low price of corn. So that feveral knowing men of the Univerfity, and fome of our own College, have faid in my hearing, that if I had not been fent thither by a fort of Providence, they had been forced in those low years to fhut the College gates. But what can be faid to fome of thefe complainers, who dare thus fly in the face of demonftrable truth? who, being oppolite to a mafter in the whole turn of their lives, hate totally whatever he does, and grin and growl even at benefactions. Your own memory, my lord, will recall to you, how they clamoured all over the nation, at my firft coming, that they were beggared and ftarved by the expences of the lodge; when in my firft three years, while it was finishing, there were three whole dividends (fix thousand pounds) paid among them; a thing that never once happened in all the feventeen years before. And yet, had I been of their party, had I herded and forted with them, had I fuffered them to play their cheats in their feveral offices, I might have done what I would; I might have devoured and deftroyed the College, and yet come away with their applaufes for a great and good mafter.

"But yet, my lord, I own one truth that Mr. Miller has faid here, and it is the only one in the whole petition, That fame of the Fellows (every one of them his fubfcribers) are reduced to great neceffity. But what, I pray, is the true reafon of it? Not the diminishing of their fellowships, as our oracle avers; that is refuted above, to a demonftration. It is not the lefening of thofe, but the increasing of fomething elfe? - I mean the price of claret. For the advance of twelve pence in a bottle repeated every day, muft needs now exhaust a fcanty fellowship, which was before but very mall. This is the grand article in their expences, far above all other charges of clothes, or (what are now forgot by them) books: for I dare pafs my word, among all their debts and ticks there are none to the ftationers. But they go on, Nevertheless, the Fellows and Members of the faid College, out of a peaceable difpofition, and being perfuaded by

3

the faid Dr. Bentley's fair promifes, which he conftantly made upon his gaining every new advantage, that they fhould enjoy peace and quietnefs for the future, and out of refpect to those that made him their mafter, though they could not be wholly filent, they were unwilling publicly to complain to their fuperiours.'

"Alas! alas! more dolorous complaints ftill, for the lofs of peace and quietness. 'Tis a plain cafe, by this grief, that their fellowships were too little, and the bottles came fparingly in, fo that out of pure compaffion I'll fay nothing to this article: only take notice of the nice confiftency between this and the others. For we were told before, that even from 1700 the peace f the College was disturbed; and again, what was ftill worfe, that the peace of the foundation has for many years

been

wholly broken: but here at laft we have contrary news, that all this while till this last year the fellows and members of the College were in a peaceable difpofition. and the Mafter, as appears by his conftant fair promifes, locked peaceably too. I hope our learned phyfician can mix his drugs better than his fentences.

year

Till now again this laft the faid Dr. Bentley, not only making another exorbitant demand of profits to himself, but in order thereunto endea vouring to make an alteration almost throughout the whole College in their dividends and dues, whereby they are maintained, and which they and their predeceffors have for many years enjoyed, and that in a partial manner, and by fuch methods as are before mentioned.'

"Yes, yes, my lord, Hinc illa lachryma: it was my propofing this laft year an alteration of the way of dividends that has given your lordship the trouble of their petition and this letter. Without this, the peaceable difpofition had continued ftill; and even this propofal was peaceably agreed to among ourfelves, and had been concluded and established, had not Mr. Miller at the very day come on purpofe to defeat it, alarmed at the future profpect of an unanimity in the college, fo threatening to his fancyed intereft, and vain hopes of being a reprefentative. "I muft

