A LETTER, &c. Dear Sir, Oxford, Dec. 28, 1754. Aм very ready to gratify your Curiofity to know every Thing of Confequence that paffes in this University: Because I am fenfible that it is in you both a natural and a commendable Curiofity, and that you will not, as fome others have done, make an ill Ufe of any Thing that shall be communicated to you from thefe Parts. You have often told me that you entertain entertain a Kind of facred Reverence for the Place to which you owe your Education; and indeed you have great Reason to do fo: For that Education has made you an Ornament to your Pro (2) feffion, and procured you a comfortable Subfiftence for the Remainder of your Life. I could with every one cherished the fame grateful Sentiments of the invaluable Bleffings they derive from hence. But the Account you fent me in your laft was not fo furprizing to me as you feem'd to imagine it would be. The Gentlemen in your Neighbourhood, whofe Names you mention, are not the only Inftances of the Kind I have heard of, or met with there are others who go a Step beyond them, who make a Merit of employing that very Eloquence which they owe to Oxford in fet Harangues and bitter Invectives against it. Like the fabulous Giants of old, rebelliously exerting their bodily Strength against Heaven from whence they derived it *. These frequently defcend * Sed quid Typhoeus, & validus Mimas Contra fonantem PALLADIS Ægida Poffunt ruentes? ever The former of thefe Heroes is aptly reprefented by fo even to Fiction, and the groffeft Mifreprefentations of Facts; and if one may judge from their prefent Practices, would feel a favage Kind of Satisfaction, if by these Means they could destroy its very Being as an University. But in Spite of their wicked Arts, they have the Mortification to fee it flourish daily. Young Gentlemen of Figure and Fortune are continually flowing in upon us. A plain Proof this of the Difcipline, good Order, and Decency of Behaviour, kept up among us; which (as I told you long fince) my Lord Parker was fo honourable and ingenuous as to commend upon a late Occafion. THE Baseness and Ingratitude of the Perfons above hinted at, who thus rack their Inventions to ruin us, is certainly very unaccountable: But not more fo for the latter. Such Reflections on particular Perfons, as feeming to imply private Refentment, it must be owned, when confidered apart from Circumstances, are unjustifiable; and are here made with no other View but to fet the Ingratitude of these Gentlemen in a ftronger, and at the fame. Time in its proper, Light. than the extreme Credulity, real or affected, of fuch as repofe an implicit Confidence in every Report they hear to our Disadvantage. If Abuse of this University is with some People become a fafhionable Topick of Converfation; it is no lefs fashionable with others to admit every new-invented Story against it as an incontestable Truth, I had almost faid, as an Article of Political Faith. I myself, when I have been endeavouring to defend its Honour, when attack'd, in private Company, have heard it charged with ftill retaining the Effence of Popery in its publick Worship, and with a thousand other Things equally abfurd, as with Facts that I could not pretend to deny or diffemble; but which, at the fame Time, a Man would richly deserve to be laugh'd at, who should set himself seriously to refute. ONE main End of my Correfpondence with you is, that you may you may be able to vindicate the Character of this much-injured Place Place upon all fuch Occafions as are mentioned above: And my Method has been to fend you as plain Accounts as I could of Matters of Fact. The University stands. in Need of no other Kind of Defence; for were Facts but clearly related, and set in their proper Light, without any PartyGloffes, or malicious Exaggerations, there could be no Room for Jealoufies and Misunderstandings between us and our Superiors: And a certain Set of Men, whofe Bufinefs and Intereft it now is to foment them, might then perhaps find out a more laudable and honeft Employment for their Talents. But I fhall, without further Introduction, proceed to the Relation of an Affair which happened here lately, and which, (because it seems to be a strong Confirmation of what I have been faying) I was willing to take the first Opportunity of laying before you. A FEW Days fince a certain Gentleman of this Place, who thinks it no Impeachment of his Loyalty to his Majefty King GEORGE that he wishes well to my Lord Wenman |