Let us consider now, What are the probabilities of Swinney never having spoken to Lord George Sackville?
That he did on that occasion speak to Lord George—that he did ask him "whether or no he was the author of Junius"—may be assumed: and it is very probable that Junius heard of it, at first or at second hand, from Swinney himself; for the impertinent blockhead that would ask such a question, was just the man to tell what he had done, and to think it a good thing. But had he never before spoken to Sackville? Was this a fact or a flourish—an affectation of secret information, like the "sent" and "went" about Garrick—the "every particular next day"—which we now know to have been untrue.
That Swinney had been chaplain to one of the British regiments serving in Germany is manifest from twenty different references in the poem and the notes. I lay no stress on his poetical flights about Euphorbus; but he speaks repeatedly from personal experience—specially refers to circumstances occurring when quartered at a farm-house near Embden—at the camp at Crossdorf—acknowledges personal favours received during the campaign from General Harvey, and on another occasion attentions from Granby. Here, for example, is a poetical picture which brings Swinney vividly before us:
"At Marienbourn, the vaunting army halts,
...
A pastor from the heav'n-devoted train,
Brings hams and fowls, and spreads them on the plain:
The jovial officers their bellies fill,
Rally their chaplain, and applaud him still."
Swinney must therefore have served under Sackville; for, as he tells us, Sackville