"I must confefs, my lord, when I first attempted this alteration, I durft not promise myself, confidering the men, to effect it amicably at home, without an appeal to the vifitor, Omnia præcepi, atque animo mecum ante peregi. I was aware of the noife and oppofition the governing part would make, who to their own petty intereft for a few years, would facrifice the public advantage and honour of the Houfe for ever. But having long weighed and examined my project, and communicated it to several knowing men, and all approving it as the greatest benefaction I had ever done or could do the fociety, a defign either not thought on by any Mafter this fifty years, or thought too difficult to be compaffed; I refolved by God's affiftance to try, and could not think of dying comfortably till I had made this experiment, coft what it would. And whether I now fucceed (as I truft I fhall) or fail in it, I congratulate the occafion of this complaint, that has given me opportunity to leave the fcheme to pofterity:

out regard to degrees, it had banished all fuperior degrees out of the College, and no public commencement-act had ever fince been kept by any of the houfe. It will hardly be believed, though both our regifler and living witneffes atteft it,, that fince this way of dividend commenced, fince the reftoration to my coming amongst them, but three perfons out of fo large a fociety had legitimately taken any degree above a Mafter of Arts. It is a thing known and acknowledged, that had not I been made their matter, the whole fociety at this day had been mere Mafters of Arts, except the worthy Wolfran Stubbe, a doctor by mandamus. And it has happened more than once in my time, that the very officers could not be ftatutably chofen, for want of fuperior degrees. It is true, at prefent we have feveral Doctors and Batchelors in Divinity; and that makes the new propofal now practicable and ufeful, which was not fo when the old began, in 1645. But the advantage then got by the faid degrees was but accidental and temporary, and has ceafed even already: though it was then obtained with almoft as much difficulty as this proposal is now. And it is in vain to expect, that future degrees will be regularly taken, while dividends are continued upon the foot of ftanding.

"It is the direction to the Vifitor in the ftatute of King Edward* That he take care the honour of the College, and the will of the founder be maintained. And I am fure both thefe will be highly violated, if academical degrees have not their due encouragement. By the fame ftatutes, if every Fellow did not regularly proceed Batchelor of Divinity; if he either refufed, or was judged unfit by the Maiter and Seniors to take it, he was expelled out of the house: which at this day is the ftatute and cuftom too in feveral other Colleges. But King Edward went yet higher; and enacted, that even the Doctor's degree, too, fhould be regularly taken

by

by all, upon the fame pain of expulfion. And though, by the prefent ftatutes of Elifabeth, the neceflity of taking thofe degrees is removed; yet, the very fame advantages by taking them, the priority in College-livings and chambers, the encreafe in livery and itipend, the capacity to the higheft offices, as of Senior Burfar, Senior Dean, Vice-mafter, and Master, are still continued in thefe, just as they were in K. Edward's: though they are all made ineffectual by this pernicious way of dividend, which the founders never thought on. It is plain, then, it was the will of the Founders, that academical degrees fhould be encouraged in the fociety.

"And it is as plain too, that the College-Honour cannot be fupported without them. He that can think otherwise knows very little of human nature. The eight Seniors are defcribed in ftatute*, as men who both by their authority, and gravity, and prudence, are to be reputed chiefs in the Society, whom all the rest are to reverence. Can this authority and refpe&t be enforced, without taking the academical honours? Will the youth be induced to reverence eight Masters of Arts, whom they fee at all public meetings thruft down ad ima fubfellia? who, by the known privileges of that lower degree, take daily fuch liberties as both gravity and prudence difallow? No worfe a thing need be faid against this dividend, than that we owe to it most of our prefent Seniors, and those that are to follow

them.

"But then, if the dignity of fuperior degrees will have this influence upon the youth, it will have a much greater upon the perfons themfelves that take them. This, my lord, is the chief motive that induced me into this caufe. I am morally fure, if the new dividend take place, and degrees be thereby regularly taken, the College will foon lift up its head, and be worthy of its royal foundation. And this is well enough foreseen by feveral, who not at all belonging to us malign and obftruct this affair, out of envy and emulation. A Fellow then new elect

