Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was born in Dublin and studied at the city’s Trinity College. He gained his B.A. in 1686 before going to England where he took a Master’s degree at Oxford in 1692. Subsequently, Swift lived between England and Ireland for a number of years. He moved permanently from England in 1714 after the Tory party he supported lost power. Back in Ireland as Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, he turned his talents to supporting Irish causes. During this period he wrote some of his best work, including Gulliver’s Travels, the satirical masterpiece which has been continuously in print since its publication in 1726. Written by Sir Walter Scott, this is the first part of a two-volume biography of Swift, first published in 1826. This volume covers his early life up to his appointment as Dean of St Patrick’s and his involvement in Irish politics.