то

A Young Clergyman

Lately Entered into

HOLY ORDERS.

SIR,

Dublin, Jan. 9, 1719-20.

A LTHOUGH it was against my

knowledge or advice, that you entered into holy orders under the present dispositions of mankind towards the church, yet fince it is now fuppofed too late to recede, (at least according to the general practice and opinion) I cannot forbear offering my thoughts to you upon this new condition of life you are engaged in.

This ought to be read by all the young clergymen in the three kingdoms, and

VOL. IV.

may be read with pleasure and advantage by the oldeft and moft exemplary divines.

B

Orrery. I could

When

I could heartily with, that the circumftances of your fortune had enabled you to have continued fome years longer in the university, at least till you were ten years ftanding; to have laid in a competent ftock of human learning, and fome knowledge in divinity, before you attempted to appear in the world: for I cannot but lament the common courfe, which at leaft nine in ten of those, who enter into the miniftry, are obliged to run. they have taken a degree, and are confequently grown a burden to their friends, who now think themfelves fully discharged, they get into orders as foon as they can (upon which I fhall make no remarks) firft follicit a readership, and if they be very fortunate, arrive in time to a curacy here in town, or else are sent to be affiftants in the country, where they probably continue feveral years (many of them their whole lives) with thirty or forty pounds a year for their fupport: till fome bishop who happens to be not overftocked with relations, or attached to favourites, or is content to fupply his diocefe without colonies from England, bestows

upon

upon them fome inconfiderable benefice, when it is odds they are already entumbered with a numerous family. I would be glad to know, what intervals of life such persons can poffibly set apart for the improvement of their minds; or which way they could be furnished with books, the library they brought with them from their college being usually not the most numerous, or judiciously chofen. If such gentlemen arrive to be great scholars, it must, I think, be either by means fupernatural, or by a method altogether out of any road yet known to the learned. But I conceive the fact directly otherwife, and that many of them lose the greatest part of the small pittance they received at the univerfity.

I take it for granted, that you intend to pursue the beaten track, and are already defirous to be feen in a pulpit; only I hope you will think it proper to pass your quarentine among fome of the defolate churches five miles round this town, where you may at leaft learn to read and to speak, before you venture to expose your parts in a city-congregation ; B 2

not

you

not that these are better judges, but be cause, if a man muft needs expose his folly, it is more fafe and difcreet to do fo before few witneffes, and in a scattered neighbourhood. And will do well, if you can prevail upon fome intimate and judicious friend to be your conftant hearer, and allow him with the utmost freedom to give you notice of whatever he fhall find amifs either in your voice of gesture; for want of which early warning many clergymen continue defective, and fometimes ridiculous, to the end of their lives. Neither is it rare to obferve among excellent and learned divines a certain ungracious manner, or an unhappy tone of voice, which they never have been able to shake off.

I could likewife have been glad, if you had applied yourself a little more to the ftudy of the English language, than I fear you have done ; the neglect whereof is one of the moft general defects among the scholars of this kingdom, who seem not to have the leaft conception of a style, but run on in a flat kind of phrafeology, often mingled with barbarous terms and

expreffions