ed will thus think with himself, IfI do not take my degree in due time, I must fit down with lofs and contempt; and to come at that degree, not my learning only, but my manners muft pafs the probation; I must both make a progrefs in my studies answerable to their beginnings; and give no offence to my governors, by a negligent difcharge of any office they place me in, or by gaming or drinking with the youth of the College. Hae falus ert adolefcentibus; this conftraint will preferve them in that lubricous time of age; and when they are fafely palt that, they will never be fpoiled afterwards. Whereas at prefent, how many fad examples are there of very excellent fcholars, undone and ruined by a fellowship? Where they fee all emoluments rife according to age only; where character procures nothing, nor infamy lefes: where the vileft wretch that is not expelled has equal title to all things with the very best of the fociety. Will not books and labour be foon abandoned under fuch a temptation? when he fees the refuse of the houfe, by mere ftaying there and meriting nothing abroad, grow up to the certain inheritance of being feniors and governors at home.

"And, my lord, when Fellows bred up under the influence of this new dividend, that have led a fober and ftudious life from their firft entrance into the College, fhall themfelves become the governours of it, affifted too with the authority of academical honours, whe a change will there then be in th houfe, from what has been of la years? By King Edward's ftatutes it plain, that all the upper part of the College were to be Doctors in Divinity. And this new method will in time have almoft the fame effect. Such perfons, by a refraint from their very title, if they had no other worth, would not go fuch lengths in debauchery and fcandal as fome of the prefent governors do. But fince that fupreme degree will not be a perqui fite of mere age, but a reward of learning and merit, they would be both useful

men,

men, while they ftayed in College, and would probably be preferred abroad. For it is notorious, that for the first hundred years after the foundation, Trinity-College had as great a fhare in the dignities of the Church as any other in the kingdom: but ever fince the restoration, it has had lefs than the leaft. And this I attribute chiefly to the ill influence of the prefent dividend, corrupting the.difcipline of the houfe: for both the calamities bear date together. And till this peft is extinguished, there is no comfort for a maiter to labour for a fhort reforma tion, which will expire and die either before him or with him: it is fwimming against a stream, which, when he is old or infirm, will bear him down the channel; it is rolling up Syphus's ftone, which, when his fhoulder grows weary or is removed, will tumble down the declivity lower than it was before. "Your lordship can now fee what a fenfelefs calumny it is, that I defign to depress the feniority by the alteration of dividends. On the contrary, it is manifeft, that, if my way take place, their authority and honour will highly increase, even to the firft elevation of King Edward's time: and it will then be difficult for a mafter to keep up a pre-eminence, when he is furrounded with a feniority of Doctors. Neither is any money withdrawn from them by this way: for if thefe prefent feniors have fifty pounds a-piece by ftanding, the future will have as much on a more honourable head, and arrive at it the fooner. Nay, that these present ancient worthies, who are past their degrees without ever coming at them, were to be no fufferers by the change this following claufe will fhew, which was laid before them as part of the propofal:

And becaufe feveral of the prefent fixteen feniors, while the College was under the ill influence of the former practice, did not take fuperior degrees; and cannot now at fo advanced an age conveniently take them; it is thought equitable, and is refolved by mafter and feniors, that each of the prefent eight feniors (during his being Fellow of the College) receive fifty pounds LOND. MAC. Nov. 1783.

whole dividend, though he be not Doctor of Divinity: and the prefent ninth and tenth man fhall receive fifty pounds, as foon as they fhall be of the eight feniors, though they be not doctors; and each of the lait fix of the prefent fixteen fhall receive forty pounds, though they be not Bachelors of Divinity.'

This, my lord, would have been confirmed to them by the confent of the College, had we amicably ended this matter at home; and their title to it by this order had been as good, and the very fame, as what they have now. But whether after this publick difturbance the fame favour fhall be granted, efpecially to all of them, must be referred to the visitor, or to the fuffrages of the whole fociety."

