[43] So little is known of this singular man, that Mr. Dibdin, in his
very curious "Bibliomania," was not able to recollect any
other details than those he transcribed from Warburton's
"Commentary on the Dunciad." In Mr. Nichols' "History of
Leicestershire" a more copious account of Henley may be found;
to their facts something is here added. It was, however,
difficult to glean after so excellent a harvest-home. To the
author of the "Life of Bowyer," and other works devoted to our
authors, our literary history is more indebted, than to the
labours of any other contemporary. He is the Prosper Marchand
of English literature.
[44] It is, perhaps, unnecessary to point out this allusion of Pope
to our ancient _mysteries_, where the _Clergy_ were the
_actors_; among which, the _Vice_ or _Punch_ was introduced.
(See "Curiosities of Literature.")
[45] Specimens of Henley's style may be most easily referred to in
the "Spectator," Nos. 94 and 518. The communication on
punning, in the first; and that of judging character by
exteriors, in the last; are both attributed to Henley.--ED.
[46] The title is, "Esther, Queen of Persia, an historical Poem, in
four books; by John Henley, B.A. of St. John's College,
Cambridge. 1714."
[47] Many of the rough drafts of his famed discourses delivered at
the Oratory are preserved in the library of the Guildhall,
London. The advertisements he drew up for the papers,
announcing their subject, are generally exceedingly whimsical,
and calculated to attract popular attention.--ED.
[48] This narrative is subscribed A. Welstede. Warburton maliciously
quotes it as a life of Henley, written by Welsted--doubtless
designed to lower the writer of that name, and one of the
heroes of the Dunciad. The public have long been deceived by
this artifice; the effect, I believe, of Warburton's
dishonesty.
[49] Every lecture is dedicated to some branch of the royal family.
Among them one is on "University Learning," an attack.--"On
the English History and Historians," extremely curious.--"On
the Languages, Ancient and Modern," full of erudition.--"On
the English Tongue," a valuable criticism at that moment when
our style was receiving a new polish from Addison and Prior.
Henley, acknowledging that these writers had raised
_correctness_ of expression to its utmost height, adds,
though, "if I mistake not, something to the detriment of that
_force_ and _freedom_ that ought, with the most concealed art,
to be a perfect copy of nature in all compositions." This is
among the first notices of that artificial style which has
vitiated our native idiom, substituting for its purity an
affected delicacy, and for its vigour profuse ornament. Henley
observes that, "to be perspicuous, pure, elegant, copious, and
harmonious, are the chief good qualities of writing the
English tongue; they are attained by study and practice, and
lost by the contrary: but _imitation_ is to be avoided; they
cannot be made our own but by keeping the force of our
understandings superior to our models; by _rendering our
thoughts the original, and our words the copy_."--"On Wit and
Imagination," abounding with excellent criticism.--"On grave
conundrums and serious buffoons, in defence of burlesque
discourses, from the most weighty authorities."--"A
Dissertation upon Nonsense." At the close he has a fling at
his friend Pope; it was after the publication of the Dunciad.
"Of Nonsense there are celebrated professors; Mr. Pope grows
witty like Bays in the 'Rehearsal,' by selling bargains (his
subscriptions for Homer), praising himself, laughing at his
joke, and making his own works the test of any man's
criticism; but he seems to be in some jeopardy; for the ghost
of Homer has lately spoke to him in Greek, and Shakspeare
resolves to bring him, as he has brought Shakspeare, to a
tragical conclusion. Mr. Pope suggests the last choice of a
subject for writing a book, by making the _Nonsense_ of others
his argument; while his own puts it out of any writer's power
to confute him." In another fling at Pope, he gives the reason
why Mr. Pope adds the dirty dialect to that of the water, and
is in love with the Nymphs of Fleet ditch; and in a lecture on
the spleen he announced "an anatomical discovery, that Mr.
Pope's spleen is bigger than his head!"
[50] Thus he anticipated the term, since become so notorious among
German theologians.
[51] It is preserved in the "Historical Register," vol. xi. for 1726.
It is curious and well written.
