ending
from 1716 to 1729._ By William Lee. 3 vols.

[50] Lee's _Defoe_, vol. i., p. 85. Of Defoe's fertility and capacity
for work there cannot be a question; but the biographer's stupendous
catalogue of his publications--254 in number--contains many which are
ascribed to him solely on what Mr. Lee regards as internal evidence.

[51] _English Men of Letters--Daniel Defoe._ By William Minto. P. 170.

[52] See note on page 248.

[53] There can be no doubt, I think, despite Mr. Lee's arguments, that
the work is as much a fiction as any other historical novel. That it may
be based upon some authentic document is highly probable, although it is
not necessary to agree with his biographer, that 'to claim for Defoe the
authorship of the _Cavalier_, as a work of pure fiction, would be
equivalent to a claim of almost superhuman genius.'

[54] Ward's _History of English Dramatic Literature_, vol. ii., p. 597.

[55] _Four Centuries of English Letters_, edited and arranged by W.
Baptiste Scoones, p. 214.

[56] These _Letters_ were not published until after the earl's death,
but many of them belong, chronologically, to our period. The first
letter of the series was written in 1738.

CHAPTER VII.

FRANCIS ATTERBURY--LORD SHAFTESBURY--BERNARD DE MANDEVILLE--LORD
BOLINGBROKE--BISHOP BERKELEY--WILLIAM LAW--BISHOP
BUTLER--BISHOP WARBURTON.

[Sidenote: Francis Atterbury (1662-1732).]

During the first half of the eighteenth century the position held by
Bishop Atterbury was one of high eminence. Addison ranked him with the
most illustrious geniuses of his age; Pope said he was one of the
greatest men in polite learning the nation ever possessed; Doddridge
called him the glory of English orators; and Johnson said that for style
his sermons are among the best.

Unfortunately Atterbury's literary gifts, like his oratory, lack the
merit of permanence, and his sermons, more conspicuous for eloquence
than for weightiness of matter, although extremely popular at the time,
have long ceased to be read. His prominence among the Queen Anne
wits,--and he was admired by them all,--is a sufficient reason for
saying a few words about him in these pages.

He was born in 1662, and, like Prior, educated at Westminster under the
famous Dr. Busby. Thence he went to Christ Church, Oxford, where he
gained a good reputation. He undertook the tutorship of the Hon. C.
Boyle, a young man of more spirit than judgment, who had the audac