[ 2 ]

to think of the Age, as they or
their Friends are concerned in it,
or perhaps have suffer'd by it.
Thus, with some Drunkenneſs, with
others Gaming, with a third Sett
Whoredom is the reigning Vice of the
Times : And each of these Charac-
ters are respectively, by ſuch Perſons,
ſo strongly painted, and so univer-
fally diſtributed, that, from their
Conversation, we are to conclude
every Man we meet is a Drunkard,
a Gameſter, or a Whoremafter.

I am not going to fix which is
the principal Vice, nor attempting
to adjuſt the Proportion or Number
of the Votaries of each fort, under
their respective Clauſes or Profeſ-
fions : For, tho' every Profeſſion
or

[ 3 ]

or Manner of Life, may precent
a particular Temptation, and incline
a Man to one Species of Guilt
more than another, yet is nothing
more scandalous, becaufe nothing
more unjuft, than throwing eſpe-
cial Reflections on, or attributing
peculiar Crimes to certain Bodies
and Characters of Men, from the
Mifconduct of one or two Mem-
bers. If Men's Difpofitions were
exactly ſuited to their Profeſions,
there might be ſome ſhew of Rea-
fon for ſuch Severity. But Vice
ſheds her Influence, as Fortune is
painted ſhedding her Gifts, pro-
mifcuouſly. Is not Ambition as
conſpicuous in the loweſt Mechanic,
as in a firſt Minifter ? And Ty-

B 2

ranny

[ 4 ]

ranny as strongly expressed in a
petty Schoolmafter, as in the most
powerful Monarch ? Can there be a
stronger Picture of Pride in a Draw-
ing Room, than is often to be seen
in a Wicker Chair in a Watch-
House ? And will not a Cinder-
Wench excite the Lewdness of her
dufty Gallant, as much as the De-
licacy and Softness of a celebrated
Beauty does hers ? If we are busy
in distributing Vices in so injurious
and indiscriminate a Manner, we
shall advance a great Way in
ascertaining the principal One, and in
proving that the Banner of Scandal
is the Standard under which the
whole World is to be enlifted.

The

[ 5 ]

The Offence I am going to speak to you of, is not peculiar to any Sett of Men, but altogether general; and extends itself through almost every Order and Degree. I think it may be said to be more extensive than any other, because it is apparent in many Persons who are Strangers to the more notorious Vices, and are such as in other Respects may lay claim to Piety and Virtue.

What I mean, is the Abuse of Scripture-Terms. First, The introducing them into ordinary Correspondence and Conversation; which is the Character I would understand by the preceding Paragraph.

I ap-

[ 6 ]

I apprehend there is no one
who hears of this impious Enor-
mity, but will immediately recol-
lect many Persons who lie under
the Guilt of it, tho' perhaps few
of them may be senfible that it
deferves such an Appellation.

The Scripture-Phraſe, which no
ſerious or ſenſible Man ever utters
but with a Degree of Reverence,
is cited by ſuch Perſons with the ut-
moſt Freedom and Unrefervedneſs,
according to the different Occa-
fion, or as may beſt ſuit their own
Humour, or the Turn of the Con-
verfation. Sometimes it is us'd to
ſtrengthen a filly Affertion, or as
a Proof of ſome idle Opinion.
Sometimes to give a quicker Sting
to

[ 7 ]

to a Piece of Satyr; and very
frequently is tagg'd to the End of
a long Story, to enliven the Con-
clusion, and send it off in a Blaze.
There's many a foolish Woman
that would not be thought to use
an indecent or obscene Expression
for the World, that will fit an
Hour together and apply Scripture-
Terms in this manner: And many
a weak Man, who thinks very ill
of another that Curses and Swears
in his ordinary Discourse, and yet
will make no scruple very freely to
use an Apostle's Name on every
Occafion, to talk with great fami-
liarity of Peter and Paul, and re-
hearfe their Precepts and Sentiments
in

[ 8 ]

in the most low and ludicrous
Manner.

