Man is with these two new started Terms (_Self-consciousness_ and _mutual
Consciousness_) so high in Sound and so empty of Sense, instead of one
substantial word (_Omniscience_) which gives us all that can be pretended
useful in them, with vast Overplus and Advantage, and even swallows them
up, as _Moses_'s Rod did those pitiful Tools of the _Magicians_: This (I
say) brings to my mind (whether I will or no) a certain Story of a grave
Person, who riding in the Road with his Servant, and finding himself
something uneasy in his Saddle, bespoke his Servant thus: _John_ (says he)
_alight, and first take off the Saddle that is upon my Horse, and then
take off the Saddle that is upon your Horse; and when you have done this,
put the Saddle that was upon my Horse, upon your Horse; and put the Saddle
that was upon your Horse, upon my Horse_. Whereupon the Man, who had not
studied the Philosophy of Saddles (whether _Ambling_ or _Trotting_) so
exactly as his Master, replies something short upon him; _Lord, Master,
what need all these words? Could you not as well have said, Let us change
Saddles?_ Now I must confess, I think the Servant was much in the right;
tho the Master having a _rational Head of his own_, and being withal
willing to make the _Notion_ of _changing_ Saddles more _plain_, _easy_
and _intelligible_, and to give a clearer Explication of that word (which
his Forefathers, how good _Horsemen_ soever they might have been, yet were
_not equally happy in explaining of_) was pleas'd to set it forth by that
more full and accurate Circumlocution."
He says[124], _The Author_, Dr. _Sherlock, is no doubt a_ Grecian _in his
Heart_! And the tenth Chapter of the _Animadversions_ is one continued
Banter upon the _Dean_ for his Ignorance in _Greek_ and _Latin_, and even
his Inability to spell: All which he _closes_ with saying, "That St.
_Paul_'s _School_ is certainly an excellent School, and St. _Paul_'s
Church a most noble Church; and therefore he thinks that he directs his
Course very prudently, and happily too, who in his Passage to such a
_Cathedral_, takes a School in his way."
Again, he says[125], "He cannot see any new Advantage that the Dean has
got over the _Socinians_, unless it be, that the Dean thinks his _three
Gods_ will be too hard for their _one_."
After citing several Scurrilities of the Dean[126], (who it must be
confess'd, appears therein a great Banterer also of Dr. _South_ and his
Performance) the Dr. says, "These, with several more of the like
_Gravel-Lane_ Elegancies, are all of them such peculiar Strictures of the
Dean's _Genius_, that he might very well spare his Name, where he had made
himself so well known by his Mark; for all the foregoing
_Oyster-Wive-Kennel-Rhetorick_ seems so naturally to flow from him, who
had been so long Rector of St. _Botolph_ (with the well-spoken
_Billingsgate_ under his Care) that (as much a Teacher as he was) it may
well be question'd, whether he has learn'd more from his Parish, than his
Parish from him.--All favours of the Porter, the Carman, and the Waterman;
and a pleasant Scene it must be to see the _Master of the Temple_ laying
about him in the Language of the Stairs."
To the Dean's Scoff, that _this Argument_, &c. _was worth its weight in
Gold, tho the_ Dean _fears it will not much enrich the Buyer_, the Doctor
replies[127], "What is that to him? Let him mind his own Markets, who
never writes to _enrich the Buyer_ but the Seller; and that _Seller_ is
himself: and since he is so, well is it for his Books and his Bookseller
too, that Men generally _buy_ before they _read_."
In requital of the scurrilous Character of an _ingenious Blunderer_, Dr.
_South_ says[128], "He must here return upon him the just Charge of an
_impious Blasphemer_, and that upon more Accounts than one; telling him
withal, that had he liv'd in the former Times of the Church, his Gown
would have been stript off his Back for his detestable Blasphemies and
Heresies, and some other Place found out for him to perch in than the Top
of St. _Paul's_, where at present he is placed like a true Church
Weather-Cock, (as he is) notable for nothing so much, as _standing high
and turning round_."
Again, he says[129], "And so I take my leave of the Dean's _three distinct
infinite Minds, Spirits_, or _Substances_, that is to say, of his _three
Gods_; and having done this, methinks I see him go whimpering away with
his Finger in his Eye, and the Complaint of _Micah_ in his Mouth, _Ye have
taken away my Gods which I made, and what have I more_[130]? Tho he must
confess, he cannot tell why he should be so fond of them, since he dares
undertake that he will never be able to bring the Christian World either
to believe in, or to worship a _Trinity of Gods_: Nor does he see what use
they are likely to be of, even to himself, unless peradventure to _swear
by_."
