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abstract of this treatise has been lately published by a worthy member of our society.

These notices may serve to give the learned reader an idea, as well as a taste, of what the whole work is likely to produce; wherein I have now altogether circumscribed my thoughts and my studies; and, if I can bring it to a perfection before I die, shall reckon I have well employed the poor remains of an unfortunate life. † This indeed is more than I can justly expect, from a quill worn to the pith in the service of the state, in pros and cons upon popish plots, and meal tubs, and exclusion bills, and passive obedience, and addresses of lives and fortunes, and prerogative, and property, and liberty of conscience, and letters to a friend: from an understanding and a conscience thread-bare and ragged with perpetual turning; from a head broken in a hundred places by the malignants of the opposite factions; and from a body spent with poxes ill cured, by trusting to bawds and surgeons, who, as it afterwards appeared, were professed enemies to me and the government, and revenged their party's quarrel upon my nose and shins. Fourscore and eleven pamphlets have I written under three reigns, and for the service of six and thirty factions. But, finding the state has no farther occasion for me

*This I suppose to be understood of Mr Wotton's discourse of ancient and modern learning.

+ Here the author seems to personate L'Estrange, Dryden, and some others, who, after having passed their lives in vices, faction, and falsehood, have the impudence to talk of merit, and innocence, and sufferings.

In king Charles the Second's time, there was an account of a presbyterian plot, found in a tub, which then made much noise. § First edition-popery.

and my ink, I retire willingly to draw it out into speculationsmore becoming a philosopher; having, to my unspeakable comfort, passed a long life with a conscience void of offence. *

But to return. I am assured from the reader's candour, that the brief specimen I have given, will easily clear all the rest of our society's productions, from an aspersion grown, as it is manifest, out of envy and ignorance; that they are of little farther use or value to mankind, beyond the common entertainments of their wit and their style; for these I am sure have never yet been disputed by our keenest adversaries: in both which, as well as the more profound and mystical part, I have, throughout this treatise, closely followed the most applauded originals. And to render all complete, I have, with much thought and application of mind, so ordered, that the chief title prefixed to it, I mean, that under which I design it shall pass in the common conversations of court and town, is modelled exactly after the manner peculiar to our society.

I confess to have been somewhat liberal in the business of titles, † having observed the humour of multiplying them, to bear great vogue amo ng certain writers, whom I exceedingly reverence. And indeed it seems not unreasonable, that books, the children of the brain, should have the honour to be christened with variety of names, as well as other infants of quality. Our famous Dryden has ventured to proceed a point farther, endeavouring

The first edition adds to this sentence-towards God and towards men.

The title-page in the original was so torn, that it was not possible to recover several titles, which the author here speaks of

to introduce also a multiplicity of god-fathers; which is an improvement of much more advantage upon a very obvious account. It is a pity

this admirable invention has not been better cultivated, so as to grow by this time into general imitation, when such an authority serves it for a precedent. Nor have my endeavours been wanting to second so useful an example: but it seems there is an unhappy expence usually annexed to the calling of a god-father, which was clearly out of my head, as it is very reasonable to believe. Where the pinch lay, I cannot certainly affirm; but having employed a world of thoughts and pains to split my treatise into forty sections, and having entreated forty lords of my acquaintance, that they would do me the honour to stand, they all made it a matter of conscience, and sent me their excuses.

SECT. II.

ONCE upon a time, there was a man who had three sons by one wife, † and all at a birth, neither could the midwife tell certainly, which was the eldest. Their father died while they were young; and upon his death-bed, calling the lads to him, spoke thus:

*See Virgil translated, &c. He dedicated the different parts of Virgil to different patrons.

By these three sons, Peter, Martin, and Jack, Popery, the Church of England, and our Protestant Dissenters, are designed. W. WOTTON.

"Sons; because I have purchased no estate, nor was born to any, I have long considered of some good legacies to bequeath you; and at last, with much care as well as expence, have provided each of you (here they are) a new coat. * Now, you are to understand, that these coats have two virtues contained in them: one is, that with good wearing, they will last you fresh and sound as long as you live: † the other is, that they will grow in the same proportion with your bodies, lengthening and widening of themselves, so as to be always fit. † Here; let me see them on you before I die. So; very well; pray, children, wear them clean, and brush them often. § You will find in my will || (here it is) full instructions in every particular concerning the wearing and management of your coats; wherein you must be very exact, to avoid the penalties I have appointed for every transgression or neglect, upon which your future fortunes will entirely depend. I have also commanded in my will, that you should live together in one house like brethren and friends, ¶ for then you will be sure to thrive, and not otherwise."

Here the story says, this good father died, and the three sons went all together to seek their for

tunes.

• The Christian religion. BENTLEY.

↑ If well used, will continue the same. BENTLEY.

i. e. Admits of decent ceremonies according to times and places. BENTLEY.

§ Keep up to the purity of religion, and if there creeps in any corruption, correct it. BENTLEY.

The Bible. BENTLEY

Unity is here enjoined. BENTLEY.

I shall not trouble you with recounting what adventures they met for the first seven years,* any farther than by taking notice, that they carefully observed their father's will, and kept their coats in very good order: that they travelled through several countries, encountered a reasonable quantity of giants, and slew certain dragons.

Being now arrived at the proper age for producing themselves, they came up to town, and fell in love with the ladies, but especially three, who about that time were in chief reputation : the duchess d'Argent, madame de Grands Titres, and the countess d'Orgueil. † On their first appearance, our three adventurers met with a very bad reception; and soon, with great sagacity, guessing out the reason, they quickly began to improve in the good qualities of the town: they writ, and rallied, and rhymed, and sung, and said, and said nothing: they drank, and fought, and whored, and slept, and swore, and took snuff: they went to new plays on the first night, haunted the chocolate-houses, beat the watch, lay on bulks, and got claps : they bilked hackney-coachmen, ran in debt with shopkeepers, and lay with their wives: they killed bailiffs, kicked fiddlers down stairs, eat at Locket's, loitered at Will's: they talked of the drawing-room, and never came there: dined with lords they never saw: whispered a duchess, and spoke never a word: exposed

*The first seven centuries, BENTLEY.

Their mistresses are the duchess d'Argent, mademoiselle de Grands Titres, and the countess d'Orgueil, i. c. covetousness, ambition, and pride; which were the three great vices that the ancient fathers inveighed against, as the first corruptions of Christi anity.-W. WOTTON.

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