It would be endless to produce
Instances of this Sort; the Sentences
of holy Writ that have been thus
miserably tortured. But that you
may not be at a Loss clearly to
comprehend my Meaning, I have
a Letter by me, from which I will
give you a few Extracts that will
set forth this Matter in its true
Light.

London

[ 9 ]

London,

Dear Jack,

“ I Received yours with great Plea-
“ fure, as it gave me an Account
“ of your safe Arrival, after the Dan-
“ gers you eſcap’d, *In Perils of Wa-
“ ters, &c. You remember I told
“ you of the Adventure of kicking
“ the Drawer down Stairs, and
“ breaking two of his Ribs: We
“ made up the Matter for Four Gui-
“ neas apiece, for which the Fellow
“ was very thankful, *So we made the
“ *Bones that were broken to rejoice.*

“ I was at the Councillor’s Funeral
“ t’other Night, he was older by ten
“ Years than he pretended ; *And all
“ the Years that he lived, were Three-*
“ *Score and Sixteen Years, and hedied.*

C

“ I faw

[ 10 ]

“ I saw the young Folks laft Week
“ at H—, they continue in the old
“ Way, *They neither marry, nor are*
“ *given in Marriage.* — Pray tell
“ Mr. F—, that *Whitefield* has
“ still confiderable Audiences among
“ the ordinary Sort : I was there laft
“ Night, and plainly perceiv’d that
“ *the common People heard him gladly.*
“ Tuesday was Sev’nnight I went to
“ Governor G— about the Money,
“ and told him my Mind pretty free-
“ ly; he anfwer’d me in an haughty
“ Manner at firſt, but I threatned him
“ very hard, *inſomuch that the Go-
“ vernor marvell’d greatly.* — Mifs
“ *Harriott* is gone into the Country
“ with an heavy Heart; my Lady
“ fays ſhe ſhan’t come to Town again
“ in haſte, and affirms ſhe was Opera-
“ Mad ;

[ 11 ]

“ Mad; so the poor Girl is no more
“ likely to hear the Voice of Singing
“ Men or Singing Women. — Salute
“ all the Girls. — Dear Jack, my
“ best Affections to Lady Dorothy,
“ whose I am, and whom I serve.”

Yours Eternally, &c.

P.S. “I hear Parson
“T— has got a-
“nother Boy, which
“makes the Eleventh
“Child. — The Trees
“of the Lord are full
“of Sap.”

I make no doubt but this Letter
has been look'd upon as an excellent
Piece of Wit, and that the Author
is eſteem'd a Man of no little
Ingenuity ; Poffibly too, it may

C 2

have

[ 12 ]

have been several times copied, and
handed about the Town by Gentlemen of the fame Pitch of Genius,
and Ladies of a forward affected Converfation, who are captivated
with the Thought of being the first
to publish a new Piece, especially of
so much true Wit and Humour.

This Method of familiarly conversing and corresponding in Scripture-Terms, has given Rife to *Another* Species of the Abuse, which does now mightily prevail among Men of an abandon'd Character, and that, I think I may say, with regard to Wit as well as Religion. What I mean, is the taking larger Passages of Scripture, and applying the

[ 13 ]

the Terms and Circumstances of
them to modern Stories and Occur-
rences. A great deal of Satyr, espe-
cially Political, hath been vended
this Way, of which that childish
Performance, call'd *The Lessons for
the Day*, is a Specimen. The *Litany*
also of the Church of *England* has
been mangled in this manner, and
with great Success, to attentive Crouds,
chaunted about the Streets. What
is still more, is the infamous Profit-
tution of the *Apostles Creed*, which
has been egregiously burlesqu'd in a
Piece of Satyr againft the late *Mi-
niftry*. And I'm inform'd that the
very *Prayer*, which of all Compofi-
tions in the Christian World ſhou'd
have been more particularly re-
verenc'd

[ 14 ]

verenc'd and regarded, has under-
gone the fame Fate.

