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NEXT Winter, a Player, hired for the Purpose by the Corporation of Fringe-makers, acted his Part in a new Comedy, all covered with Silver-fringe*; and, according to the laudable Custom, gave Řife to that Fashion. Upon which, the Brothers confulting their Father's Will, to their great Aftonishment found thefe Words: "Item, I charge and command my "faid three Sons, to wear no Sort of Silver-fringe upon or about their faid Coats, &c. with a Penalty, in cafe of Difobedience, too long here to infert. However, after fome Paufe, the Brother fo often mentioned for his Erudition, who was well skilled in Criticifms, had found in a certain Author, which he said should be nameless, that the fame Word, which in the Will is called Fringe, does alfo fignify a Broom-flick; and doubtlefs ought to have the fame Interpretation in this Paragraph. This another of the Brothers difliked, because of that Epithet Silver; which could not, he humbly conceived, in Propriety of Speech, be reasonably applied to a Broom-flick. But it was replied upon him, that this. Epithet was understood in a mythological and allegorical Senfe. However, he objected again, why their Father fhould forbid them to wear a Broom-flick on their Coats; a Caution that feemed unnatural and impertinent. Upon which, he was taken up fhort, as one that fpoke irreverently of a Mystery; which doubtless was very ufeful and fignificant, but ought not to be over-curioufly pried into, or nicely rea foned upon. And, in fhort, their Father's Authority being now confiderably funk, this Expedient was allowed to ferve as a lawful Difpenfation for wearing their full Proportion of Silver-fringe.

A while after, was revived an old Fashion, long antiquated, of Embroidery with Indian Figures of Men, Women and Children +. Here they had no Occa-

This is certainly the farther introducing the Pomps of Habit and Ornament.

The Images of Saints, the blessed Virgin, and our Sa viour an Infant.

fion

fion to examine the Will. They remembered but too well, how their Father had always abhorred this Fafhion; that he made feveral Paragraphs on purpofe, importing his utter Deteftation of it, and bestowing his everlafting Curfe to his Sons, whenever they fhould wear it. For all this, in a few Days, they appeared higher in the Fashion than any Body elfe in the Town. But they folved the Matter, by faying, that these Figures were not at all the fame with those that were formerly worn, and were meant in the Will. Befides, they did not wear them in that Senfe as forbidden by their Father; but as they were a commendable Cuftom, and of great Ufe to the Publick. That thefe rigorous Claufes in the Will did therefore require fome Allowance, and a favourable Interpretation,, and ought to be understood cum grano falis.

BUT Fashions perpetually altering in that Age, the fcholaftick Brother grew weary of fearching farther. Evafions, and folving everlasting Contradictions. Refolved 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 frong Box*, brought out of Greece or Italy, I have forgot which; and trouble themselves no farther to examine it, but only refer to its Authority whenever they thought fit. In confequence 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 pro

Ibid. Images in the Church of Rome give him but too fair a Handle, The Brothers remembered, &c. The Allegory here is direct. W. Wotton.

*The Papists formerly forbade the People the Ufe of Scripture in a vulgar Tongue; Peter therefore locks up his Father's Will in a strong Box, brought out of Greece or Italy; Those Countries are named, because the New Teftament is written in Greek; and the vulgar Latin, which is the authentick Edition of the Bible in the Church of Rome, is in the Language of old Italy. W. Wotton.

nounced

nounced ex cathedra*, that Points were abfolutely jure paterno, as they might very well remember. Ít 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 Claufes for publick Emolument, though not deducible, totidem verbis, from the Letter of the Will; or elfe multa abfurda fequerentur. This was understood for canonical; and therefore on the following Sunday they came to Church all covered with Points.

THE learned Brother fo often mentioned, was reckoned the beft Scholar in all that or the next Street to it; infomuch as, having run fomething behind-hand with the World, he obtained the Favour from 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 upon his Father's Will, found the Way of contriving a Deed of Conveyance of that Houfe to himself and his Heirs. Upon which he took Poffeffion, turned the young 'Squires out, and received his Brothers in their Stead 1.