Again, the Doctor says[131], "The Dean's following Instruction to his
Friend is certainly very diverting, in these words, where the Animadverter
charges the Dean with Absurdities and Contradictions; turn to the Place
and read it with its Context, and tell me what you cannot answer, and I
will; to which he would have done well to have added, _If I can_. But the
whole Passage is just as if he had said, Sir, if you find not
Contradictions and Absurdities enough in my Book to satisfy your Curiosity
that way, pray come to the Fountain-head, and consult me, and you shall be
sure of a more plentiful Supply."
Again, upon the Dean's "Frequent reproaching the [132] Animadverter with
the Character of a _Wit_, tho join'd with such ill-favour'd Epithets, as
his witless Malice has thought fit to degrade it with, as that he is _a
spiteful Wit_, a _wrangling Wit_, a _satirical Wit_, and the WITTY,
_subtle_, _good-natur'd Animadverter, &c._ the Dr. says, that tho there be
but little _Wit_ shewn in making such Charges; yet if _Wit_ be a
_Reproach_ (be it of what sort it will) the Animadverter is too _just_ to
return this _Reproach_ upon the _Defender_; and withal, understands
himself, and what becomes him, too well, either to _assume_ to himself, or
so much as to _admit_ the Character of a _Wit_, as at all due to him;
especially since he knows that _common Sense_ (a thing much short of Wit)
is enough to enable him to deal with such an Adversary. Nevertheless,
there are many in the World, who are both call'd and accounted _Wits_, and
really are so; which (one would think) should derive something of Credit
upon this Qualification, even in the Esteem of this Author himself, or at
least rebate the Edge of his Invectives against it, considering that it
might have pleas'd God to have made him a _Wit_ too."
XVII. As things now stand, it may easily be seen, that Prosecutions for
_Raillery_ and _Irony_ would not be relish'd well by the Publick, and
would probably turn to the Disreputation and Disgrace of the Prosecutor.
Archbishop _Laud_ has always been much censur'd for his malicious
Prosecution of _Williams_ in the _Star-Chamber_; among whose Crimes I find
the following laid to his Charge: [133] _That he said all Flesh in_
England _had corrupted their Ways_; that _he call'd a Book intitled_, A
Coal from the Altar (written by Dr. _Heylin_, for placing the
Communion-Table at the East-end of the Church, and railing it in) _a
Pamphlet_; that he _scoffingly said, that he had heard of a Mother Church,
but not of a Mother Chapel, meaning the King's, to which all Churches in
Ceremony ought to conform_; that _he wickedly jested on St._ Martin_'s
Hood_; that _he said the People ought not to be lash'd by every body's
Whip_; that _he said_, (citing _a National Council for it_) _that the
People are God's and the King's, and not the Priest's People; and that he
doth not allow Priests to jeer and make Invectives against the People_.
And I humbly conceive, that such Matters had much better be suffer'd to go
on in the World, and take their Course, than that Courts of Judicature
should be employ'd about them. A Sentence that imply'd some _Clergymen_
corrupt, as well as some _Laymen_, of whom _Laud_ would only allow to have
it said, that they had _corrupted their Ways_; a _Jest_ upon St.
_Martin_'s _Hood_, which, according to Ecclesiastical History, _cur'd sore
Eyes_; and a _Ridicule_ upon a High-Church Book of _Heylin_'s, by calling
it a Pamphlet, tho it was really a Pamphlet, as consisting of but seventy
Pages in Quarto; seem less _wicked_ and hurtful than disturbing, fining,
and undoing Men about them. And the having some Concern for the People,
that they should not be used as the Priest pleas'd; that the _People_
belong to _God_ and the _King_, and _not to the Priest_; and the _not
allowing_ the _Priests_ to _jeer and make Invectives against the People_;
seem all Errors fit to be born with.
Archbishop _Laud_ was also thought guilty of an excessive Piece of
Weakness in the Punishment of [134] _Archibald_ the King's Fool, by laying
the Matter before the Privy-Council, and occasioning him to be expell'd
the King's House for a poor _Jest_ upon himself; who, as he was a Man at
the Head of the State, should have despis'd such a thing in any Body, much
more in a _Fool_, and who should never have been hurried on to be the
Instrument of any _Motion_ against him, but have left it to others; who
upon the least Intimation would have been glad to make their court to
_Laud_, by sacrificing a _Fool_ only to his Resentment.
