little harm, if one did not see from what Principle the whole proceeded.

This 'tis which makes the difference between the sharp and virulent Books written in this Age against any Sect of Christians, and those which were written about the beginning of the Reformation between the several contending Parties then in Europe. For tho' the Rage and Spight with which Men treated one another was as keen and as picquant then as it is now, yet the Inclination of Mankind was not then irreligious, and so their Writings had little other effect but to encrease Mens Hatred against any one particular Sect, whilst Christianity, as such, was not hereby at all undermined. But now the Common Enemy appears barefaced, and strikes in with some one or other Sect of Christians, to wound the whole by that means. And this is the Case of this Book, which is one of the Prophanest Banters upon the Religion of Jesus Christ, as such, that ever yet appeared. In the Tale, in the Digressions, in the Fragment, the same Spirit runs through, but rather most in the Fragment, in which all extraordinary Inspirations are the Subjects of his Scorn and Mockery, whilst the Protestant Dissenters are, to outward appearance, the most directly levelled at. The Bookseller indeed in his Advertisement prefixed to the Fragment, pretends to be wholly ignorant of the Author, and he says, he cannot conjecture whether it be the same with that of the two foregoing Pieces, the Original having been sent him at a different Time, and in a different Hand. It may be so; but the Stile, and Turn, and Spirit of this Fragment, and of the Tale being the same, no body, I believe, has doubted of their being written by the same Author: If the Authors are different, so much the worse, because it shews there are more Men in the World acted by the same Spirit. But be the Author one or more, the Mask is more plainly taken off in the Fragment. The Writer uses the Allegory of an Ass's bearing his Rider up to Heaven: (x) And (x) P. 287. presently after he owns his Ass to be allegorical, and says, "That if we

66

please, instead of the Term Ass, we may make use of Gifted or "Enlightned Preacher, and the Word Rider we may exchange for that "of Fanatic Auditory, or any other Denomination of the like Import:"

(y) And now having setled this Weighty Point, (as he contemptuously calls () P. 288 it) he enquires by what Methods this Teacher arrives at his Gifts, or Spirit, or Light (2). Enthusiasm with him is an Universal Deception (2) Ibid. which has run through all Sciences in all Kingdoms, and every thing has some Fanatic Branch annexed to it; (a) among which he reckons (a) P. 289. the Summum Bonum, or an Enquiry after Happiness. The Descent of the H. Ghost after our Blessed Saviour's Ascension in the Shape of Cloven Tongues, at the First Pentecost, in the Second of the Acts, is one of the Subjects of his Mirth: And because in our Dissenting Congregations, the Auditory used formerly with great Indecency to

(b) P. 295,

296.

66

66

keep on their Hats in Sermon Time, therefore, says he, "They will "needs have it as a Point clearly gained, that the Cloven Tongues never sat upon the Apostles Heads, while their Hats were on:" (b) using that Ridiculous Argument to prove that the Dissenting Ministers are not divinely inspired. And he does not mince the Matter when he says, "That he is resolved immediately to weed this Error out of "Mankind, by making it clear, that this Mystery of venting Spiritual "Gifts is nothing but a Trade acquired by as much Instruction, and (c) P. 303. "master'd by equal Practice and Application as others are.” (c) Can any thing be more blasphemous than his Game at Leap-Frog between (d) P. 310. "the Flesh and Spirit? (d) This affects the Doctrine of St. Paul, (e) (e) Rom. and not the Private Interpretations of this or that Particular Sect; and VII. this too is described in the Language of the Stews, which with now and then a Scripture-Expression, compose this Writer's Stile. Thus when the Snuffling of Men who have lost their Noses by Lewd Courses, is said to have given rise to that Tone which our Dissenters did too much affect formerly, He subjoins, "That when our Earthly Tabernacles "are disordered and desolate, shaken and out of Repair, the Spirit "delights to dwell within them, as Houses are said to be haunted, () P. 313. "when they are forsaken and gone to decay." (ƒ) And in his Account of Fanaticism, he tells us, That the Thorn in the Flesh, serves for a Spur (8) P. 319. to the Spirit. (g) Is not this to ridicule St. Paul's own Description of his own Temptation; in which the Apostle manifestly alludes to

(h) 2 Cor. a Passage in the Prophet Ezekiel (b)?

XİL 7.

and Ezek. XXVIII.

