Question

"An account of Dr. Swift has been already collected, with great diligence and acuteness, by Dr. Hawkesworth, according to a scheme which I laid before him in the intimacy of our friendship. I cannot therefore be expected to say much of a life, concerning which I had long since communicated my thoughts to a man capable of dignifying his narrations with so much elegance of language and force of sentiment.
Jonathan Swift was, according to an account said to be written by himself, the son of Jonathan Swift, an attorney, and was born at Dublin on St. Andrew's day, 1667: according to his own report, as delivered by Pope to Spence, he was born at Leicester, the son of a clergyman who was minister of a parish in Herefordshire. During his life the place of his birth was undetermined. He was contented to be called an Irishman by the Irish; but would occasionally call himself an Englishman. The question may, without much regret, be left in the obscurity in which he delighted to involve it."
What effect is accomplished through the author's choice to begin his account with this paragraph?
A) It shows the author is bored with the subject
B) It establishes that the author knew Jonathan Swift
C) It lets the reader know not to take his account seriously
D) It creates conflict between the author and Swift’s biographer

Answer 1

B) It establishes that the author knew Jonathan Swift

He mentions that he has already told Swift's life story to a biographer who he makes clear is much better at writing than he is, based on what  he learned, being an intimate friend of Swift.