No. 89. TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1713.* Igneus est ollis vigor, et cœlestis origo Seminibus. They boast ethereal vigour, and are form'd VIRG. Æn. vi. 730. THE same faculty of reason and understanding which placeth us above the brute part of the creation, doth also subject our minds to greater and more manifold disquiets than creatures of an inferior rank are sensible of. It is by this that we anticipate future disasters, and oft create to ourselves real pain from imaginary evils, as well as multiply the pangs arising from those which cannot be avoided. It behoves us therefore to make the best use of that sublime talent, which, so long as it continues the instrument of passion, will serve only to make us more miserable, in proportion as we are more excellent than other beings. It is the privilege of a thinking being to withdraw from the objects that solicit his senses, and turn his thoughts inward on himself. For my own part I often mitigate the pain arising from the little misfortunes and disappointments that checker human life by this introversion of my faculties, wherein I regard my own soul as the image of her Creator, and receive great consolation from beholding those perfections preceding papers on free-thinkers; but it is not mentioned in the list of his father's papers, communicated by the Rev. George Berkeley, formerly student of Christ-church, and vicar of Bray in Berkshire. See No. 90. let. 2, from which it seems that the assignment of this and the two following papers, Nos. 89. and 90. to Dr. Berkeley, bishop of Cloyne, rests on the authority of Steele himself. *G. BERKELEY'S, D.D. Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. which testify her divine original, and lead me into some knowledge of her everlasting Archetype. But there is not any property or circumstance of my being that I contemplate with more joy than my immortality. I can easily overlook any present momentary sorrow, when I reflect that it is in my power to be happy a thousand years hence. If it were not for this thought, I had rather be an oyster than a man, the most stupid and senseless of animals than a reasonable mind tortured with an extreme innate desire of that perfection which it despairs to obtain. It is with great pleasure that I behold instinct, reason, and faith, concurring to attest this comfortable truth. It is revealed from Heaven, it is discovered by philosophers; and the ignorant, unenlightened part of mankind have a natural propensity to believe it. It is an agreeable entertainment to reflect on the various shapes under which this doctrine has appeared in the world. The Pythagorean transmigration, the sensual habitations of the Mahometan, and the shady realms of Pluto, do all agree in the main points, the continuation of our existence, and the distribution of rewards and punishments, proportioned to the merits or demerits of men in this life. But in all these schemes there is something gross and improbable, that shocks a reasonable and speculative mind. Whereas nothing can be more rational and sublime than the Christian idea of a future state. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for those that love him.' The above-mentioned schemes are narrow transcripts of our present state: but in this indefinite description there is something ineffably great and noble. The mind of man must be raised to a higher pitch, not only to partake the enjoyments of the Christian paradise, but even to be able to frame any notion of them. Nevertheless, in order to gratify our imagination, and by way of condescension to our low way of thinking, the ideas of light, glory, a crown, &c. are made use of to adumbrate that which we cannot directly understand. The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away, and behold all things are new. There shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun for the Lord God giveth them light, and shall make them drink of the river of his pleasures; and they shall reign for ever and ever. They shall receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away.' These are cheering reflections; and I have often wondered that men could be found so dull and phlegmatic, as to prefer the thought of annihilation before them; or so ill-natured, as to endeavour to persuade mankind to the disbelief of what is so pleasing and profitable even in the prospect; or so blind, as not to see that there is a Deity, and if there be, that this scheme of things flows from his attributes, and evidently corresponds with the other parts of the creation. I know not how to account for this absurd turn of thought, except it proceed from a want of other employment joined with an affection of singularity. I shall, therefore, inform our modern freethinkers of two points whereof they seem to be ignorant. The first is, that it is not the being singular, but being singular for something, that argues either extraordinary endowments of nature, or benevolent intentions to mankind, which draws the admiration and esteem of the world. A mistake in this point naturally arises from that confusion of thought which I do not remember to have seen so great instances of in any writers, as in certain modern free-thinkers. The other point is, that there are innumerable objects within the reach of a human mind, and each of these objects may be viewed in innumerable lights, and positions, and the relations arising between them are innumerable. There is therefore an infinity of things whereon to employ their thoughts, if not with advantage to the world, at least with amusement to themselves, and without offence or prejudice to other people. If they proceed to exert their talent of freethinking in this way; they may be innocently dull, and no one take any notice of it. But to see men without either wit or argument pretend to run down divine and human laws, and treat their fellow-subjects with contempt for professing a belief of those points on which the present as well as future interest of mankind depends, is not to be endured. For my own part, I shall omit no endeavours to render their persons as despicable, and their practices as odious, in the eye of the world, as they deserve'. This paper, No. 89. as well as the preceding, is ascribed to bishop Berkeley, who was at this time in London, aged about 29; and most probably the gentleman to whom the last letter of the following paper, No. 90, was addressed. It is not mentioned as a paper of his father's in the list communicated by George Berkeley, student of Christ-church, and vicar of Bray, in Berkshire. The author of this, and the foregoing papers on free-thinkers, was at this time fellow of Trinity college, Dublin; he was elected a senior fellow in 1717, and took the degrees of bachelor and doctor in divinity in 1721. In 1724, he was promoted to the deanery of Derry, worth 1100/. per annum: and in 1754, to the bishopric of Cloyne, where he constantly resided, excepting one winter spent at Dublin, and applied himself diligently to the discharge of all episcopal duties. Ir is, they say, frequent with authors to write letters' to themselves, either out of laziness or vanity. The following is genuine, and, I think, deserves the attention of every man of sense in England: 6 SIR, TO THE GUARDIAN. THOUGH I am not apt to make complaints, have never yet troubled you with any, and little thought I ever should, yet seeing that in your paper of this day, you take no notice of yesterday's Examiner, as I hoped you would, my love for my religion, which is so nearly concerned, would not permit me to be silent. The matter, sir, is this: A bishop' of our church, to whom the Examiner himself has nothing to object, but his care and concern for the Protestant religion, which by him, it seems, is thought a sufficient fault, has lately published a book, in which he endeavours to show the folly, ignorance, and mistake of the church of Rome in its worship of saints. From this the Examiner takes occasion to fall upon the author with his utmost malice, and to make him the subject of his ridicule. Is it then become a crime' for a Protestant to speak or write in defence of his religion? Shall a Papist have leave to print and publish in England what he pleases in defence of his own s Dr. William Fleetwood, bishop of St. Asaph, published about this time, 'The Life and Miracles of St. Winifred, together with her Litanies. With some Historical Observations.' Pr. 18. 6d. Guard. in folio, No. 77. |