[52] "Gentleman's Magazine," vol. lvii. p. 876.
[53] His "Defence of the Oratory" is a curious performance. He
pretends to derive his own from great authority. "St. Paul
is related, Acts 28, to have dwelt _two whole years in his
own hired house_, and to have received all that came in
unto him, teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus
Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him. This
was at _Rome_, and doubtless was his practice in his other
travels, there being the same reason in the thing to produce
elsewhere the like circumstances." He proceeds to show
"the calumnies and reproaches, and the novelty and impiety,
with which Christianity, at its first setting out, was
charged, as a mean, abject institution, not only useless
and unserviceable, but pernicious to the public and its
professors, as the refuse of the world."--Of the false
accusations raised against Jesus--all this he applies to
himself and his oratory--and he concludes, that "Bringing
men to think rightly will always be reckoned a depraving
of their minds by those who are desirous to keep them in a
mistake, and who measure all truth by the standard of their
own narrow opinions, views, and passions. The principles of
this institution are those of right reason: the first ages
of Christianity; true facts, clear criticism, and polite
literature--if these corrupt the mind, to find a place where
the mind will not be corrupted will be impracticable."
Thus speciously could "the Orator" reason, raising himself to
the height of apostolical purity. And when he was accused
that he _did all for lucre_, he retorted, that "some _do
nothing_ for it;" and that "he preached more charity sermons
than any clergyman in the kingdom."
[54] He once advertised an oration on marriage, which drew together
an overflowing assembly of females, at which, solemnly shaking
his head, he told the ladies, that "he was afraid, that
oftentimes, as well as now, they came to church in hopes to
get husbands, rather than be instructed by the preacher;" to
which he added a piece of wit not quite decent. He congregated
the trade of shoemakers, by offering to show the most
expeditious method of making shoes: he held out a boot, and
cut off the leg part. He gave a lecture, which he advertised
was "for the instruction of those who do not like it; it was
on the philosophy, history, and great use of _Nonsense_ to the
learned, political, and polite world, who excel in it."
[55] Dr. Cobden, one of George the Second's chaplains, having, in
1748, preached a sermon at St. James's from these words, "Take
away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be
established in righteousness," it gave so much displeasure,
that the doctor was struck out of the list of chaplains; and
the next Saturday the following parody of his text appeared as
a motto to Henley's advertisement:
"Away with the wicked before the king,
And away with the wicked behind him;
His throne it will bless
With righteousness,
And we shall know where to find him."
CHALMER'S "Biographical Dictionary."
[56] The history of the closing years of Henley's life is thus given
in "The History of the Robin Hood Society," 1764, a political
club, whose debates he occasionally enlivened:--"The Orator,
with various success, still kept up his _Oratory_, _King
George's_, or _Charles's Chapel_, as he differently termed it,
till the year 1759, when he died. At its first establishment
it was amazingly crowded, and money flowed in upon him apace;
and between whiles it languished and drooped: but for some
years before its author's death it dwindled away so much, and
fell into such an hectic state, that the few friends of it
feared its decease was very near. The doctor, indeed, kept it
up to the last, determined it should live as long as he did,
and actually exhibited many evenings to empty benches. Finding
no one at length would attend, he admitted the acquaintances
of his door-keeper, runner, mouth-piece, and some other of his
followers, gratis. On the 13th of October, however, the doctor
died, and the Oratory ceased; no one having iniquity or
impudence sufficient to continue it on."--ED.
[57] Hogarth has preserved his features in the parson who figures so
conspicuously in his "Modern Midnight Conversation." His
off-hand style of discourse is given in the _Gray's-Inn
Journal_, 1753 (No. 18), in an imaginary meeting of the
political Robin Hood Society, where he figures as Orator Bronze,
and exclaims:--"I am pleased to see this assembly--you're a
twig from me; a chip of the old block at Clare Market;--I am
the old block, invincible; _coup de grace_ as yet unanswered.
We are brother rationalists; logicians upon fundamentals! I
love ye all--I love mankind in general--give me some of that
porter."--ED.