really commendable in him. Thus much only I will venture to affert, that whatever it was, the merit of it is not due to his philofophical principles. These afford no motives to reftrain men who have once embraced them from any vices to which their conftitutions may happen to incline. It is too much for the fame perfon to excel in every branch. It is enough, if he point the way. All evil beings are not immoral. Lord Chefterfield's friend, himself mentioned above, offends not in the articles of eating, wine, or women; he is differently employed. He is employed in tempting others to offend. The A. tells us, "Mr. H-'s moft abftract researches were in favour of a behaviour perfectly irreproachable. "Whoever is acquainted with Mr. H-'s writings will bear witness, that he was a lover of decency, order, and decorum-It would be the drudgery of a day to detect a single light fentence in H." I fhall transcribe two or three fentences which lie pretty near together, in a Dialogue fubjoined to his Enquiry into the Principles of Morals. "There is almoft as great difficulty, I acknowlege, to justify French, as Greek Gallantry; except only, that the former is much more natural and agreeable than the latter. But our neighbours, it seems, have refolved to facrifice fome of the domeftic to the fociable pleasures; and to prefer ease, freedom, and an open commerce, to a ftrict fidelity and conftancy. These ends are both good, and are fometimes difficult to reconcile; nor need we be furprized, if the customs of nations incline too much, fometimes to the one fide, and sometimes to the other*—It is needless to diffemble: the confequence of a very free commerce between the fexes, and of their living much together, will often terminate in intrigues and gallantry. We must facrifice fomewhat of the useful, if we be very anxious to obtain all the agreeable qualities; and cannot pretend to reach alike every kind of advantage. Inftances of licence, daily multiplying, will weaken the fcandal with the one fex, and teach the other, by degrees, to adopt the famous maxim of La Fontaine with regard to female infidelity, that if one knows it, it is but a small matter; if one knows it not, it is nothing." Verily, as Lord Foppington fays to his brother, in the stage play-A NICE MARALITY, TAM, STAP MY VITALS! When we confider these sentences as proceeding from the pen of "the firft philofopher of the age," in his palmary and capital work, defigned to fettle the principles of morality on their only proper foundation, "it would be the drudgery of a MONTH" to find any thing in the fyftem of Chesterfield and his three affociates, "the dancing-mafter, the perfumer, and the devil," better calculated to multiply new connections, and diffolve old ones; any thing, that fo much deferves the profoundeft acknowledgments from-the gentlemen of DOCTORS COMMONS. GLEANINGS. NUMBER IV. OR SELECT THOUGHTS, ANECDOTES AND EXTRACTS. Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be loft. JOHN vi. 12. SIR THOMAS MORE. THERE is a very remarkable paffage in the life of Sir Thomas More, who was lord-chancellor of England in the reign of Henry VIII. and *Effays Vol. ii. P.. .397. edit. 1772. † Essays Vol. ii. P. 402. N 2 beheaded beheaded by that tyrant for refufing to acknowledge his fupremacy over the church. One of the articles charged against him was this, that upon his examination in the Tower, it being demanded, if he approved of the A&t of Supremacy; his anfwer was, That the question was like a two-edged fword; if he anfwered one way it would deftroy his body; and if the other way, his foul: But what particularly deferves to be remembered of him is, that while he executed the high office already mentioned, his expedition in determining caufes was fuch, that one day when he called for the next cause, it was answered, There are no more to be heard; all fuits in that court depending and ready for hearing, being finally determined; on which occafion fome perfons of that time made these verses : When More fome years had chancellor been No more fuits did remain, Till More be there again. ARCHBISHOP LAUD. King James I. being apt to talk to his courtiers in time of divine service, bishop Laud, one Sunday, when he knew his majesty was in high goodhumour, made a full ftop in his fermon as often as he perceived the king in difcourfe. His majefty afking him, after service, the occafion of it, the bishop told him, He could not think it confiftent with good manners to interrupt his majefty's converfation.-Then, good faith, faid the king, I'll be even with you, I'll ne mair interrupt your lordship's fermon. DR. BARROW AND LORD ROCHESTER. The earl of Rochester, in king Charles II.d's time, was as famous for his frolicks and humour as he was infamous for his vices; and one day as he was walking in the Park with some of his gay companions, he saw Dr. Barrow, one of the graveft divines, and the greatest mathematician of his time, mufing along the Mall, in his usual contemplative manner; and fo he proposed to make up to him, and have fome drollery, as he termed it. His companions were ready enough to attend him; and upon meeting the doctor, lord Rochester making a very low bow, with great vivacity faid, Doctor, a good morning to you-I am exceedingly glad to fee you—I am your's to the very Centre of Gravity. The doctor, who was not eafily to be furprifed, perceived his drift, and with all the compofure in the world, returned the lowly bow, and faid, My lord, I am your's to the Antipodes. This put his lordship to a fhort paufe, but as wit is feldom at a lofs-Doctor, faid he, I am your's to the lowest pit of hell.