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Than which, there cannot well be a greater abfurdity. For, if no advancement of knowledge can be had from thofe places, the time there spent, is at beft utterly loft; becaufe every ornamental part of education is better taught elfewhere. And as for keeping youths out of harm's way, I doubt, where fo many of them are got 'together, at full liberty of doing what they please, it will not answer the end. But whatever abuses, corruptions, or deviations from statutes have crept into the univerfities, through neglect or length of time, they might in a great degree be reformed, by strict injunctions from court (upon each particular) to the vifitors and heads of houfes; befides the peculiar authority the Queen may have in feveral colleges, whereof her predeceffors were the founders. And, among other regulations, it would be very convenient to prevent the excess of drinking, with that fcurvy cuftom among the lads, and parent of the former vice, the taking of tobacco, where it is not absolutely necessary in point of health.

From the universities, the young nobility, and others of great fortunes, are fent for early up to town, for fear of contracting any airs of pedantry by a college education. Many of the younger gentry retire to the inns of court, where they are wholly left to their own difcretion. And the confequence of their remiffnefs in education, appears, by obferving, that nine in ten of thofe who rife in the church or the court, the law or the

army,

army, are younger brothers, or new men, whose narrow fortunes have forced them upon industry and application.

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As for the inns of court, unless we fuppofe them to be much degenerated, they muft needs be the worst inftituted feminaries in any Chriftian country; but whether, they may be corrected without interpofition of the legislature, I have not skill enough to determine. However, it is certain, that all wife nations have agreed in the neceffity of a strict education; which confifted, among other things, in the obfervance of moral duties, especially justice, temperance, and chastity, as well as the knowledge of arts, and bodily exercifes. But all these, among us, are laughed

out of doors.

Without the leaft intention to offend the clergy, I cannot but think, that, through a mistaken notion and practice, they prevent themfelves from doing much service, which otherwise might lie in their power, to religion and virtue: I mean, by affecting fo much to converse with each other, and caring fo little to mingle with the laity. They have their particular clubs, and particular coffeehouses, where they generally appear in clufters. A fingle divine dares hardly shew his perfon among numbers of fine gentlemen; or if he happens to fall into fuch company, he is filent and fufpicious, in continual apprehenfion that fome pert man of pleasure should break an unmannerly jeft, and render him ridiculous. Now,

I take this behaviour of the clergy to be juft as reasonable, as if the phyficians fhould agree to spend their time in vifiting one another, or their feveral apothecaries, and leave their patients to fhift for themselves. In my humble opinion, the clergy's business lies entirely among the laity:" neither is there, perhaps, a more effectual way to forward the falvation of mens fouls, than for fpiritual perfons to make themselves as agreeable as they can in the converfations of the world; for which a learned education gives them great advantage, if they would pleafe to improve and apply it. It fo happens, that the men of pleasure, who never go to church, nor use themselves to read books of devotion, form their ideas of the clergy from a few poor ftrollers they often obferve in the streets, or fneaking out of fome perfon of quality's houfe, where they are hired by the lady at ten fhillings a-month while thofe of better figure and parts, do seldom appear to cor rect thefe notions. And, let fome reafoners think what they please, it is certain, that men must be brought to efteem and love the clergy, before they can be perfuaded to be in love with religion. No man values the beft medicine, if administered by a physician whofe perfon he hates or despises. If the clergy were as forward to appear in all companies, as other gentlemen, and : would a little study the arts of converfation, to make themselves agreeable, they might be welcome to every party, where there was the least

regard

regard for politenefs or good fenfe; and confequently prevent a thousand vitious or profane difcourses, as well as actions: neither would men of understanding complain, that a clergyman was a constraint upon the company, because they could not speak blafphemy, or obscene jests before him. While the people are so jealous of the clergy's ambition, as to abhor all thoughts of the return of ecclefiaftic discipline among them, I do not fee any other method left for men of that function to take, in order to reform the world, than by using all honeft arts to make themselves acceptable to the laity. This, no doubt, is part of that wisdom of the ferpent, which the author of Christianity directs; and is the very method ufed by St. Paul, who became all things to all men, to the Jews a Jew, and a Greek to the Greeks.

*

How to remedy these inconveniences, may be a matter of fome difficulty; fince the clergy feem to be of an opinion, that this humour of sequeftering themselves, is a part of their duty; nay, as I remember, they have been told so by some of their bishops in their pastoral letters, particularly by one among them of great merit and diftinction; who yet, in his own practice, hath all his life-time taken a courfe directly contrary. But I am deceived, if an awkward fhame, and fear of ill ufage from the laity, have not a greater fhare in this miftaken conduct, than their own inclinations. However, if the outward profeffion

* Supposed to be Dr. Burnet, bishop of Salisbury.

of

of religion and virtue were once in practice and countenance at court, as well as among all men in office, or who have any hopes or dependence for preferment, a good treatment of the clergy. would be the neceffary confequence of such a reformation; and they would foon be wife enough to see their own duty and interest, in qualifying themselves for lay converfation, when once they were out of fear of being choked by ribaldry or profaneness.

There is one further circumftance upon this occafion, which I know not whether it will be very orthodox to mention. The clergy are the only fet of men among us, who conftantly wear a diftinct habit from others: the confequence of which (not in reafon, but in fact) is this, that as long as any fcandalous perfons appear in that drefs, it will continue, in fome degree, a general mark of contempt. Whoever happens to fee a fcoundrel in a gown, reeling home at midnight, (a fight neither frequent or miraculous,) is apt to entertain an ill idea of the whole order, and at the fame time to be extremely comforted in his own vices. Some remedy might be put to this, if thofe ftraggling gentlemen, who come up to town to feek their fortunes, were fairly difmiffed to the Weft Indies; where there is work enough, and where fome better provifion fhould be made for them, than I doubt there is at present. Or, what if no person were allowed to wear the habit, who had not fome preferment in the church, VOL. II,

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