"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." I shall beg leave farther only to propose a few questions to all those, in general, who are pleased to call themselves Christians. First, whether there be any thing more directly opposite to the doctrine and practice of Jesus Christ, than to use any kind of force upon men in matters of religion; and consequently, whether all those that practise it (let them be of what church, or sect, they please) ought not justly to be called Antichristians? 6 Secondly, whether there can be any thing more unmanly, more barbarous, or more ridiculous, than to go about to convince a man's judgment by any thing but by reason? It is so ridiculous, that boys at school are whipped for it; who, instead of answering an argument with reason, are loggerheads enough to go to cuffs. 6 And, thirdly, whether the practice of it has not always been ruinous and destructive to those countries where it has been used, either in monarchies or commonwealths? And whether the contrary practice has not always been successful to those countries where it has been used, either in monarchies or commonwealths? ⚫ I shall conclude with giving them this friendly advice: if they would be thought men of reason, or of a good conscience, let them endeavour by their good counsel and good example to persuade others to lead such lives as may save their souls: and not be perpetually quarrelling amongst themselves, and cutting one another's throats, about those things, which they all agree are not absolutely necessary to salvation.' A Pindaric Poem on the Death of Lord Fairfax, Father to the Duchess of Buckingham. BY GEORGE, LATE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. UNDER this stone does lie One born for victory; I. Fairfax the valiant, and the only He, Who ere for that alone a conqueror would be. His soul was fill'd with truth and honesty, And with another thing quite out of date, call'd modesty. IL. He ne'er seem'd impudent, but in the place Where impudence itself dares seldom show it's face: Had any strangers spied him in the room With some of those he had overcome, And had not heard their talk, but only seen Their gesture and their mein, !:、༩༨ They would have sworn he had the vanquish'd been; III. Through his whole life, the part he bore And yet it so appear'd in nothing more For 'tis a stranger thing, to find One man of such a worthy mind As can dismiss the power which he has got, Than millions of the Polls and braves; Those despicable fools and knaves, Who such a pudder, make Through dullness and mistake In seeking after power, and get it not. VOL. IV. Y IV. When all the nation he had won, And with expense of blood had bought Store great enough he thought Of glory and renown, He then his arms laid down, With just as little pride As if he had been of his enemies' side; (For he had found it so) That when he pleased to conquer, he was able, But that he understood, How much it was a meaner thing To be unjustly great than honourably good. V. This from the world did admiration draw, As they were bound to do, Because he was resolved to fight no more. So bless'd by all, he died; but far more bless'd were we, A man as great in war, as just in peace as he. The Lost Mistress, a Complaint against the Countess of BY THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, in the Year 1675, June 12th. By nature for despairing sorrows made, Then as the dewy morn restored the day, "What language can my injured passion frame, That knows not how to give it's wrongs a name; My suffering heart can all relief refuse, Rather than her it did adore accuse. Teach me, ye groves, some art to ease my pain, She ne'er was false, could woman have been true. She had the power to make my bliss or woe, A beauty too that bore a constant mind, I loved not at a rate to love again. No change can ease for my sick heart prepare, Thus sigh'd the swain: at length, his o'erwatch'd eyes A soft beguiling slumber did surprise; Whose flattering comfort proved both short and vain, 324 THE HON. ROBERT BOYLE.* [1627-1691.] HISTORIANS and political writers, both ancient and modern, have advanced it as an incontestable proposition; That learning, and the liberal and polite arts, flourish in proportion to the freedom of civil societies.' And upon this general maxim some have refined so far as to assert, That they succeed better under republican, than under monarchical, governments.' The latter opinion, however, seems to have been founded upon the progress of human knowledge under the ancient commonwealths of Greece; for it by no means holds universally true in modern times. Nor, indeed, is the general maxim itself totally free from exceptions. France furnishes a splendid instance to prove, that the sun of science may pervade the dense clouds of despotism, and shine forth for a season, even amidst the ravages of tyranny and the carnage of war. Part of the reign of Louis XIV. was the golden age of her arts and sciences. * AUTHORITIES. Birch's Life of Boyle, prefixed to the edition of his Works, in 5 vols. fol. 1744, Biographia Britannica, and Burnet's Funeral Sermon at his death. |