Jonathan Swift, Jonathan Swift: An Examination of Certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities in the City of Dublin

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This short work in prose, generally neglected, possesses considerable interest to the reader of Swift. Published in early 1732, it represents the author’s last exercise in the full blown “Scriblerian” mode of satire that he and his friends had developed twenty years before. It also exemplifies the literary possibilities offered by his notorious “excremental” style as clearly as the better-known items in verse that have given rise to this label.

The pamphlet of 28 octavo pages came out with no indication of authorship. Its imprint does not carry the name of a publisher, but we can be sure from a subsequent advertisement that it originated from the shop of George Faulkner (c. 1699–1775), who was already established as Swift’s main outlet in Ireland. The item would be reprinted

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Citation: Rogers, Pat. "Jonathan Swift: An Examination of Certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities in the City of Dublin". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 November 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40988, accessed 29 March 2024.]

40988 Jonathan Swift: An Examination of Certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities in the City of Dublin 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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