Jonathan Swift, 'Character of Sir Robert Walpole', quoted in Letters to and from Henrietta, Countess of Suffolk, and Her Second Husband, The Hon. George Berkeley; From 1712 to 1767, Vol. II (1824), p. 32

With favour and fortune fastidiously blest, He's loud in his laugh, and he's coarse in his jest; Of favour and fortune unmerited, vain, A sharper in trifles, a dupe in the main; Achieving of nothing, still promising wonders, By dint of experience, improving in blunders; Oppressing true merit, exalting the base, And selling his country to purchase his place; A jobber of stocks by retailing false news; A prater at court in the style of the stews; Of virtue and worth by profession a giber; Of juries and senates the bully and briber. Though I name not the wretch, you all know who I mean— 'Tis the cur-dog of Britain, and spaniel of Spain.

— Jonathan Swift on Robert Walpole

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "With favour and fortune fastidiously blest, He's loud in his laugh, and he's coarse in his jest; Of favour and fortune unmerited, vain, A sharper in trifles, a dupe in the main; Achieving of nothing, still promising wonders, By dint of experience, improving in blunders; Oppressing true merit, exalting the base, And selling his country to purchase his place; A jobber of stocks by retailing false news; A prater at court in the style of the stews; Of virtue and worth by profession a giber; Of juries and senates the bully and briber. Though I name not the wretch, you all know who I mean— 'Tis the cur-dog of Britain, and spaniel of Spain." in the context of "Jonathan Swift, 'Character of Sir Robert Walpole', quoted in Letters to and from Henrietta, Countess of Suffolk, and Her Second Husband, The Hon. George Berkeley; From 1712 to 1767, Vol. II (1824), p. 32" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Robert Walpole" (Quotes about Walpole) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Jonathan Swift

About Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer and satirist. Acclaimed as one of the finest prose satirists in the English language, he was also well known for his poetry and essays.