24

What would Men say in any Country in the World but this, to see their Religion so vilely treated from the Press? I remember to have seen a French Translation of the Learned Dr. Prideaux (the present Worthy Dean of Norwich's) Life of Mahomet, printed in France, I think at Paris, in the Advertisement before which, the Translator tells the Public, That he did not translate the Letter to the Deists, thereto annexed in English, because, says he, our Government suffers no such People, and there is no need of Antidotes where there is no Poison. Be this true or false in France, it matters not to our present Purpose; but it shews that no Man dares publickly play with Religion in that Country. How much do the Mahometans reverence the Alcoran? Dares any Man among them openly despite their Prophet, or ridicule the Words of his Law? How strictly do the Banians, and the other Sects of the Gentile East-Indians worship their Pagods, and respect their Temples? This Sir, you well know, is not Superstition nor Bigottry. It is of the Essence of Religion, that the utmost Regard should be paid to the Name and Words of God, both which upon the slightest, and the most ridiculous Occasions, are play'd upon by Common Oaths, and Idle Allusions to Scripture Expressions in this whole Book. I do not carry my Charge too far.

For admitting that this Writer intended to make himself and his Readers Sport, by exercising his Wit and Mirth upon a Couple of Pedants, as he esteems Dr. Bentley and my self; yet since the Tale may thus be explain'd, and since to your knowledge and mine, Sir, it has been thus interpreted by Unconcerned Readers, the Mischiet which it does is equally great to Mankind. Besides, even that Excuse will not serve in the Fragment, which is levelled at no particular Man that I can find whatsoever. Dr. King, late of Christ-Church, was so sensible of this, that when by reason of the Personalities (as the French call them) in the Book, it was laid at his Door, he took care immediately to print such Remarks upon it, as effectually cleared him from the Imputation of having writ it: He therein did like a Christian; and he that is one, would be very uneasie under the Character of being none. And this is what Mr. Swift is yet under greater Obligations to do, because of his Profession. The World besides will think it odd, that a Man should in a Dedication play upon that Great Man, to whom he is more obliged than to any other Man now living; for it was at Sir William Temple's Request, that my Lord Sommers, then LordKeeper of the Great-Seal of England, gave Mr. Swift a very good

Benefice in one of the most Delicious Parts of one of the Pleasantest
Counties of England. It is publicly reported that he wrote this Book:
It is a Story, which you know, Sir, I neither made, nor spread; for it
has been long as public as it can well be. The Injury done to Religion,
that any
of its Ministers should lie under the Imputation of writing
such a Burlesque upon it, will be irreparable, if the Person so charged
does not do it and himself Justice. I say Himself, for in my own
Conscience I acquit him from composing it. The Author, I believe, is
dead, and it is probable that it was writ in the Year 1697, when it
is said to have been written.

Before I leave this Author, be he who he will, I shall observe, Sir, that his Wit is not his own, in many places. The Actors in his Farce, Peter, Martin, and Jack, are by Name borrowed from a Letter written by the late Witty D. of Buckingham, concerning Mr. Clifford's Human Reason: () And Peter's Banter upon Transubstantiation, is taken from (1) P. 67. the same D. of Buckingham's Conference with an Irish Priest, (k) only (4) P. 37. here Bread is changed into Mutton and Wine, that the Banter might be the more crude; there a Cork is turned into a Horse. But the Wondrings on the one side, and the Asseverations on the other, are otherwise exactly alike. And I have been assured that the Battel in St. James's Library is Mutandis Mutandis taken out of a French Book, entituled, Combat des Livres, if I misremember not.

And now, Sir, I heartily ask your Pardon for troubling you with so long a Letter. You know the true Reasons and Inducements of my Writing the Reflexions at first; I cannot think it needed any Apology

then, and so I do not write this Letter as an Apology now. I wrote then of the Writings of one Gentleman at the Command of another, who is an exact Judge of Decency and Good Manners. I would say a great deal more, but that I write to, as well as of your self. But I should have been inexcusable, if, when you saw and gave your self the Trouble of reading the Reflections before they went to the Press, I should not have composed them so, as that you should not have needed to disown them afterwards. Your Friendship, in truth, has been for many Years so generous towards me, and so disinterested, that I have often found you could as willingly have made Excuses for my Failings, as have commended my good Management. But as the Office of an Excuser is what for ones Friend's sake, as well as ones own, a Man is not too frequently to put his Friend upon, so the principal Design of my Writing this long Narrative, was to satisfie you, Sir, who are so very much concerned, that all the Objections hitherto made against the Reflexions, will easily admit of a direct and full Answer. I have nothing more to say, but that it is necessary for your sake, that I should inform the Public, that the Faults in this Letter are all my own, and that I will not desire you to stand by me upon the account of any Mistakes of which I may have been guilty. I am,

May 21. 1705.

SIR,

Your most Obliged and
Faithful Servant,

W. Wotton.

FINIS.

A

COMPLETE KEY

TO THE

TALE of a TUB;

With fome Account of the

AUTHORS,

The Ocafion and Design of Writing it,

and Mr. WoTTON's Remarks examin'd.

LONDON:

Printed for EDMUND CURLL at the Dial and Bible against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetftreet. 1710. Price 6d.

Where may be had A Meditation upon a Broomstick, and fomewhat befide, utile dulci; by one of the Authors of the Tale of a Tub. Price 6d.

I