-There then, replied the doctor, I will leave your lord/hip-and fo purfued his walk. FRET WORK. A gentleman who had long danced attendance after the miniftry, in hopes of preferment, being one day, as ufual, at the duke of Newcastle's levee, and happening to caft his eyes up to the ceiling, obferved to his fellow-folicitors how properly that room was decorated. The gentlemen prefent faid, they could fee no great ornament about it. I did not Say there was, faid he, but I admire the propriety of what there is; for both top and bottom is full of Fret-work, DOCTOR DOCTOR DALE. When Queen Elizabeth first proposed to the famous civilian, Dr. Dale, his bein employed by her in Flanders, the, among other encouragements, told him, that he fhould have twenty thillings a-day for his expences : Then, madam, faid he, I will spend nineteen hillings a day. What will yon do with the odd fhilling, the queen replied? I will referve that for my Kate, and for Tom and Dick; meaning his wife and children. This induced the queen to enlarge his allowance. During the doctor's flay in Flanders, he once fent in a packet to the fecretaries of ftate, two letters, one to the queen and the other to his wife; but that which was meant for the queen was fuperfcribed To his dear wife; and that for his wife,To her most excellent majefty; fo that the queen having opened his letter, found it beginning with Sweetheart, and afterwards with my dear, and dear love, with fuch like expreffions, acquainting her with the state of his body, and that he began to want money. You may eafily guess what motions of mirth this mistake raised; but the doctor by his overfight got a supply of money. When upon the overtures for a treaty, the other ambaffadors came to propofe in what language they should treat, the Spanish ambassador faid, that the French was the most proper, becaufe, faid he to Dr. Dale, your mistress intitles herself Queen of France. Nay, then, faid the doctor, let us treat in Hebrew, for your mafter calls himself King of Jerufalem. WALLER, THE POET. Mr. Waller, having refolved to marry his favourite daughter to Dr. Birch, king James II. was prevailed with to endeavour to hinder it, and for that purpose ordered a French gentleman of quality to tell him, that the king wondered he could have any thoughts of marrying his daughter to a falling church. He made anfwer, Sir, the king does me very great honour to take any notice of my domeftic affairs; but I have lived long enough to obferve, that this falling church has got a trick of rifing again. RANK POPERY. The wife of a lieutenant-colonel who was ftationed near Edinburgh, being vifited by the minifter's wife, was earneftly intreated to come to kirk. This, the lady promifed to do, and kept her word, which produced a fecond vifit; and the minifter's wife then asking how the liked their way of worthip, the replied, Very well, but that having dirtied her cloaths, and been pestered with a great number of fleas, the hoped the minister would permit her to line the pew. Said her gueft, In troth, madam, I cannot promife that, for my husband will think it rank popery. FLYING FROM CHURCH. When Dr. Leigh was vice-chancellor of Oxford, application was made to him by feveral perfons as well of the town as the university, in favour of a flying itinerant, who, for the diverfion of the inhabitants, would undertake to fly from the top of the steeple of St. Mary's church into the adjoining meadows, if the vice-chancellor would give him leave; but the doctor with his ufual pleasantry, faid, That every body should have his free confent to fly To the church, but he never would give leave for one to fly from it; and fo difmiffed the petitioners. ARCH ARCHBISHOP CRANMER. Archbishop Cranmer had a niece whom he married to a gentleman every way her equal in point of family and fortune. The wedding day was folemnized with great pomp and fplendour. The next morning the good archbishop went into their chamber, and enquiring after their health told them, he had a prefent to make them. They were impatient to know what it was; but the archbishop perfifted in concealing it till they both promised him never to wear it at the fame time; and having extorted from them that folemn promife, he then pulled out a fool's cap. HONESTY AND BRAVERY. The prince of Conti being highly pleafed with the intrepid behaviour of a grenadier at the fiege of Philipfburgh, in 1734, threw him his purse, excufing the fmallnefs of the fum it contained, as being too poor a reward for his courage. Next morning the grenadier went to the prince with