A Letter From a Clergyman to his Friend, with an Account of the Travels of Captain Lemuel Gulliver

"A Letter From a Clergyman to his Friend," by Anonymous, is a sharp and opinionated piece from the 1700s meant to slam Jonathan Swift and his famous book. Written as a letter to a friend, it's a deep dive into the writer’s issues with Swift's ideas and character. The author, a clergyman, admits that the first three parts of Swift's book have cleverness but thinks the last part is boring and mean. He accuses Swift of being jealous and disrespectful, saying his writing hurts important beliefs and morals. Really, the pamphlet is trying to defend the church and government against what the clergyman sees as the harmful effects of Swift's funny but critical writing.