considerable Employments of the Kingdom as to
its weight and trust, and greatly lucrative with respect to a Fellowship
[_i.e., of a College_]: and who had been daily and hourly with one of the
greatest men of the Age, be satisfied with himself, in saying _nothing_ of
such a Person besides what all the World knew! except a particularity (and
that to his disadvantage!) which I, his friend from a boy, don't know to
be true, to wit, that "he never had a regular pulse"!

As for the facts, and considerable periods of his life, he either knew
nothing of them, or injudiciously places them in a worse light than that
in which they really stood.

When he speaks of Mr. ADDISON's declining to go into Orders, his way of
doing it is to lament _his seriousness and modesty_, which might have
recommended him, _proved the chief obstacles to it, it seems these
qualities, by which the Priesthood is so much adorned, represented the
duties of it as too weighty for him, and rendered him still more worthy
of that honour which they made him decline_. These, you know very well!
were not the Reasons which made Mr. ADDISON turn his thoughts to the
civil World; and, as you were the instrument of his becoming acquainted
with my Lord HALIFAX, I doubt not but you remember the warm instances
that noble Lord made to the Head of the College, not to insist upon Mr.
ADDISON's going into Orders. His arguments were founded on the general
pravity [_depravity_] and corruption of men of business [_public men_]
who wanted liberal education. And I remember, as if I read the letter
yesterday, that my Lord ended with a compliment, that "however he might
be represented as no friend to the Church, he would never do it any other
injury than keeping Mr. ADDISON out of it!"

The contention for this man in his early youth, among the people of
greatest power; Mr. Secretary TICKELL, the Executor for his Fame, is
pleased to ascribe to "a serious visage and modesty of behaviour."

When a Writer is grossly and essentially faulty, it were a jest to take
notice of a false expression or a phrase, otherwise _Priesthood_ in that
place, might be observed upon; as a term not used by the real
well-wishers to Clergymen, except when they would express some solemn
act, and not when that Order is spoken of as a Profession among
Gentlemen. I will not therefore busy myself about the "unconcerning parts
of knowledge, but be content like a reader of plain sense without
politeness." And si