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A fecond Thomas, or, at once

To name them all, another Dunce:

Profound

Ver. 153, 154. Dunce.] Thus they stood in the two First editions of 1664, left out in thofe of 1674, 1684, 1689, 1700, and not reftored till 1704. Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican Friar, was born in 1224, studied at Cologne and at Paris. He new-modelled the fchool-divinity, and was therefore called the Angelic Deftor, and Eagle of divines. The moft illuftrious

perfons of his time were ambitious of his friendship, and put a high value on his merits, fo that they offered him bishopricks, which he refused with as much ardour as others feek after them. He died in the fiftieth year of his age, and was canonized by Pope John XXII. We have his works in 18 volumes, feveral times printed.

Johannes Dunscotus was a very learned man, who lived about the end of the thirteenth, and beginning of the fourteenth century. The English and Scots ftrive which of them shall have the honour of his birth. The English fay he was born in Northumberland; the Scots allege he was born at Dunfe in the Merfe, the neighbouring county to Northumberland, and hence was called Dunfcotus: Moreri, Buchanan, and other Scotch hiftorians, are of this opinion, and, for proof, cite his epitaph;

Scotia me genuit, Anglia fufcepit,

Gallia edocuit, Germania tenet.

He died at Cologne, Nov. 8, 1308. In the Supplement to Dr. Cave's Hiftoria Literaria, he is faid to be extraordinary learned in phyfics, metaphyfics, mathematics, and aftronomy; that his fame was fo great when at Oxford, that 30,000 fcholars came thither to

hear

Profound in all the Nominal

155

And Real ways beyond them all :

For he a rope of fand could twist

As tough as learned Sorbonist,

And weave fine cobwebs, fit for fcull
That 's empty when the moon is full;
Such as take lodgings in a head
That 's to be let unfurnished.

160

He could raise scruples dark and nice,
And after folve them in a trice;
As if Divinity had catch'd

165

The itch, on purpose to be scratch'd;
Or, like a mountebank, did wound
And ftab herself with doubts profound,

Only

hear his lectures; that when at Paris, his arguments and authority carried it for the immaculate conception of the Bleffed Virgin, fo that they appointed a festival on that account, and would admit no fcholars to degrees but fuch as were of this mind. He was a great oppofer of Thomas Aquinas's doctrine: and, for being a very acute logician, was called Doctor Subtilis, which was the reafon alfo that an old punster always called him the Latby Doctor.

Ver. 155, 156.] Gulielmus Occham was father of the Nominals, and Johannes Dunfcotus of the Reals. These two lines not in the two first editions of 1664, but added in 1674.

Ver. 157, 158.] Altered thus in edit. 1674, and continued till 1704.

And with as delicate a hand,

Could twist as tough a rope of fand.

Only to fhew with how fmall pain
The fores of Faith are cur'd again;
Although by woeful proof we find
They always leave a scar behind.
He knew the feat of Paradise,
Could tell in what degree it lies,

And, as he was difpos'd, could prove it
Below the moon, or else above it;

What Adam dreamt of, when his bride
Came from her closet in his fide;
Whether the Devil tempted her
By a High-Dutch interpreter;
If either of them had a navel;
Who first made mufic malleable;
Whether the Serpent, at the Fall,
Had cloven feet, or none at all:
All this, without a glofs or comment,
He could unriddle in a moment,

In proper terms, such as men fmatter

When they throw out and miss the matter.

For his religion, it was fit

To match his learning and his wit;

170

175

180

185

190

'Twas

Ver. 181.] Several of the Ancients have fuppofed that Adam and Eve had no navels; and, among the Moderns, the late learned Bishop Cumberland was of this opinion.

Ver. 189.] Mr. Butler is very exact in delineating his hero's religion; it was neceffary that he fhould be fo, that the reader might judge whether he was a proper perfon to fet up for a Reformer, and whether the

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religion

'Twas Presbyterian true blue;

For he was of that stubborn crew

Of errant faints, whom all men grant

To be the true Church Militant;
Such as do build their faith upon

The holy text of pike and gun;
Decide all controverfies by
Infallible artillery;

And prove their doctrine orthodox,
By apoftolic blows and knocks;
Call fire, and fword, and defolation,
A godly, thorough Reformation,

195

200

Which

religion he profeffed was more eligible than that he endeavoured to demolish. Whether the Poet has been juft in the pourtrait must be left to every reader's obfervation.

Ver. 193, 194.] Where Prefbytery has been eftablished, it has been ufually effected by force of arms, like the religion of Mahomet: thus it was established at Geneva in Switzerland, Hoiland, Scotland, &c. In France, for fome time, by that means, it obtained a toleration: much blood was fhed to get it established in England; and once, during that Grand Rebellion, it seemed very near gaining an establishment here.

Ver. 195, 196.] Upon thefe Cornet Joyce built his faith, when he carried away the King, by force, from Holdenby: for when his Majefty asked him for a fight of his inftructions, Joyce faid, He should fee them prefently; and fo drawing up his troop in the inward court," Thefe, Sir, (faid the Cornet) are my in"ftructions."

Ver. 199, 200.] Many inftances of that kind are given by Dr. Walker, in his Sufferings of the Epifcopal Clergy.

Which always must be carry'd on,

And still be doing, never done;
As if Religion were intended
For nothing else but to be mended:
A fect whofe chief devotion lies.
In odd perverfe antipathies ;
In falling out with that or this,
And finding fomewhat ftill amifs;
More peevish, crofs, and fplenetick,
Than dog diftract, or monkey fick;
That with more care keep holy-day
The wrong, than others the right way;
Compound for fins they are inclin❜d to,
By damning thofe they have no mind to:
Still fo perverfe and oppofite,
As if they worship'd God for fpite:
The self-fame thing they will abhor.
One way, and long another for:
Free-will they one way difavow,
Another, nothing else allow :.

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205

210

215

220

All

Ver. 207, 208.] The religion of the Presbyterians of those times confifted principally in an oppofition to the Church of England, and in quarreling with the moft innocent, cuftoms then in ufe, as the eating Chriftmas-pies and plum-porridge at Chriftmas, which they reputed finful.

Ver. 213, 214.] They were fo remarkably obftinate in this refpect, that they kept a fast upon Christmasday.

Ver. 215, 216.] Added in 1674.