A few Days since appear'd in the
fame Stile, uſher'd in by previous
Advertisements, *The Te Deum* ; the
wretched Author of this ſcandalous
Piece has been able to make no
other Uſe of the Sublimity of the
Original, than thereby to vend an
horrid heap of Blaſphemy, mix'd
with a low and treaſonable Satyr void
of all Appearance of Wit or Hu-
mour. A Performance it is, utterly
diftaſteful to every Man of common
Senſe, condemn'd by Perſons of all
Opinions, that muſt throw great
Infamy on its Author, and can only
gain him Reputation (if it be Re-
putation)

[ 15 ]

putation) among Men of his own
Character and Dispoſition.

Whatever other Things have been
written for public Perufal, or pri-
vately handed about among a Sett
of Acquaintance, whether they are
taken immediately from Scripture,
or from the Liturgy of the Church
(an eſtablish'd ſolemn Form, founded
on and perfectly agreeable to Scrip-
ture) are beſt known to, as they
muſt hereafter be own'd by the
Authors and Encouragers of them :
What I have hinted at, will be ſuſ-
ficient to ſhow you the Offence I
am ſpeaking to, that it is not trivial,
or imaginary, but real and moſt
notorious.

It

[ 16 ]

It is undoubtedly the Ambition
of being reputed Wits that induces
these Gentlemen to employ their
Time in this manner: And, if the
Price they pay for their Character
will give it Merit, I must own it is
an excellent one. But, unluckily
for them, Experience affords this
Observation, viz.: That little Wits
never shew themselves but at the
greatest Expence: That Men of
small Parts must always strike bold
Strokes, and that if it were not for
Defamation and Blasphemy, many
a Genius would be loft.

I know it is said in Defence of
some of these Performances, that
they are not written with a profane
or blasphemous Intent: 'Twill be
difficult

[ 17 ]

difficult to perfuade Men of the
Truth of this. But I apprehend
the Intent, in this Cafe, is of little
Signification, except to the Authors
themselves: For, be the Intent what
it will, the Malignity of the Crime
confifts in the fatal Effect fuch
Papers have on the People ;
filling their Minds, by ludicrous
and familiar Applications, with a
Contempt of that Word towards
which the higheſt Regard ſhould
ever be had.

This Method of Writing was
either not conceiv'd, or but in its
Infancy, in Mr. Addifon's Time, or
furely we had ſeen it in his Account

D of

[ 18 ]

of Wit; * among those pretty Con-
ceits which he gives us a Detail of.—
He speaks there of a kind of Wit
which he calls *mix'd Wit*; under
which Rank poftibly he would have
plac'd that we are treating of. And
no doubt, had it had a Place in his
Allegory, it would, like the major
Part of that Species, have sneak'd
away at the Approach of Truth.
And it had been easy to have pic-
tur'd this Wit, agreeable to the reft
of the Allegory, under its proper
Form; which perhaps he had done
under that of Satyrs, Monkeys,
Devils, &c. affuming the Appear-
ance and Habit of Patriarchs, Priefts,
Apoftles and Martyrs.

I should

* SPECT. N° 63.

[ 19 ]

I should beg Pardon for pre-
tending to add any Thing to
what Mr. *Addison* has written, but
when I confider the extraordinary
Methods that are taken to shew
one's Wit, I hope I may be in-
dulg'd, tho' I prefume to dictate
to one of the greateft Men that ever
wrote.

But it is with some Warnth and
Affurance told me, *Swift* and *Pope*
use Scripture Expression in this
manner, and fure I'll vouchsafe
them the Title of Wits. I can't
fay I ever heard of any Attempts of
Dean *Swift's*, to burleſque whole
Paſtages of Scripture: Mr. *Pope*, I'm
inform'd, has had one or twoThings
of this Sort laid to his Charge, but

D 2 utterly

[ 20 ]

utterly disclaims them, therefore it
is but Justice to hold him innocent.
They do indeed both, in their Let-
ters, apply Scripture Sentences some-
thing after the Manner describ'd in
the above-cited Epistle. But fup-
posing they had been concern'd
together in compiling and publisf-
ing a Collection of Paflages, bur-
leſqu'd in the Manner we are fpeak-
ing of; Why then they had acted
below their Characters, and done
no more than a very little Genius
might have done. I apprehend
therefore, that the advancing the
Authority of theſe great Men, will
never be able to eſtabliſh the Me-
thod for Wit, nor give a Warrant
to any Imitation of that Sort;
any

[ 21 ]

any more than it would be an
excellent Piece of Wit to copy
their Infirmities, and affect to be
like the one Deaf, or the other
Deform'd.

