# The Genuine Remains in Verse and Prose of Mr. Samuel Butler/Volume 1/Upon an hypocritical Nonconformist—A Pindaric Ode

UPON AN
HYPOCRITICAL NONCONFORMIST,
A
PINDARIC ODE.
* ↑ This and the two following Compositions are the only ones that our Author wrote in this Measure, which some Readers may perhaps think too grave and solemn for the Subject, and the Turn of Butler's Wit. It must however be allow'd, that he falls no ways short of his usual Depth and Reach of Thought, Keenness of Satyr, and Acuteness of Expression.
* ↑ Disposes of his Gifts and Dispensation—Like spiritual Foundations, &c.] The Poet's Wit, though just, is in these Lines a little involved and obscure, as it sometimes is. His Meaning is, that the Non- confirmist perverts to as bad a Purpose, his Gifts and Dispensations, as he calls them, as the Governors of public Gifts and charitable Foundations do their Trusts, and like them applies that to private Interest, which was designed for public Good.
* ↑ The subtle Spider never spins.———But in dark Days, his slimy Gins.] Moufet in his Theatrum Insectorum speaking of the Spider's Sagacity, says———"Prudentiæ exemplum in eo apparet, quod sereno, quando volitent muscæ, non texunt, ut aucupio vacent"—And though it does not fully come up to the sense, in which the Poet has introduced it, yet it very probably suggested to him the Allusion.
* ↑ Crys moral Truths and human Learning down.] It is usual with most religious Enthusiasts, to exclaim against Morality and Learning; and indeed in this they do wisely, since the one condemns their Practices, and the other their Writings and Preaching.
* ↑ And it convinc'd no Pale—O'the Church can be so sacred as a Jail, &c.] To the same Purpose Butler in his Burning of the Rums, introduces his Presbyterian Chief addressing himself to his Associates. Be sure to keep up Congregations In spight of Laws and Proclamations: For Chiarlatans can do no good, Unless th' are mounted in a Crowd; And when th' are punished, all the Hurt Is but to fare the better for's; As long as Confessors are sure Of double Pay for all t'endure; And what they earn in Persecution, Are paid t' a Groat in Contribution. Whence some Tub-Holders-forth have made In fowd'ring Tubs their richest Trade: And while they kept their Shops in Prison, Have found their Prices strangely risen. Hud. P. III. C. 2. ver. 969.
* ↑ And like to Lully, when he was in hold,—He turns his baser Mettals to Gold] Lully was a famous Chymist in the 13th Century; but this Circumstance which Butler mentions, is not to be met with in the Accounts given of him. It is very probable, that he mistook him for Paracelsus, a Philosopher of no less Note, who in one of his Excursions after Natural Knowledge into Russia, was taken Prisoner by the Tartars, and sent to Constantinople, where he first learn'd, as 'tis said, the Secret of making Gold. See Boerhaave's Elem. Chem. Vol. I. p. 21.
* ↑ He does not pray, but prosecute,—As if he went to Law, his Suit, &c.] Our Author liv'd some time, we are told, with a Justice of Peace, as his Clerk, and by that Means necessarily became acquainted with the Forms and Terms of Law, to which he has very frequent and humorous Allusions; but no where makes a wittier or juster Use of them than in this Description of the Nuncon's Method of praying, 'Tis needless to give any Flowers of the Presbyterian Pulpit Eloquence in those Times, as Dr. Grey has already given so many Specimens of it in his learned Notes upon Hudibras.
* ↑ And grows more saucy and severe—Than th' Heathen Emperor was to Jupiter, &c.] This Emperor was Caligula, of whom Suetonius relates what the Poet has here introduc'd and apply'd.—"Noctibut quidem plenam fulgentemque Lunam invitabat assidue in amplexus atque concubitum: interdiu vero cum Capitolino Jove secreto fabulabatur, modo insusurrans, ac præbens invicem aures, modo clarius, nec fine jurgiis, &c." Vid. Sueton. Calig. C. 22.
* ↑ But as the ancient Pagans were precise,—To use no short-tail'd Beast in Sacrifice.] This I suppose refers to nothing more than the common Rule in all Religions, of which Sacrifice made a Part, to admit no Beast to be offer'd in Sacrifice, that was not entirely perfect.
* ↑ And his Successor was a Presbyter,—With greater right, than Haly or Abubeker.] Haly and Abubeker were Sons-in-law to Mahomet, and his immediate Successors, the one in Arabia, and the other at Bagdat; and from these sprung the two different Sects of the Turkish and Persian Mahometans. Butler in his Hudibras introduces the Independent calling Mahomet the chief of the Presbyterians.As Mahomet (your chief) began, To mix them in the Alchoran. Hud. P. 3. C. 2. V. 1101.
* ↑ And when his overheated Brain,—Turns giddy, like his Brother Mussulman.] This alludes to the Turkish Dervis, who at his Devotions keeps turning round till he grows giddy, and then fancies his wild incoherent Whimsies to be the Effects of Inspiration.
* ↑ The one believes all Madmen to be Saints] Besides their implicit Faith in the Deliriums of the crack-brain'd Dervis, the Turks also look'd upon all Ideots to be a sort of Saints.
* ↑ With War and Ruin to assert—Their Doctrine, and with Sword and Fire convert.] This exactly coincides with what is said of the same set of People in Hudibras.Such as do build the'r Faith upon The holy Text of Pike and Gun; Decide all controversies by Infallible Artillery; And prove their Doctrine orthodox By apostolic Blows and Knocks; Call Fire, and Sword, and Desolation. A godly, thorough Reformation. Hud. P. 1. C. 1. V. 195.