ther Writers. When he had cook'd up these musty collections, he
makes his first invitation to his 'old acquaintance' my lord
Archbishop of Canterbury, who had never seen before nor heard of him.
But I must confess he furbishes-up his Grace in so glorious an
Epistle, that had not my Lord been long since proof against the most
spiritual flattery, the Dedication only, without ever reading the
Book, might have serv'd to have fix'd him from that instant as his
favourite. Yet all this I perceive did not his work, but his Grace
was so unmindful, or rather so prudent, that the gentleman thought it
necessary to spur-up again the next year with another new Book, to
show more plainly what he would be at. This he dedicates to Doctor
Bathurst; and to evidence from the very Epistle that he was ready to
renounce that very education, the civility of which he is so tender
of as to blame me for disordering it, he picks occasion to tell him:
'to your prevailing advice, Sir, do I owe my first rescue from the
chains and fetters of an unhappy education.' But in the Book, which
he calls 'A free and impartial Censure of the Platonick Philosophy'
(censure 'tis sure to be, whatsoever he writes), he speaks out, and
demonstrates himself ready and equipp'd to surrender not only the
Cause, but betray his Party without making any conditions for them,
and to appear forthwith himself in the head of the contrary interest.
Which, supposing the dispute to be just, yet in him was so mercenary,
that none would have descended to act his part but a divine of
fortune. And even lawyers take themselves excused from being of
counsel for the King himself, in a cause where they have been
entertain'd and instructed by their client. But so flippant he was
and forward in this book, that in despight of all chronology, he
could introduce Plato to inveigh against Calvin, and from the
Platoniques he could miraculously hook-in a Discourse against the
Nonconformists. (_Cens. Plat. Phil._, pp. 26, 27, 28, etc.) After
this feat of activity he was ready to leap over the moon; no scruple
of conscience could stand in his way, and no preferment seemed too
high for him; for about this time, I find that having taken a turn at
Cambridge to qualifie himself, he was received within doors to be my
Lord Archbishop's other chaplain, and into some degree of favour;
which, considering the