A PREFACE

TO THE

BISHOP OF SARUM'S INTRODUCTION

TO THE THIRD VOLUME OF THE

HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION

OF THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND

BY GREGORY MISO-SARUM.

Spargere voces

In vulgum ambiguas, et quarere conscius arma.

PUBLISHED DEC. 8, 1713.

"The Bishop of Sarum's "Introduction" was a pamphlet which he published as an alarm to warn the nation of the approach of Popery. Swift, who seems to have disliked the bishop with something more than political aversion, treats him like one whom he is glad of an opportunity to insult." JOHNSON.

This preface may seem to us, at this distance, wholly personal. But the reader must consider Dr. Burnet, not as a bishop, but a ministerial writer. It was observed by another of his answerers [Speculum Sarisburianum,] "That the frequent and hasty repetitions of such prefaces and introductions, no less than three new ones in about one year's time, beside an old serviceable one republished concerning persecution are preludes to other practical things, beside pastoral cares, sermons, and histories." N.

TO THE BOOKSELLER.

MR. MORPHEW,

YOUR care in putting an advertisement in the Examiner, has been of very great use to me. I now send you my preface to the Bishop of Sarum's introduction to his third volume, which I desire you to print in such a form, as, in the bookseller's phrase, will make a sixpenny touch; hoping it will give such a public notice of my design, that it may come into the hands of those who perhaps look not into the bishop's introduction.* I desire you will prefix to this a passage out of Virgil, which does so perfectly agree with my present thoughts of his lordship, that I cannot express them better, nor more truly, than those words do.

I am, Sir,

Your most humble servant,

G. MISO-SARUM.

The bishop's introduction is prefaced with a letter to his bookseller, of which this is a burlesque, N.

VOL. VIII.

A PREFACE

TO THE

BISHOP OF SARUM'S

INTRODUCTION, &c.

THIS way of publishing introductions to books, that are God knows when to come out, is either wholly new, or so long unpractised, that my small reading cannot trace it. However, we are to suppose that a person of his lordship's great age and experience, would hardly act such a piece of singularity, without some extraordinary motives. I cannot but observe, that his fellowlabourer, the author of the paper called the Englishman,* seems, in some of his late performances, to have almost transcribed the notions of the bishop: these notions I take to have been dictated by the same masters, leaving to each writer that peculiar manner of expressing himself, which the poverty of our language forces me to call their style. When the Guardian changed

his title, and professed to engage in faction, I was sure the word was given; that grand preparations were making against next session; that all advantages would be taken of the little dissentions reported to be among those in power; and that the Guardian would soon be seconded by some other piqueerers from the same camp. But I will confess my suspicions did not carry me so far,

*Mr. Steele: N.

as to conjecture that this venerable champion would be in such mighty haste to come into the field, and serve in the quality of an enfant perdu,* armed only with a pocket pistol, before his great blunderbuss could be got ready, his old rusty breastplate scoured, and his cracked headpiece mended.

I was debating with myself, whether this hint of producing a small pamphlet to give notice of a large folio, was not borrowed from the ceremonial in Spanish romances, where a dwarf is sent out upon the battlements, to signify to all passengers what a mighty giant there is in the castle; or whether the bishop copied this proceeding from the fanfaronnade of Monsieur Boufflers, when the Earl of Portland and that general had an interview. Several men were appointed, at certain periods, to ride in great haste toward the English camp, and cry out, Monseigneur vient, monseigneur vient: then small parties advancing with the same speed, and the same cry; and this foppery held for many hours, until the mareschal himself arrived. So here the bishop (as we find by his dedication to Mr. Churchill the bookseller) has for a long time sent warning of his arrival by advertisements in gazettes; and now his introduction advances to tell us again, monseigneur vient: in the mean time we must gape, and wait, and gaze, the Lord knows how long, and keep our spirits in some reasonable agitation, until his lordship's real self shall think fit appear in the habit of a folio.

to

I have seen the same sort of management at a puppetshow. Some puppets of little or no consequence appeared several times at the window, to allure the boys and the rabble: the trumpeter sounded often, and the

* One of the forlorn hope; a number of men selected for any desperate enterprise, or appointed for the first onset in a battle, N.