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A.Bell Sculp

altitude above them. Now, in all affemblies, though you wedge them ever fo clofe, we may obferve this peculiar property, that over their heads there is room enough; but how to reach it, is the difficult point; it being as hard to get quit of number, as of hell:

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To this end, the philofopher's way, in all ages, has been by erecting certain edifices in the air. But, whatever practice and reputation these kinds of structures have formerly poffeffed, or may ftill continue in, not excepting even that of Socrates,

when

fatire against Mr Dryden, and confequently, loads with infults, the greateft, although the leaft profperous, of our English poets. Yet who can avoid smiling, when he finds the Hind and Panther, as a complete abftract of fixteen thousand schoolmen, and when Tommy Pots is fuppofed written by the fame hand, as a Supplement to the former work? I am willing to imagine, that Dryden, in fome manner or other, had offended Swift, who, otherwise, I hope, would have been more indulgent to the errors of a man oppreffed by poverty, driven on by party, and bewildered by religion-But although our fatirical author, now and then, may have indulged himself in fome perfonal animofities, or may have taken freedoms not fo perfectly confiftent with that folemn decency which is required from a clergyman; yet, throughout the whole piece, there is a vein of ridicule and good humour, that laughs pedantry and affectation into the lowest degree of contempt, and expofes the character of Peter and Jack in fuch a manner, as never will be forgiven, and never can be answered. Orrery.

* But to return, and view the cheerful skies;
In this the task and mighty labour lies.

when he was fufpended in a basket to help contemplation; I think, with due fubmiffion, they feem to labour under two inconveniences. First, That the foundations being laid too high, they have been often out of fight, and ever out of hearing. Secondly, That the materials, being very tranfitory, have fuffered much from inclemencies of air, especially in these north-west regions.

Therefore, towards the juft performance of this great work, there remain but three methods that I can think on; whereof the wisdom of our ancestors being highly fenfible, has, to encourage all afpiring adventurers, thought fit to erect three wooden machines for the ufc of thofe orators, who defire to talk much without interruption. Thefe are, the pulpit, the ladder, and the flage itinerant. For, as to the bar, though it be compounded of the fame matter, and defigned for the fame ufe, it cannot however be well allowed the honour of the fourth, by reafon of its level or inferior fituation, expofing it to perpetual interruption from collaterals. Neither can the bench itfelf, though raised to a proper eminency, put in a better claim, whatever its advocates infift on. For, if they please to look into the original defign of its erection, and the circumftances or adjuncts fubfervient to that defign, they will foon acknowledge the prefent practice exactly correfpondent to the primitive inftitution; and both to answer the etymology of the name, which in the Phoenician tongue is a word of great fignification, importing,

importing, if literally interpreted, the place of fleep; but in common acceptation, a feat well bolftered and cushioned, for the repofe of old and gouty limbs: Senes ut in otia tuta recedant: Fortune being indebted to them this part of retaliation, that, as formerly they have long talked, whilst others flept, fo now they may fleep as long, whilst others talk.

But if no other argument could occur, to exclude the bench and the bar from the lift of oratorial machines, it were fufficient, that the admiffion of them would overthrow a number which I was refolved to establish, whatever argument it might coft me; in imitation of that prudent method obferved by many other philofophers and great clerks, whofe chief art in divifion has been to grow fond of fome proper mystical number, which their imaginations have rendered facred, to a degree, that they force common reafon to find room for it in every part of nature; reducing, including, and adjufting every genus and fpecies, within that compass, by coupling fome against their wills, and banishing others at any rate. Now, among all the reft, the profound number THREE is that which hath most employed my fublimeft fpeculations, nor ever without wonderful delight. There is now in the prefs, and will be publifhed next term, a panegyrical effay of mine upon this number; wherein I have, by moft convincing proofs, not only reduced the fenfes and the elements under its banner,

but

but brought over several deserters from its two great rivals, SEVEN and NINE.

Now, the first of these oratorial machines in place, as well as in dignity, is the pulpit. Of pulpits there are in this ifland feveral forts; but I esteem only that made of timber from the Sylva Caledonia, which agrees very well with our climate. If it be upon its decay, it is the better, both for conveyance of found, and for other reafons to be mentioned by and by. The degree of perfection in fhape and fize, I take to consist in being extremely narrow, with little ornament, and best of all without a cover, (for, by ancient rule, it ought to be the only uncovered veffel in every affembly, where it is rightfully ufed); by which means, from its near refemblance to a pillory, it will ever have a mighty influence on human ears.

Of ladders I need fay nothing. It is obferved by foreigners themselves, to the honour of our country, that we excel all nations in our practice and understanding of this machine. The afcending orators do not only oblige their audience in the agreeable delivery, but the whole world in the early publication of their speeches; which I look upon as the choiceft treasury of our British eloquence, and whereof, I am informed, that worthy citizen and bookfeller, Mr John Dunton, hath made a faithful and a painful collection, which he fhortly defigns to publifh in twelve volumes in folio, illuftrated with copperplates: A work highly ufeful and curious, and altogether worthy of fuch a hand.

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