XVIII. I could have entertain'd the Reader with a great Variety of
Passages out of the Fathers of the Church, whose Writings are Magazines of
Authority, and urg'd upon us upon all Occasions by Ecclesiasticks, and are
particularly full of _Burlesque_ and _Ridicule_ on the _Gods and Religion_
of the _Pagans_; in the use whereof they are much more unanimous, than in
the Articles of their _Creed_. But that being a Subject too great and
extensive for a Digression, I shall content my self with the few following
Reflections; which will sufficiently evince, that the _Taste_ of the
Primitive Christians was like that of the rest of the World; that they
could laugh and be as merry as the _Greeks_ and other _Pagans_; and that
they would take the Advantage of the _Pagans_ weak Cause, to introduce
_Ridicule_, which always bears hard upon Weakness and Folly, and must load
them so as to prevent a Possibility of their being remov'd by another
_Ridicule_.
These Fathers have transfused into their Writings all the Wit and Raillery
of the antient _Pagan_ Writers and Philosophers; who it is well known
wrote a great deal to turn _Paganism_ into Ridicule; most of which now
exists no where but in the Works of the Fathers; all Books of that kind
being lost, except _Cicero_'s Books of _the Nature of Gods_, and of
_Divination_, and the Dialogues of _Lucian_; both which Authors have been
of great use to the _Fathers_ to set them up for _Wits_, _Droles_, and
_Satirists_. For a Specimen how well these antient _Pagans_ could _drole_,
and how much beholden we are to the Fathers for recording their
Drolleries, the most remarkable, I think, are some _Fragments_ of a Book
of _Oenomaus_ concerning the _Pagan Oracles_, cited and preserv'd by [135]
_Eusebius_; who has given us occasion to [136] _regret_ the loss of this
Work, as one of the most valuable Books written by the Antients on the
Subject of _Oracles_, tho those Books were _very numerous_. And it is to
be observ'd, that this Book and a great many, perhaps a [137] thousand
more, were publish'd in _Greece_, where the Imposture of _Oracles_ greatly
prevail'd, and great Wealth flow'd in, not only to the Priests of the
_Oracular Temples_, but to all the Inhabitants of _Greece_, and especially
to those who lived in the Neighbourhood of the several _Oracular
Temples_; who made a great Profit from the rich Travellers, that came from
all Parts of the World to know their Fortunes. This shews the great
Integrity and Fairness of the old _Pagans_; who would suffer not only
their supposed standing Revelation to be call'd in question, but a
Revelation that brought in as much Money, as the Chapels, Churches, and
Shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, or to any of the Saints, do in
the _Roman_ Church, without calling any Man to Account for the Liberties
they took; who, as far as appears, were not expos'd [138] _to any Danger_
thereby. It is also to be observ'd, that the merry [139] _Epicureans were
none of them ever prosecuted_, and _that_ Epicurus _himself died quietly
at_ Athens _in a very great old Age_.
But the Book, which the Fathers made the most use of, was that arch, fly,
and drolling Performance, now lost, of _Evemerus_, which he intitled, _A
sacred History_: wherein he gave an _historical Account_ of the _Birth_,
_Country_, _Lives_, _Deaths_, and _Burials_ of the _Gods_. This Work was
translated into _Latin_ by that arch Wag _Ennius_, who himself has most
ingeniously _ridicul'd_ several Impostors or very grave Persons, in a
remarkable Piece of Poetry, which I shall give my Reader in _English_.