*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 abfolutely jure paterno; and so they wore them in great Numbers. W. Wotton.

+ This was Conftantine the Great, from whom the Popes, pretend a Donation of St. Peter's Patrimony, which they have never been able to produce.

Ibid. 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 Conftantine the Great, the better to justify what they did. In Imitation of this, Peter, having run fomething behind hand in the World, obtained Leave of a cer"tain Lord, &c." W. Wotton.

SECT.

T

SE C T. III.

A Digreffion concerning Criticks.

HOUGH I have been hitherto as cautious as I could, upon all Occafions, most nicely to follow the Rules and Methods of writing laid down by the Example of our illuftrious Moderns; yet has the unhappy Shortnefs of my Memory led me into an Error; from which I muft immediately extricate myself, before I can decently pursue my principal Subject. I confefs with Shame, it was an unpardonable Omiffion to proceed fo far as I have already done, before I had performed the due Discourses, expoftulatory, fupplicatory, or deprecatory, with my good Lords the Criticks. Towards fome Atonement for this grievous Neglect, I do here make humbly bold to prefent them with a fhort Account of themfelves and their Art, by looking into the Original and Pedigree of the Word, as it is generally understood among us, and very briefly confidering the antient and prefent State thereof.

By the Word Critick, at this Day fo frequent in all Converfations, there have fometimes been diftinguished three very different Species of mortal Men, according as I have read in antient Books and Pamphlets. For, firft, by this Term were understood fuch Perfons as invented or drew up Rules for themfelves and the World; by obferving which a careful Reader might be able to pronounce upon the Productions of the Learned, form his Tafte to a true Relish of the fublime and the admirable, and divide every Beauty of Matter or of Style from the Corruption that apes it: In their common Perufal of Books, fingling out the Errors and Defects, the nauseous, the fulfome, 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 diligent

ly,

ly, and spy out the Filth in his Way; not that he is curious to obferve the Colour and Complexion of the Ordure, or take its Dimenfions, much lefs to be padling in, or tasting it; but only with a Defign to come out as cleanly as he may. These Men feem, tho' very erroneously, to have understood the Appellation of Critick in a literal Senfe; that one principal Part of his Office was to praise, and acquit; and that a Critick who sets up to read only for an Occafion of Cenfure and Reproof, is a Creature as barbarous as a Judge who fhould take up a Refolution to hang all Men that came before him upon a Trial.

AGAIN, by the Word Critick, have been meant the Reftorers of antient Learning from the Worms, and Graves, and Duft of Manufcripts.

Now, the Races of these two have been for some Ages utterly extinct; and befides, to difcourfe any farther of them, would not be at all to my Purpose.

THE third and nobleft Sort, is that of the TRUE CRHICK, whofe Original is the most antient of all.. Every true Critick is a Hero born, defcending in a direct Line from a celeftial Stem, by Momus and Hybris, who begat Zoilus, who begat Tigellius, who begat Etcetera the elder, who begat B--tley, and Rym-r, and W-tton, and Perrault, and Dennis, who begat Etcætera the younger.

AND thefe are the Criticks from whom the Commonwealth of Learning has in all Ages received fuch immenfe Benefits, that the Gratitude of their Admirers placed their Origin in Heaven, among those of Hercules, Thefeus, Perfeus, and other great Defervers of Mankind. But heroick Virtue itself hath not been exempt from the Obloquy of evil Tongues. For it hath been objected, That thofe antient Heroes, famous for their combating fo many Giants, and Dragons, and Robbers, were in their own Perfons a greater Nufance to Mankind, than any of those Monfters they fubdued; and therefore, to render their Obligations more compleat, when all other Vermin were destroyed, should in Conscience have concluded E

with