as proposed by the church, and according as her doctors and councils interpret them; and neither has any better foundation than tradition and to speak the truth plainly, the faith of both resolves in the veneration they have for their doctors; but whereas the one affirms, they do it by an entire submission, they think it decent to say, they judge them infallible; and certainly it is most reasonable, that such as affirm the first believe in the last. The other, because they pretend they believe the church, but continually have denied to her infallibility, though generally they be as credulous as the other; and I find the doctors of their church as angry to be contradicted as the other. That is an ingredient goes to the composition of all clergymen, since it became trade, and went to make a part of the outward policy of the world, from which has flowed that monster, Persecution. In short, the matter is easily driven into this narrow compass. We believe either because of an outward or inward testimony; that is, because it is outwardly delivered, or inwardly revealed to us. For my part, I think the papists do wisely in pleading for infallibility; for certainly the true church never was, nor can be without it; and the protestants do honestly, in not claiming it, because they are sensible they want it. I should therefore desire the one to prove that they are infallible; and advise the other to believe, they may, and seek after it. But I am sure, neither

the one is, nor the other cannot, without immedi

ate divine revelation.

There is great force and acuteness in this statement, whatever we may think of the solidity of the author's principles.

BROWN (TOM.)

THOMAS BROWN, of facetious memory, was the son of a considerable farmer in Shropshire, and educated at Newport school in that county, whence he was removed to Christ-church, Oxford. But the irregularities of his college life, soon obliged him to quit the university; and he set out, on a vague scheme of making his fortune, to London. But disappointed in his hopes, starvation stared him in the face, though he found interest enough to establish himself in a school at Kingston-upon-Thames. This occupation, however, ill-accorded with the vivacity of his temperament, and his previous habits, and he soon deserted the school for the metropolis. Here his former companions were more disposed to be pleased with his humour, than to relieve his wants, and he

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was driven to the usual resource of necessitous wits-to write for bread. In this project he succeeded to the admiration of a numerous class of readers, though he failed to rise in fortune as he rose in fame. He is said to have wanted urbanity, and to have possessed a quality very common with wits of his description, who would rather lose a friend than a joke. He died in 1704.

His works were printed in 1707; and consist of "Dialogues, Essays, Declamations, Satires, Letters from the Dead to the Living, Translations, Amusements," &c. The following passage will serve to give an idea of his man

ner.

Ladies.

The chief virtue in the ladies' catechism is, to please; and beauty pleases men more effectually than wisdom. One man loves sweetness and modesty in a woman; another loves a jolly damsel with life and vigour; but agreeableness and beauty relishes with all human palates. A young woman who has no other portion than her hopes of pleasing, is at a loss what measures to take that she may make her fortune. Is she simple? We despise her. Is she vir tuous? We don't like her company. Is she a coquet?, We avoid her. Therefore, to succeed well in this

world, 'tis necessary that she be virtuous, simple, and a coquet, all at once. Simplicity invites us, co'Tis a hard quetry amuses, and virtue retains us. matter for a woman to escape the censures of the men. 'Tis much more so to guard themselves from the women's tongues. A lady that sets up virtue, makes herself envied; she that pretends to gallantry, makes herself despised; but she that pretends to nothing, escapes contempt and envy, and saves herself between two reputations. This management surpasses the capacity of a young woman, she being exposed to two temptations. To preserve themselves from them, they want the assistance of reason; and 'tis their misfortune that reason comes not in to their relief, till their youth and beauty, and the danger, are gone together. Tell us why should not reason come as soon as beauty, since one was made to defend the other? It does not depend upon a woman to be handsome; the only beauty that all of them might have, and some of them, to speak modestly, often part with, is chastity; but of all beauties whatsoever, 'tis the easiest to lose. She that never was yet in love, is so ashamed of her first weakness, that she would by all means conceal it from herself; as for the second, she desires to conceal it from others; but she does not think it worth the while to conceal the third from any body. When chastity is once gone, 'tis no more to be retrieved than youth.