He then concludes: "Give me leave, my lord, on this occafion, to take notice of one calumny, that has been spread abroad by the Millers with as much induftry as malice. A few years ago, I had the honour to have three young noblemen committed to my care, upon condition they fhould diet and lodge with me; otherwife they fhould not have come to the Univerfity. I inquired before of fome of the knowingeit Fellows, what had been the practice of former Mafters; being aware that the mifreprefenters would take that handle to traduce me: though in all the feven years before, among all the flanders they have invented, they had never once afperfed me with covetousness. I understood by them, that Bishop Pearfon had a nobleman with him in the lodge for fome years, that Dr. Barrow and others used the fame freedom for a Master of Arts their friend; that I was not for that trifle of a few College loaves (the coft of which would be compenfated many times over) to deprive the houfe of fo much honour and advantage. year the three ftayed with me (and three to flay one year, is no more than one to ftay three) was fo exceffively low for the price of corn; that I dare appeal to the College books, that the additional expence of that year came much fhort of twenty pounds in the whole. To balance which, that year 3 G.

The

I at my own charge made fafh windows to three chambers in the lodge, which alone amounted to a greater fum: that year I gave them two hundred pounds to their chapel; which is twice as much as my predeceffors gave to the library, a building of thrice the expence that year one of thofe noblemen, the ingenious and learned Lord Kingston, gave a hundred pounds to the chapel; and I doubt not but the others in proper time will be among our benefactors that year, when the audit was made, thefe very feniors pafled thofe accounts for the lodge without the leaft complaint or exception. And yet now this is blown up into a great article of complaint; and that petty charge now magnified into fome hundreds of pounds; Nunc immenfa cavi fpirant mendacia fulles.

But the petitioners at laft conclude, faying,

We are neceffitated at this time to petition and complain to your Lordship, promifing within a convenient time to lay before you, in fuch method as you fhall appoint, the feveral particulars, wherein the truth of what is here alledged will manifeftly appear. Humbly craving in due time fuch fentence as to your Lordship's wifdom and juftice

fhall feem meet.'

(6

My Lord, faving to myself, as before, all due and legal exceptions to this petition, whether for want of form or want of fenfe, I join with them in their requeft, that you would appoint them to lay before you the particulars they, accufe me of. Though, could the experiment be made, and thefe fubfcribers be asked feparately, I durft pawn the iffue of the whole upon this, that not three of them know the particulars to make good this general accufation. However, let Mr. Miller draw up that as he has done this, and they as confcientioufly fubfcribe it. I fhall then, perhaps, make bold to give your Lordship the trouble of a fecond letter, as a vindication of myself, though not in a judicial way.

"For, my lord, I humbly conceive, that befides other errors and defects mentioned above, even the blunder of this laft paragraph does fo invalidate, caffate, null, and nonfuit all that is faid here; that you will not judicially order a progrefs in this caufe, till they begin all anew. WE is the style here, WE are neceffitated to complain; but the complainers and fufferers above are pot the fame perfons. For there the word is all along THEY. There it is Their Mafter (not Our) They should enjoy peace, They could not be wholly filent, They were unwilling to complain: and fo on, till here at laft we come to We are neceffi tated to petition and complain. But what, my lord, have We to do to petition and complain for what THEY fuffered? I am not at all obliged to answer, till either WE are the fufferers, or THEY complain in their own name and be

half. In the mean time your lordship fees the great abilities of our Galenical lawyer: and you will be fo far from blaming me for ejecting him out of the phyfic fellowship; that, though he had the law fellowship, the caufe would go hard with him by any jury of that profeffion."

The pamphlet then concludes with a lift of thirty-feven members of Trinity College, who refufed to fign the petition.

The advertisement from the publifher to the reader contained a panegyric on Bentley, with a fhort lift of the authors, in whofe writings he had received the highest commendations*.

But

Bentley's caufe was now before the public. His pamphlet was univerfally read, and generally admired. fuch a refutation of his enemies arguments, and fuch fevere and undisguised criminations could not be tamely endured. A deadly blow was ftricken:

Hæret lateri lethalis arundo!

An anfwer foon appeared, from the pen of Mr. Miller, under the title of

Some Remarks upon a Letter, entituled the Prefent State of Trinity College,