Dr. Sykes's Answer to Whiston. Rosalinda, a Novel. "The Upper Gallery, a Poem.” Mr. Bowyer had some share this year in establishing a newspaper, called "The Weekly Miscellany."Mr. Clarke, July 14, 1733, says, "I wish you much success in The Weekly Miscellany. I have taken it in, in hopes of meeting now and then with one of your Lucubrations. If it does succeed, you must enlarge the plan of it a little. The managers must remember the Proverb, that 'one ounce of mother-wit is worth a pound of Clergy.' In another letter that year, Mr. Clarke asks, "How shall I see your Essays, or know who voted pro and con about the Test?"-The_professed Editor of the Miscellany was William Webster, D. D. The first number was published Dec. 16, 1733; and it was continued till June 27, 1741. In 1733 Mr. Bowyer wrote the following epigram, intended to be placed under the head of Gulliver: "Here learn, from moral Truth and Wit refin'd, How Vice and Folly have debas'd mankind; Strong Sense and Humour arm in Virtue's cause; Thus her great Votary vindicates her laws: While bold and free the glowing colours strike; Blame not the Painter, if the Picture's like." This year was rendered remarkable in the literary world by the brilliancy of the Public Act at Oxford.Mr. Bowyer was highly pleased with the whole ceremony, and printed several of the little productions which it occasioned. Among various others, I find mentioned a little Poem of his own, "The Beau and Academick, a Dialogue, in Imitation of *See some specimens of these Essays in the quarto edition of Mr. Bowyer's " Miscellaneous Tracts." † Of whom see the "Essays and Illustrations," vol. V. No. VII. the the Bellus Homo et Academicus spoken at the late Public Act at Oxford; addressed to the Ladies *." * The Latin Poem is printed in Mr. Bowyer's "Miscellaneous Tracts," p. 80. A prose translation of the beginning of it was inserted in a pamphlet called "The Oxford Act, A.D. 1783;" and the following slight attempt to imitate a part of it was an evening's task enjoined by Mr. Bowyer to his present Biographer, then at the age of 16: Dialogue between a BEAU and a SCHOLAR. BEAU. What! still attach'd to Learning's dangerous lore? Heyday! so warm! who can this prattler be? Say, from what clime these fashions have you brought? BEAU. A traveller's search, my dearest friend, explores Where mellowing grapes surcharge the blushing vines, Perhaps, if females were to judge the cause, Implicit faith for ev'ry traveller find: BEAU. If sprightly Nymphs and raptur'd Beaux applaud, SCHOLAR. The original Poem was published under the title of "Bellus Homo et Academicus. Recitârunt in Theatro Sheldoniano ad Comitia Oxoniensia, 1733, Lodovicus Langton et Thomas Barber, Collegii SCHOLAR. But tell me (since you've seen each foreign coast) BEAU. A comfortable task for youthful Squires- But (horrid thought!) can worn-out paintings please, Can time-worn statues such a value bear, No charms like these my soaring genius sought; SCHOLAB. What mighty reason prompted you to view Their greatest pride was lost, the grand remains, BEAU, Mere empty trifles rather!-Thanks to Heaven, * Catera desunt. Div. Magd. Commensales. By W. Hasledine*, of Magdalen College. Accedit Oratio Petri Francisci Courayer+, S.T.P. habita in iisdem Comitiis, 5 Id. Julii." Dr. Courayer was sneered at in a pamphlet of eight pagesy, signed at the end “ Peter Francis le Courayer, Regular Canon and Book-keeper of St. Genevieve at Paris, and Doctor of Divinity at Oxford §."¡ * Who took the degree of M. A. Oct, 20, 1736, A † A separate translation of Dr. Courayer's speech was printed, in 1734, under the title of "An Oration spoken in the Theatre at Oxford, at the Public Act, 1733, by Peter Francis Courayer, D. D. Translated from the Latin, by a Gentleman of the University of Oxford," 8vo. This pamphlet contains two caricature portraits of Courayer, in a white dress, and a bell in his hand; and in a copy of it which Mr. Bindley possesses it is inscribed to the Duke of Montague.