reafon and philofophy ridiculous, under that garb they had put on it. If your circumstances or condition fuffer you to enter into the world by a univerfity, well is it for you that you have prevented fuch prepoffeffion.

However, I am not forry that I lent you Mr. Locke's Effay of Human Understanding; which may as well qualify for bufinefs and the world, as for the sciences and a univerfity. No one has done more towards the recalling of philofophy from barbarity, into use and practice of the world, and into the company of the better and politer fort; who might well be ashamed of it in its other drefs. No one has opened a better or clearer way to reafoning. And above all, I wonder to hear him cenfured fo much by any church of England-men, for advancing reafon and bringing the ufe of it so much into religion; when it is by this only that we fight against the enthufiafts, and repel the great enemies of our church. It is by this weapon alone that we combat thofe vifionaries, who in the laft age broke in fo foully upon us, and are now (pretendedly at leait) efteemed fo terrible and dangerous.

But though I am one of thofe, who in thefe truly happy times, efteem our church as wholly out of danger; yet fhould we hearken to thofe men who difclaim this ufe of reafon in religion, we muft lay ourfelves open afresh to all fanatics. For what elfe is fanaticism? Where does the stress of their caufe lie? Are not their unintelligible motions of the spirit; their unexpreffible pretended feelings, apprehenfions, and lights within; their infpirations in prophecy, extempore prayer, preaching, &c. are not thefe, I fay, the foundations on which they build their caufe? Are not our cold dead reasonings (as they call them) a reproach and ftumbling-block to them? if you will believe their leaders, who are inftantly cut off

from all their pretences to gifts and fpirits, and fupernatural graces, if they are once brought to the teft of cool reafon and deliberate examination. And can we thus give up our cause, by giving up reafon? Shall we give them up our Tillotfons, our Barrows, our Chillingworths, our Hammonds? For what lefs is it to give up this way of reafon fo much decryed by thofe condemners of Mr. Locke? But fuch is the fpirit of fome men in con

troverfial matters. A certain noted clergyman of learning and ability, and great reputed zeal, a great enemy of Master Locke, has (as I am lately told) turned rigid Calvinift, as to all the points of predettination, free-grace, &c. and not only this clergyman, but several more in the univerfity of that high party, who ran as high in oppofition to Calvinism but one reign or two fince. The reafon of this is but too obvious. Our bishops and dignified churchmen (the moft worthily and justly dignified of any in any age), are, as they ever were, inclinable to moderation in the high Calviniftic points. But they are alfo inclinable to moderation in other points.

Hinc illa lachrymæ.

They are for toleration, inviolable toleration (as our Queen nobly and Chriftianly faid it, in her speech a year or two fince); and this is itself intolerable with our high gentlemen, who defpife the gentlenefs of their Lord and Master, and the fweet mild government of our Queen, preferring rather that abominable blafphemous reprefentative of church power, attended with the worst of temporal governments, as we fee it in perfection of each kind in France. From this, and from its abettors of every kind, and in every way, I pray God deliver us, whilft we are duly thankful for what in his providence he has already done towards it, and to the happiness and glory of our excellent Queen and country. So farewel. I am your good friend to ferve you.

ward perfecution. It is here the violence begins. Here truth is firft held in unrighteoufnefs, and the yo," reafon, the knowable, the intelligible, the di"vine part," is perfecuted and imprifoned. Thofe who fubmit to this tyranny, in time not only come to like it, but plead for it, and think the law of virtue tyrannical and against nature.

So in the abfolute governments of the world nations, that fubmit to arbitrary rule, love even their form of government; if one may call that a form which is without any, and, like vice itfelf, knows neither law nor order.

In this ftate the mind helps forward the ill work. For when reafon, as an antagonist to vice, is become an inward enemy, and has once loft her intereft with the foul by oppofing every favourite paffion, the will then be foon exped ́another province, and lie under fufpicion for every attempt the makes up the mind. She is prefently mifcalled and abufed. She is thought notional in the understanding, whimtical in company, feditious in the itate, heretical in the church. Even in philofophy, her own proper dominions, the is looked upon as none of the belt companions; and here allo authority is refpected as the most convenient guide.

This we find to be the temper of certain places; where wit and fente, howcver, are not wanting, nor learning of a certain kind. So that what is at the bottom of all this is eafily feen by thofe who fee thofe places, and can but make ufe of their eyes to obferve manners and

morals.

It is pretty vifible indeed that the original of all is in thofe fordid vices of floth, lazinefs, and intemperance. This makes way for ambition; for how fhould there be fo illuftriously maintained and vindicated without large temporal power, and the umbrage of authority? Hence it is that thofe mother-vices are fo indulgently treated in thofe places, and that temperance and virtue are locked upon with an evil eye, as fanatically inclined. For

who that is morally free and has afferted his inward liberty, can fee truth thus held, reafon and ingenuity fuppreffed, without fome fecret abhorrence and detellation?

But this you are happily apprized of; nor can you ifcarry or be turned aide

by impofture, or affuming formality and pride of any kind. You know your liberty: ufe it, and be free. But ufe it as becomes you, with all due meckness and fubmifion as to outward carriage. It is the inward man that is to be relieved and refcued from his chains. Others need not your admonition; nor is this your duty, but far contrary. Preferve yourfelf from the contagion, and it is enough: a great talk it is, and will appear fo to you, if you are hearty in it and concerned for the thing itfelf, not the appearance. For the inclination towards rebuke and rectifying of others, which feels like zeal in us, is often the deceit of pride and felf-conceit, which finds this way to fcreen itfelf and manage undifcovered.

