true) for which they inftance England in the Times of Popery. But whoever knoweth any Thing of three or four Centuries before the Reformation, will find, the little Learning then stirring, was more equally divided between the Englife Clergy and Laity, than it is at prefent. There were feveral famous Lawyers in that Period, whofe Writings are ftill in the highest Repute; and fome Hiftorians and Poets, who were not of the Church. Whereas, now-a-days our Education is fo corrupted, that you will hardly find a young Perfon of Quality with the leaft Tincture of Knowledge; at the fame Time that † many of the Clergy were never more learned, or fo fcurvily treated. Here among Us, at leaft, a Man of Letters, out of the three Profeffions, is almost a Prodigy. And those few who have preferved any Rudiments of Learning, are (except, perhaps, one or two Smatterers) the Clergy's Friends to a Man: For, I dare appeal to any Clergyman in this Kingdom, whether the greatest Dunce in his Parish be not always the most proud, wicked, fraudulent, and intractable of his Flock.

1 THINK the Clergy have almoft given over perplexing themselves and their Hearers, with abftrufe Points of Predeftination, Election, and the like; at least, it is time they should; and therefore, I fhall not trouble you further upon this Head,

I HAVE

N. B. This Difcourfe was written Fourteen Year ago; fince which Time, the Cafe is extremely altered by Deaths and Succeffions.

I HAVE now faid all I could think convenient with relation to your Conduct in the Pulpit. Your Behaviour in the World is another Scene, upon which, I fhall readily offer you my Thoughts, if you appear to defire them from me, by your Approbation of what I have here written; if not, I have already troubled you too much.

I am, SIR,

Your affectionate

JANUARY 9. 1719-20

Friend and Servant.

A MEDI

A

MEDITATION

UPON A

BROOM-STICK;

ACCORDING TO

The Style and Manner of the Honourable Robert Boyle's Medita

tions.

Written in the YEAR 1703.

HIS fingle Stick, which you now behold inglorioufly lying in that ne glected Corner, I once knew in a flourishing State in a Foreft: It was full of Sap, full of Leaves, and full of Boughs: But now, in vain does the busy Art of Man pretend to yye with Nature, by tying that withered Bundle of Twigs to its faplefs Trunk: It

is now at best but the Reverse of what it was; a Tree turned upfide down, the Branches on the Earth, and the Root in the Air: It is now handled by every dirty Wench, condemned to do her Drugery; and by a capricious Kind of Fate, deftined to make other Things clean, and be nafty it felf. At length, worn to the Stumps in the Service of the Maids, it is either thrown out of Doors, or condemned to the last Use of kindling a Fire. When I beheld this, I fighed, and faid within my self SURELY MORTAL MAN IS A BROOMSTICK; Na ture fent him into the World strong and lufty, in a thriving Condition, wearing his own Hair on his Head, the proper Branches of this reafoning Vegetable; till the Axe of Intemperance has lopped off his Green Boughs, and left him a withered Trunk : He then flies to Art, and puts on a Perriwig; valuing himself upon an unnatural Bundle of Hairs, all covered with Powder, that never grew on his Head: But now, fhould this our Broom-ftick pretend to enter the Scene, proud of thofe Birchen Spoils it never bore, and all covered with Duft, though the Sweepings of the finest Lady's Chamber; we fhould be apt to ridicule and defpife its Vanity. Partial Judges that we are of our own Excellencies, and other Mens Defaults!

Bur a Broom ftick, perhaps you will fay, is an Emblem of a Tree ftanding on its Head; and pray what is Man but a topfy-turvy Creature? His Animal Faculties perpetually mounted on his Rational; his Head where his Heels should be, groveling on the Earth. And yet, with all his Faults, he fets up to be a univerfal Reformer and Correcter of Abuses; a Remover of Grievances; rakes into every

Slut's

Slut's Corner of Nature, bringing hidden Corruptions to the Light, and raiseth a mighty Duft where there was none before; fharing deeply all the while in the very fame Pollutions he pretends to fweep: away. His laft Days are spent in Slavery to Women, and generally the leaft deferving; till worn to the Stumps, like his Brother Bezom, he is either kicked out of Doors, or made ufe of to kindle Flames for others to warm themselves by.

A FAMOUS