-Dr. Courayer was a Roman Catholic Clergyman, remarkable for his moderation, charity, and temper, concerning religious affairs; and was presented by the University of Oxford with a Doctor's degree, on the 28th of August, 1727, for his masterly "Defence of English Ordinations." As it is something uncommon for a Roman Catholic Clergyman to be admitted to degrees in Divinity by Protestant Universities, the curious may be gratified with a sight of the diploma, by referring to "The Present State of the Republick of Letters for June, 1728," p. 458; where they will also find (p. 487) the Doctor's answer, which is written with moderation, charity, and temper. In 1728 was published, "A Letter from the Reverend Father Courayer, D. D. to the Reverend William Whiston, in Answer to his Letter concerning the holy Order of the Tertullyanites in Asia Minor, being Father Courayer's first Essay in the English Tongue. To which is prefixed, a sketch of the Habit of the Tertullyanites, which the curious will not be sorry to see. Printed for the Author; and sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, 1728." This very pious Divine was born at Vernon in Normandy in 1681. Whilst canon regular and librarian of the abbey of St. Genevieve at Paris, he applied to Abp. Wake for the resolution of some doubts, concerning the Episcopal Successions in England, and the validity of our Ordinations; being encouraged thereto by the friendly correspondence which had passed between the Archbishop and the late Dr. Du Pin of the Sorbonne. The Archbishop sent him exact copies of the proper records, attested by a Notary-public; and on those he built his Defence of the English Ordinations, which was published in Holland in the year 1727. The original papers, which the Archbishop sent over to Dr.Courayer, together with several letters which passed concerning the terms of a projected reconciliation between the Churches of France France and England, were in the possession of the late Rev. Osmund Beauvoir, master of the King's school at Canterbury, whose father was chaplain to the English embassy at Paris, and through his hands the correspondence with Abp. Wake was carried on. Some of the letters are published in the “ Biographia Britannica," article WAKE., The author of "The Confessional" attacks severely the memory of the Archbishop, for charitably treating with the Divines of the Sorbonne, as if he had formed a scheme for yielding up the Protestant doctrines to the Church of Rome: though this whole affair, on the part of the Archbishop, was conducted with all possible fidelity and resolution; such as will do him honour with the latest posterity. The reader may see him well vindicated by Dr. Maclaine, in the third number of his Appendix to "Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History," where the original correspondence with Mr. Beauvoir is printed; which Defence by Dr. Maclaine was replied to, and answered by the writer of " Occasional Remarks upon some late Strictures on the Confessional, Part II. 1769;" in which Remarks it is presumed (but this may be matter of opinion) the original charge against Abp. Wake is confirmed by his own letters, which Dr. Maclaine has produced, notwithstanding they were furnished by Abp. Secker with a contrary design. The Cardinal De Noailles being highly offended with Dr. Courayer's book, the Marshal De Noailles, his brother, endeavoured to pacify him, and restore Courayer to his favour; but without success. While the danger of a prosecution, or rather a persecution, was depending, it was thought most adviseable that he should take refuge in England; but he was in so little haste on this occasion, that he made a slow journey to Calais in a stage-coach; and was detained there some time by a contrary wind, so that he might casily have been apprehended. However, he got safe to England, where he was well received; but he complained to Abp. Wake, that it was a bad country for a religious man to reside in, because of the unhappy differences in Religion, by which mutual charity is destroyed; and the liberty which many take of speaking against the doctrines of Christianity, and corrupting the minds of the prople. "His upright fortitude in declaring his sentiments," Dr. Maclaine says, obliged him to seek an asylum in England; and, notwithstanding the persuasion of the absurdities which abound in the Church of Rome, he never totally separated himself from its communion." From a letter of Bp. Atterbury, we learn that that Prekate was exposed to some trouble on account of Father Courayer's escape from France, which he was supposed to have facilitated; and that all the methods taken by Courayer in that respect, and towards defending the dispensations of the Church of England, had been concerted with Bp. Atterbury. The French King and Cardinal Fleury sent him a message on the subject, by the Lieutenant de Police. He tells Mr. Morice, "I said what was true on that head, without disguise; and, after an hour's conversation, did, I think, satisfy the Lieutenant, that I had done nothing but what became me. He owned as much; and promised to make his report accordingly, and to justify |