"_I value not a Rush the_ Marsian _Augur,_
"_Nor Country-Fortune Tellers, nor Town-Star-Gazers,_
"_Nor jugling Gypsies, nor yet Dream-Interpreters:_
"_For, not by Skill or Art, are these Diviners;_
"_But superstitious Prophets, Guessers impudent,_
"_Or idle Rogues, or craz'd, or mere starving Beggars._
"_They know no way themselves, yet others would direct;_
"_And crave a Groat of those, to whom they promise Riches:_
"_Thence let them take the Groat, and give back all the rest._
XIX. Wherefore I cannot but presume, that an Attempt to make a _Law_ to
restrain _Irony_, &c. would prove abortive, and that the Attempt would be
deem'd the Effect of a very partial Consideration of things, and of
present Anger at a poor Jest; which Men are not able to bear themselves,
how much soever they abound in _Jests_, both of the _light_ and _cruel_
kind, on others: tho for my own part I concur heartily with you in
_making_ such a _Law_, and in leaving it to a Person of your _Equity_ to
draw it up, craving only the Liberty to propose an Amendment or Addition,
_viz._ that you would be pleas'd to insert a Clause to prevent _Irony_,
_Ridicule_, and _Banter_, from invading the Pulpit, and particularly to
prevent pointing out _Persons of Men_ [140] from thence, and reviling
them, as also reviling whole Bodies of Men: For whatever is immoral in
Print, is, in my Opinion, immoral in the Pulpit. Besides, these things
seem more improper in the Pulpit, than they can be in Print: because no
_Reprisals_ can be made in the former, as in the latter Case; where they,
or the Fear of them, may give some Check to the Disorder, and reduce
things to a tolerable Temper and Decency. If, in order to justify my
Motion, it could be thought necessary or proper here to give a Detail of
ridiculing and ironical Passages, taken from Sermons against particular
Men, and Bodies of Men, and their Doctrines, you cannot but know how easy
it would be to fill a Volume with them, without going to Authors, who have
occasionally produc'd abundance of them. And I will only mention here a
Passage in a _Volume of Sermons_, just now publish'd, of a well known
_High Divine_, the Reverend Mr. _William Reeves_, made famous by his
_Translation_ of some _Apologies of the Primitive Fathers_, which gain'd
him the Applauses of a great many _High Men_, and particularly _Hickes_,
_Dodwel_, and _Nelson_, &c. and a Recommendation from the last to the
Queen, who in the latter end of her Reign made him _Chaplain in Ordinary_,
and obtain'd for him a considerable Preferment. This Gentleman, attacking
Bishop _Hoadley_'s _Sermon_ of _The Kingdom of Christ_, says[141], "In
these last Days we have been taught to be as indolent and unconcern'd as
possible in the Service of God: A noted _Novellist_ [Bp. _Hoadley_] among
many other odd _Engines_, hath invented one, to pump out all Devotion from
Prayer, and make it a _Vacuum_. Instead of the old fervent, affectionate
way of Worshipping, he hath substituted a new Idol, a Vanity, a Nothing of
his own, _a calm and undisturb'd Address to God_.----The _Arrows_ and
_bitter Words_ Mr. _Hales_ hath levell'd against _Rome_ only, our Right
Reverend hath _pointed a-new_, and shot them full against the Church he
superintends, and with all the Force of inbred, fanatick Fury. And by this
time surely it is well known, that he is a very _warm Man_ in every thing,
but his _Prayers_."
XX. Instead of addressing the foregoing Papers to you, I could have
address'd them to several others; who of late have thought fit to
recognize the Right of Men, to examine into, and judge for themselves in
all Matters of speculation, and especially in Matters of mere Religion,
and to publish their Reasons against any Opinions they judge erroneous,
tho publickly receiv'd in the Country where they live, provided they do it
_seriously_ and _gravely_: which is a noble Progress in Truth, and owing
to that glorious Liberty, and Freedom of Debate, that we enjoy under our
most excellent Princes; and which extorts it even from them, who, to have
some Credit in the World, are forced to own, what would discredit them to
go on to deny, among all who have any degree of _Virtue_, _Sense_, and
_Learning_. But I was determin'd to address my self to you, as a Person of
more remarkable _Moderation_ than ordinary in your _Letter_ to Dr.
_Rogers_: And one, who had, long before, in your _Defence of the
Constitution in Church and State; in answer to the Charge of the
Nonjurors, accusing us of Heresy and Schism, Perjury and Treason_, "valu'd
[142] and commended the Integrity of the Nonjurors in declaring their
Sentiments:" and who, tho you justly charge those of them you write
against, "as attacking us with such uncommon Marks of Violence [143] as
most plainly intimate, that no Measures are intended to be kept with us by
them in the Day of their Prosperity, who in the Day of their Adversity,
even when they are most at Mercy, cannot refrain from such _raging_
Provocations; but when reduced to the Necessity of _taking_ Quarter,
profess most plainly they will never give it:" Yet as to these Enemies,
who would destroy our Church and State, and [144] "revive upon us the
Charge of _Heresy_ and _Schism_, _Perjury_ and _Treason_, Crimes of no
small figure either in the Law or in the Gospel," you only say, that "if
you may have leave to borrow a Thought from [145] one of their own most
celebrated Writers, you would tell them, that _the Blood and Spirits were
made to rise upon such Occasions_: Nature design'd not, that we should be
cold or indifferent in our manner of receiving, or returning, such foul
Reproaches." This is great Moderation, and such as I heartily approve,
being dispos'd to forgive the Punishment due by Law to any Fault, when the
Non-execution of it will not overturn the Government. And I am willing to
hope, that since you can think that such bitter Adversaries to you, as
these licentious _Jacobites_ are, should only be smartly replied to, and
not be prosecuted by the Government, you will, upon Reflection, think,
that a merry, good humour'd Adversary should be treated as well.