a couple of diamond rings and other jewels of confiderable value. Sir, faid he, the gold I found in your purse I fuppofe your highness intended me; but thefe I bring back to you as having no claim to them. You have, foldier, anfwered the prince, doubly deferved them by your bravery, and by your honey; therefore they are yours. MR. SELDEN. As Mr. Selden, one of the greatest scholars of his age, who had a library perhaps not to be equalled in the univerfe, was holding a serious difcourfe with archbishop Ufher, a little before he died, he profeffed to his grace, that notwithstanding he had poffeffed himself of fuch a vaft treasure of books, yet he could reft his foul on none but the fcriptures. This celebrated perfon faid, that the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th verfes of the 2d chapter of the Epiftle of Paul to Titus, afforded him more confolation than all that he had ever read. THE GREAT DUKE OF LUXEMBURGH. This illuftrious man, on his death-bed, declared, "That he would then much rather have had it to reflect upon, that he had administered a cup of cold water to a worthy poor creature in diftrefs, than that he had won fo many battles as he had triumphed for." All the fentiments of worldly grandeur vanish at that unavoidable moment which decides the destiny of men. REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. A Defence of Public Education addressed to the most (Right) Reverend the Lord Bishop of MEATH, by WILLIAM VINCENT, D.D. in Anfwer to a Charge annexed to his Lordship's Difcourfe, preached at St. Paul's on the Anniverfary Meeting of the Charity Children, and published by the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge. 1s. 6d. London, Cadell and Davis, 1801. (Concluded from page 52.) THE fpecific charges, Dr. Vincent reduces to three heads. "I. That a preference is due to the religious education in Charity Schools, compared with inftruction in Public Seminaries. "II. That the Paganifm taught in Public Schools, is noxious to the caufe of Chriftianity; and, "III. That Public Schools are guilty of a fyftematic neglect of all religious inftruction. ift. The first head of the charge is comprized in the following terms: • Another circumftance of the times, which render the labours of the fociety of peculiar exigency, is the most lamentable and notorious defectiveness of Chriftian education in many of our Public Schools, and other great Seminaries of this nation.' . . All who are acquainted with the elementary ignorance of Christianity, in which young men are permitted to remain in the greater part of our Public Inftitutions, (and it is impoffible to be much converfant in them without knowing this) will fee how neceffary the exertions of this fociety are, for preferving the light of the Gofpel among the lower ranks of men. The charitable hand which fupplies the deficiency among the poor, is peculiarly grateful to God and beneficial to mankind.' See Dr. Rennell's fermon, p. 7, before the Society, 1799. If, as the learned author fuppofes, Dr. R.'s reflection goes further than on our public fchools, and by other great feminaries of this nation, includes the two universities in its cenfure, we are not furprized to find in this Defence a statement, which, though it be not immediately to the purpose, flatly contradicts, by an appeal to experience, the certain test of truth, an affertion at once illiberal and groundlefs. As facts are ftubborn things, and not likely to be controverted; we think the following remark exceedingly pertinent, and the fucceeding interrogatories deferving of an answer. If the former challenge contradiction, the latter cannot be deemed unimportant enquiries. "When we look to the prefs of the two univerfities for the last thirty years, we find greater treasures of theology iffuing from that fource, than in any period of equal length fince the reformation; and if it fhall be faid that there are a few learned in that science ftill remaining, but who pay little attention to the rifing generation,-where did those that are learned acquire their knowledge? and what is the reason, that, previous to Dr. Rennell's animadverfion, and without waiting for his advice, lectures in divinity were given in both those feminaries? lectures requiring fo indifpenfable an attendance, that no bishop will ordain a candidate without a certificate from the profeffor, that this duty has been fulfilled." Dr. V. has fubjoined the following plan of religious inftruction, adopted in Westminster School, and, if in other public feminaries fimilar, and equally judicious plans, are carried into effect with the fame degree of laudable exertion, and are as regularly and fyftematically adhered to as this is in Weftminster, nothing more can be thought neceffary to difprove completely the hafty charges which have been brought againft them. RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN WESTMINSTER. In the three firft forms, where children are estimated from 8 to 10 years of age-The Pfalms and Gofpels turned into Latin, are an exercife four days a-week. On Monday Catechism repeated. In |