Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

but too well how their father had always abhorred this fashion; that he made several paragraphs on purpose, importing his utter detestation of it, and bestowing his everlasting curse on his sons whenever they should wear it. For all this, in a few days they appeared higher in the fashion than anybody else in the town. But they solved the matter by saying that these figures were not all the same with those that were formerly worn, and were meant in the will. Besides, they did not wear them in the sense as forbidden by their father, but as they were a commendable custom, and of great use to the public. That these rigorous clauses in the will did therefore require some allowance, and a favourable interpretation, and ought to be understood cum grano salis.

But fashions perpetually altering in that age, the scholastic brother grew weary of searching farther evasions and solving everlasting contradictions. Resolved, therefore, at all hazards, to comply with the modes of the world, they concerted matters together, and agreed unanimously to lock up their father's will in a strong box,* brought out of Greece, or Italy, I have forgotten which, and trouble themselves no farther to examine it, but only refer to its authority

* The Papists formerly forbade the people the use of Scripture in a vulgar tongue: Peter therefore locks up his father's will in a strong box, brought out of Greece or Italy. These countries are named, because the New Testament is written in Greek, and the vulgar Latin, which is the authentic edition of the Bible in the Church of Rome, is the language of old Italy.-W. Wotton.

whenever they thought fit. In consequence whereof a while after it grew a general mode to wear an infinite number of points, most of them tagged with silver. Upon which the scholar pronounced ex cathedra* that points were absolutely jure paterno, as they might very well remember. It is true, indeed, the fashion prescribed somewhat more than were directly named in the will: however, that they as heirs-general of their father, had power to make and add certain clauses for public emolument, though not deducible, totidem verbis, from the letter of the will, or else multa absurda sequerentur. This was understood for canonical, and therefore on the following Sunday they came to church all covered with points.

The learned brother so often mentioned was reckoned the best scholar in all that or the next street to it, insomuch, as having run something behindhand in the world, he obtained the favour of a certain lord + to receive him into his house and to teach his children. A while after the lord died, and he, by long practice, of his father's will found the way of contriving a deed of conveyance of that house to

* The popes, in their decretals and bulls, have given their sanction to very many gainful doctrines, which are now received in the Church of Rome, that are not mentioned in Scripture, and are unknown to the primitive Church. Peter accordingly pronounces ex cathedra that points tagged with silver were absolutely jure paterno; and so they wore them in great numbers.-W. Wotton.

This was Constantine the Great, from whom the popes pretend a donation of St. Peter's patrimony, which they have been never able to produce.

himself and his heirs. Upon which he took possession, turned the young squires out, and received his brothers in their stead.*

The bishops of Rome enjoyed their privileges in Rome at first by the favour of the emperors, whom at last they shut out of their own capital city, and then forged a donation from Constantine the Great, the better to justify what they did. In imitation of this, Peter, "having run something behindhand in the world, obtained leave of a certain lord," &c.-W. Wotton.

SECTION III.

A DIGRESSION CONCERNING CRITICS.

ALTHOUGH I have been hitherto as cautious as I could, upon all occasions most nicely to follow the rules and methods of writing laid down by the example of our illustrious moderns, yet has the unhappy shortness of my memory led me into an error, from which I must extricate myself before I can decently pursue my principal subject. I confess, with shame, it was an unpardonable omission to proceed so far as I have already done, before I had performed the due discourses, expostulatory, supplicatory, or deprecatory with my good lords the critics. Towards some atonement for this grievous neglect, I do here make humbly bold to present them with a short account of themselves and their art, by looking into the original and pedigree of the word as it is generally understood among us, and very briefly considering the ancient and present state thereof.

S

By the word critic, at this day so frequent in all conversations, there have sometimes been distinguished three very different species of mortal men, according as I have read in ancient books and pamphlets. For, first, by this term was understood such persons as invented or drew up rules for themselves and the world, by observing which a careful reader might be able to pronounce upon the productions of the learned, from his taste to a true relish of the sublime and the admirable, and divide every beauty of matter or of style from the corruption that apes it; in their common perusal of books singling out the errors and defects-the nauseous, the fulsome, the dull, and the impertinent-with the caution of a man that walks through Edinburgh streets in a morning, who is indeed as careful as he can to watch diligently and spy out the filth in his way; not that he is curious to observe the colour and complexion of the ordure, or take its dimensions, much less to be paddling in or tasting, but only with a design to come out as cleanly as he may. These men seem, though very erroneously, to have understood the appellation of critic in a literal sense; that one principal part of his office was to praise and acquit, and that a critic who sets up to read only for an occasion of censure and reproof is a creature as barbarous as a judge who should take up a resolution to hang all men that came before him on trial.

Again, by the word critic have been meant the

« ZurückWeiter »