necessary to disavow it publicly.

Of Bolingbroke's Works, the _Dissertation on Parties_ appeared in 1735.
_Letters on Patriotism_, and _Idea of a Patriot King_, in 1749; _Letters
on the Study of History_, in 1752; _Letter to Sir W. Windham_, 1753, and
the _Philosophical Writings_, as already stated, in 1754.
Chronologically, therefore, he would belong to the Handbook which deals
with the latter half of the century, were it not that his most important
works were posthumous, and that Bolingbroke's intimate relations with
Pope place him among the most conspicuous figures belonging to Pope's
age.

[Sidenote: George Berkeley (1685-1753).]

Among the men of high intellect who flourished in the age of Pope,
George Berkeley is one of the most distinguished. Born in 1685 of poor
parents, in a cottage near Dysert Castle, in Kilkenny, he went up to
Trinity College, Dublin, in 1700, and there, first as student, and
afterwards as tutor, he remained for thirteen years. In the course of
them he was ordained, and gained a fellowship. In 1709 he published his
_Essay on Vision_, and in the following year the _Principles of Human
Knowledge_, works which thus early made him famous as a philosopher, and
a puzzle to many who failed to understand his 'new principle' with
regard to the existence of matter.

In 1712 Berkeley visited England, probably for the first time, and was
introduced to the London wits. Already in these youthful days there was
in him much of that magic power which some men exercise unconsciously
and irresistibly. Swift felt the spell, called Berkeley a great
philosopher, and spoke of him to all the Ministers; while Atterbury,
upon being asked what he thought of him, exclaimed: 'So much
understanding, so much knowledge, so much innocence, and such humility,
I did not think had been the portion of any but angels till I saw this
gentleman.' An incident occurred, it is conjectured during the course of
this visit, which led to memorable results. He dined once with Swift at
Mrs. Vanhomrigh's, and met her daughter Hester. Many years later,
_Vanessa_ destroyed the will she had made in Swift's favour, and left
half of her property to Berkeley. While in London the future bishop was
warmly welcomed by Steele, and wrote several essays for him in the
_Guardian_ against the Freethinkers, and especially against Anthony
Collins (1676-1729), whose arguments in his _Discourse on Freethinking_
(1713) are ridiculed in the _Scriblerus Me