ion,' it seems,
contains in it all knowledge, divine and human, ancient and
modern: it is a perfect Encyclopaedia, including all history,
criticism, divinity, law, politics, from the law of Moses down
to the Jew bill, and from Egyptian hieroglyphics to modern
Rebus-writing, &c."

"In the 2014 pages of the unfinished 'Divine Legation,'"
observes the sarcastic GIBBON, "four hundred authors are
quoted, from St. Austin down to Scarron and Rabelais!"

Yet, after all that satire and wit have denounced, listen to
an enlightened votary of Warburton. He asserts that "The
'Divine Legation' has taken its place at the head, not to say
of English theology, but almost of English literature. To the
composition of this prodigious performance, HOOKER and
STILLINGFLEET could have contributed the erudition,
CHILLINGWORTH and LOCKE the acuteness, TAYLOR an imagination
even more wild and copious, SWIFT, and perhaps, EACHARD, the
sarcastic vein of wit; but what power of understanding, except
WARBURTON'S, could first have amassed all these materials, and
then compacted them into a bulky and elaborate work, so
consistent and harmonious."--_Quarterly Review._ vol. vii.

[157] "The Divine Legation of Moses Demonstrated," vol. i. sec. iv.
Observe the remarkable expression, "that last foible of
superior genius." He had evidently running in his mind
Milton's line on Fame--

"That last infirmity of noble minds."

In such an exalted state was Warburton's mind when he was
writing this, his own character.

[158] The author of "The Canons of Criticism" addressed a severe
sonnet to Warburton; and alludes to the "Alliance":--

"Reign he sole king in paradoxal land,
And for Utopia plan his idle schemes
Of _visionary leagues, alliance vain
'Twixt_ Will _and_ Warburton--"

On which he adds this note, humorously stating the grand
position of the work:--"The whole argument by which the
_alliance between Church and State_ is established, Mr.
Warburton founds upon this supposition--'That people,
considering themselves in a religious capacity, may contract
with themselves, considered in a civil capacity.' The conceit
is ingenious, but is no