Keep your virtue and honefly to your felf; for if it be truly fuch, it will be in no pain for being kept fecret. And thus you may be fafe, and in due time, perhaps, ufeful alfo to others. Learn to dif courfe and reafon with yourself, or, as you honeftly do, in letters to me. Trouble not others; nor be provoked to fhew your fentiments, and betray noble and ge nerous truths to fuch as can neither bear them, nor thofe whom they fufpect to be in poffeffion of them.

Mind that which is the chief of all, liberty; and fubdue early your own tem per and appetites. It will then be time for higher fpeculations, when those wandering imaginations, vain conceits, and wanton thoughts of youth, are mortified and fubdued. Religion then will have no enemy opposed to her; and in spite of fuperftition, and all fpiritual tyrannies of the world, will foon be found a joyful tak, the pleafanteit of all lives, quite other than as commonly reprefented.

Look chiefly to this practice; for this is always permitted you; this you can be employed in every hour, even when books and privacy are denied you, and business and attendance required. The more you are a fervant in this fenfe, the more you will partake of that chief liberty which is learnt by obedience and fubmillion. And thus even they who perhaps, by their haughtiness and harthnefs, would render you a ilave and awe you into fervile thoughts, will most of all contribute to your manumiffion; if by their fad example they teach you (in meekness ftill and humility) to deteft the more their narrow, perfecuting, and bitter fpitit,

fupported

fupported by their vices, and fhew you evidently that great truth, that "tyranny "can never be exercised but by one who "is already a flave."

Be affured, therefore, that where the heart difdains this original corruption, the mind will be its friend; and by delivering it from all spiritual bondage will qualify it for a further progrefs, rewarding virtue by itself. For of virtue there can be no reward but of the fame kind with itfelf; nothing can be fuperadded

to it and even heaven itself can be no other than the addition of grace to grace, virtue to virtue, and knowledge to know ledge; by which we may still more and more comprehend the chief virtue, and higheft excellence, the giver and difpenfer of all: to whom I commit you, and pray your studies may be effectual. So farewel.

LETTER LXXIV.
From Lord Shaftesbury to

January 28th, 1708-9. WAS that morning thinking with myI delf what was become of you; and almoft refolved to have you inquired of at your father's; when I received your very furprising letter, which brought fo good an account of yourfelf, and a proof how well you had spent your time, during this your long filence.

It was providential, furely, that I fhould happen once to fpeak to you of the Greek language, when you asked concerning the foundations of learning, and the fource and fountain of thofe lights we have, whether in morality or divinity. It was not poffible for me to answer you deceitfully or flightly. I could not but point out to you where the, fpring-head lay. But, as well as I can remember, I bad you not be difcouraged; for by other channels, derived from thofe fountains, you would be fufficiently fupplied with the knowledge neceffary for the folemn character that lay before you.

You hearkened to me, it feems, with great attention and belief, and did refolve to take no middle way. But little could I have thought that you dared to have made your attempt on the other fide, inftead of drawing in your forces, and collecting your ftrength and the remainder of your precious time for what lay on this hither fide. But fince God would

have it fo, fo be it and I pray God profper you in your daring attempt, and blefs you with true modefty and fimplicity in all the other endeavours and practices of your life, as you have had courage and mighty boldness in this one.

And fo indeed it may naturally happen by the fame good providence; fince at the inftant that you began this enterprise, you have fallen into fuch excellent reading. And if, as you fhew by your letter, Simplicius's Comment be your delight, even that alone is a fufficient earneft of your foul's improvement as well as of your mind's, if fuch a diftinction may well we made: for alas! all that we call improvement of our minds in dry and empty fpeculation, all learning or whatever elfe, either in theology or other fcience, which has not a direct tendency to render us honefter, milder, juster, and better, is far from being juftly fo called. And even all that philofophy which is built on the comparison and compounding of ideas, complex, implex, reflex, and all that din and noife of metaphyfics; all that pretended ftudy and fcience of nature called natural philofophy, Aristotelean, Cartefian, or whatever elfe it be; all thofe high contemplations of stars and spheres and planets; and all the other inquifitive curious parts of learning, are fo far from being neceflary improvements of the mind, that without the utmost care they ferve only to blow it up in conceit and folly, and render men more fil in their ignorance and vices.

And this brings into my thoughts a fmall piece of true learning, which I think is generally bound up with Simplicius and Epictetus; it is the Table (or Picture) of Cebes the Socratic, and elder difciple of Plato. This golden piece I would have you ftudy, and have by heart; the Greek too being pure and excellent: and by this picture you will better understand my hint, and know the true learning from that which falfely paffes under the name

of wisdom and science.

As for the divine Plato, I would not with you, as yet, to go beyond a dialogue or two; and let thole be the firft and fecond Alcibiades: for now I will direct and affift you all I can, that you may gradually proceed, and not meet with ftumbling-blocks in your way, or what inftead of forwarding may retard you.

Read thefe pieces again and again.
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