrative detail—the 'crowd of objects' striking the senses, the 'imperfect sort of a circle' that every man's life repeats. This methodical organization gives the sermons a forensic quality, as if Swift were arguing a case before a jury. The numbered points also serve a mnemonic function, helping listeners follow the argument in an age when sermons were often delivered without written texts.

Diction and the Plain Style

Swift's diction in these religious writings is notably plain, avoiding the ornate metaphors common in contemporary pulpit oratory. He prefers concrete nouns and active verbs: 'passions and inclinations are not always upon the wing,' 'retire now and then into the more dark and hidden recesses.' The vocabulary is largely Anglo-Saxon, with occasional Latinate terms ('circumstantialities,' 'particularities') that lend precision. This plainness is a deliberate rhetorical choice, aligning with Swift's stated preference for 'proper words in proper places.' It also reflects his audience: the sermons were likely delivered to a congregation of mixed literacy, and the political tracts were aimed at educated but not necessarily clerical readers. The result is a prose that feels direct, even conversational, while remaining carefully crafted.

Readers approaching this volume should attend to the interplay between Swift's homiletic and polemical voices. The sermons reward close reading for their structural clarity and psychological insight, while the political tracts demonstrate Swift's mastery of ironic personae. Neither mode is entirely separable: the moralist and the satirist are never far apart. A useful approach is to compare the rhetorical strategies Swift uses in addressing a congregation with those he uses in addressing Parliament—the differences and similarities reveal much about his craft.

Dean Swift’s sharp sermons, turned inward like a looking-glass, always made me think of the West’s broad daylight. I shelved them beside The California Birthday Book Prose and Poetical Selections from the Writings of Living California Authors with a Brief Biographical Sketch of each — A Closer Reading the other week. Strange, that. Both are honest about the day’s business, but what a gentler mirror that book holds up.