This Wit you find confifts in
giving a new Turn, and in adding
a Senſe to a Sett of Words that
have always born a quite contrary
one; thus ſuch as have had a ſerious
and ſolemn Signification, are forſd
to a ludicrous or indecent Meaning.
At firſt reading the Words, the
old accuſtom'd Idea rifes in your
Mind, but is ſoon expell'd by the
new one that is given them, ſuch
an one as they never before were
us'd to exprefs; this creates Con-
fusion and Surprize, and hence arifes
the

[ 22 ]

the Wit, hence the great Pleafure
you are to taſte when you read the
Compofition.

I would aſk you, Sir, Did you
never ſee a Chimney Sweeper pre-
poſterouſly drefs'd in a full-bot-
tom'd Wig, Band and Coif? You
may ſee twenty of them on May-
Day in ſuch Habits, patroling the
Streets, and raſing the Grin on
the Faces of the Vulgar. Now,
Sir, I take the two Pieces of Wit to
be pretty near o'kin; and that the
Chimney Sweepers have as good a
Right and Title to be look'd upon
as Men of Parts, as the Authors of
theſe Performances have. For cer-
tainly there is as much Wit in tak-
ing a full-bottom'd Wig, a Coif and
a Band

[ 23 ]

a Band (which have always been
look'd upon as Marks of Wisdom
and Gravity) and putting them over
a dirty, smutty Garment, as in tak-
ing a Sett of Words, that have al-
ways been us'd in a serious Matter,
or on a solemn Occafion, and
applying them to a dirty smutty
Tale.

The ingenious Gentleman, who
has made so free with one Part of
the Liturgy, may poffibly have by
him some other Parts burlesqu'd in
the fame Manner. I dare say he
will find it no difficult Taſk to give
the whole a Political Shape. The
Collects will afford him Variety of
Matter to exercife his Talent upon.
The

[ 24 ]

The *Baptism*, *Matrimony* and
*Burial* Offices, are an easy Subject
to so sprightly an Invention. If he
has a mind to go further, the *Old
Testament* will supply him with
Language for all public Occurren-
ces, as well as for any private Hi-
story. And I hope none of his
Fellow Wits will attempt to fup-
plant him; but that he will be
left unrival'd by all School-Boys,
Orators, and Under-writers to Ma-
gazines and Journals.

It cannot be fuppos'd, and I'm
confident you don't understand me
as if I was fpeaking againft all Uſage
and Citation of Scripture-Terms.
Most beautiful they are, when aptly
apply'd

[ 25 ]

apply'd in a serious Matter; when
introduc'd as the Means of promo-
ting the Cauſe of Religion, Virtue,
or Learning. I only mean, as I
have endeavour'd to explain myſelf,
the uſing Scripture Expreſſion on
ordinary and frivolous Occafions,
in a low and ludicrous Manner :
And affirm that no greater Diſſervice
can be done to the Chriſtian Reli-
gion, than bringing into Difefteem
(which ſuch a familiar Uſage muſt
of courſe do) the very Word on
which that Religion is founded.

The other Abufe I mention'd,
viz. The depreciating and expofing
the holy Scriptures by Burleſque and
Drollery, is an Inſtance wherein our

E Enmity

[ 26 ]

Enmity to God may be shewn moft
effectually. In many kinds of Sin,
tho' we act moft averse to his Will,
we only defraud and injure our-
felves; but here we thwart the great
Schemes of our Creator, undermine
his Work, render contemptuous that
which is in its Nature and Confe-
quences moft glorious, act on the
Side of the Powers of Hell, and
oppose the common Salvation.

I would not revive a Dispute,
nor throw a stumbling Block of
Offence in any Man's Way, but I
beg Leave to put this Queftion,
Whether, if there be, in this Age
of the Church a Sin againft the
Holy Ghoſt, any one Sin will sooner
deferve