Tho I have endeavour'd to defend the Use of _Ridicule_ and _Irony_, yet it
is such _Irony_ and _Ridicule_ only as is fit for polite Persons to use.
As to the gross _Irony_ and _Ridicule_, I disapprove of it, as I do other
Faults in Writing; only I would not have Men punish'd, or any other way
disturb'd about it, than by a Return of _Ridicule_ and _Irony_. This I
think fit to conclude with, more to prevent Misrepresentation from others,
than from you; whom I look on to have too much Sense and Integrity to
mistake or misrepresent me.
_I am Yours, &c._
_FINIS._
WILLIAM ANDREWS CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY
PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY
PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT
1948-1949
16. Henry Nevil Payne, _The Fatal Jealousie_ (1673).
18. Anonymous, "Of Genius," in _The Occasional Paper_, Vol. III, No. 1
(1719), and Aaron Hill, Preface to _The Creation_ (1720).
1949-1950
19. Susanna Centlivre, _The Busie Body_ (1709).
20. Lewis Theobald, _Preface to the Works of Shakespeare_ (1734).
22. Samuel Johnson, _The Vanity of Human Wishes_ (1749), and two _Rambler_
papers (1750).
23. John Dryden, _His Majesties Declaration Defended_ (1681).
1950-1951
26. Charles Macklin, _The Man of the World_ (1792).
1951-1952
31. Thomas Gray, _An Elegy Wrote in a Country Churchyard_ (1751), and _The
Eton College Manuscript_.
1952-1953
41. Bernard Mandeville, _A Letter to Dion_ (1732).
1963-1964
104. Thomas D'Urfey, _Wonders in the Sun; or, The Kingdom of the Birds_
(1706).
1964-1965
110. John Tutchin, _Selected Poems_ (1685-1700).
111. Anonymous, _Political Justice_ (1736).
112. Robert Dodsley, _An Essay on Fable_ (1764).
113. T. R., _An Essay Concerning Critical and Curious Learning_ (1698).
114. _Two Poems Against Pope:_ Leonard Welsted, _One Epistle to Mr. A.
Pope_ (1730), and Anonymous, _The Blatant Beast_ (1742).
1965-1966
115. Daniel Defoe and others, _Accounts of the Apparition of Mrs. Veal_.
116. Charles Macklin, _The Covent Garden Theatre_ (1752).
117. Sir George L'Estrange, _Citt and Bumpkin_ (1680).
118. Henry More, _Enthusiasmus Triumphatus_ (1662).
119. Thomas Traherne, _Meditations on the Six Days of the Creation_
(1717).
120. Bernard Mandeville, _Aesop Dress'd or a Collection of Fables_ (1704).
1966-1967
123. Edmond Malone, _Cursory Observations on the Poems Attributed to Mr.
Thomas Rowley_ (1782).
124. Anonymous, _The Female Wits_ (1704).
125. Anonymous, _The Scribleriad_ (1742). Lord Hervey, _The Difference
Between Verbal and Practical Virtue_ (1742).
1967-1968
129. Lawrence Echard, Prefaces to _Terence's Comedies_ (1694) and
_Plautus's Comedies_ (1694).
130. Henry More, _Democritus Platonissans_ (1646).
132. Walter Harte, _An Essay on Satire, Particularly on the Dunciad_
(1730).
1968-1969
133. John Courtenay, _A Poetical Review of the Literary and Moral
Character of the Late Samuel Johnson_ (1786).
134. John Downes, _Roscius Anglicanus_ (1708).
135. Sir John Hill, _Hypochondriasis, a Practical Treatise_ (1766).
136. Thomas Sheridan, _Discourse ... Being Introductory to His Course of
Lectures on Elocution and the English Language_ (1759).
137. Arthur Murphy, _The Englishman From Paris_ (1736).
138. [Catherine Trotter], _Olinda's Adventures_ (1718).
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REGULAR PUBLICATIONS FOR 1969-1970
139. John Ogilvie, _An Essay on the lyric poetry of the ancients_ (1762).
Introduction by Wallace Jackson.
140. _A Learned Dissertation on Dumpling_ (1726) and _Pudding burnt to pot
or a compleat key to the Dissertation on Dumpling_ (1727). Introduction by
Samuel L. Macey.
141. Selections from Sir Roger L'Estrange's _Observator_ (1681-1687).
Introduction by Violet Jordain.
142. Anthony Collins, _A Discourse concerning Ridicule and Irony in
writing_ (1729). Introduction by Edward A. Bloom and Lillian D. Bloom.
143. _A Letter from a clergyman to his friend, with an account of the
travels of Captain Lemuel Gulliver_ (1726). Introduction by Martin
Kallich.