be from the late learned Doctor Farmer, while my work was in hand. On this matter I beg leave to explain myself a little. I never said, nor did I ever think, that Bishop Horne owed every thing to Hutchinson, or was his implicit follower. I knew the contrary: but this I will say, because I know it to be true, that he owed to him the beginning of his extensive knowledge; for such a beginning as he made placed him on a new spot of high ground; from which he took all his prospects of religion and learning; and saw that whole road lying before him, which he afterwards pursued, with so much pleasure to himself, and benefit to the world. This declaration, however clear it may to me, is more than some of my readers will be willing to admit, or able to bear. I perceive, by what has been written, that, if it can be effected, Bishop Horne must be taken away from the Hutchinsonians: or, if that cannot be done, his character must not be set too high; we must beware of exaggeration; he must be represented as good and pious, rather than wise or great. This comes not from the truth, but from the times: and it is what we must expect to hear, till the times shall alter, and a few stumbling-blocks shall be removed out of the way. After what I had related, with so little disguise, concerning the early studies studies of Doctor Horne, I could foresee that his character, excellent as it is, had a fiery trial to pass: I therefore prepared myself to see-what I have seen. But, while I heard some things which were unpleasant, I heard others, which gave me encouragement. For, though it was commonly reported, that I had bestowed too many words upon a cause, which neither required nor deserved them, one of the wisest men of this age, who is an host of himself, wished I had said more; it being a cause of which the world heard much, but knew little, and wanted to know more. I shall take this opportunity of satisfying their curiosity as faithfully as I can. But I find myself called upon, by the way, to justify the Bishop against an unexpected accusation of a late author; who charges him with fancifulness and presumption: for what reason, and with how much justice, learning, and judgment, we shall see presently and I am glad this second edition was deferred, because the delay has given me an opportunity of seeing some things, of which I ought not to be ignorant. In a New Biographical Dictionary, a life of Doctor Horne is inserted; the author of which speaks of him with as much caution, as a man would handle hot coals. For what he is pleased to say of me, as a writer C 2 from the late learned Doctor Farmer, while my work was in hand. On this matter I beg leave to explain myself a little. I never said, nor did I ever think, that Bishop Horne owed every thing to Hutchinson, or was his implicit follower. I knew the contrary: but this I will say, because I know it to be true, that he owed to him the beginning of his extensive knowledge; for such a beginning as he made placed him on a new spot of high ground; from which he took all his prospects of religion and learning; and saw that whole road lying before him, which he afterwards pursued, with so much pleasure to himself, and benefit to the world. This declaration, however clear it may be to me, is more than some of my readers will be willing to admit, or able to bear. I perceive, by what has been written, that, if it can be effected, Bishop Horne must be taken away from the Hutchinsonians: or, if that cannot be done, his character must not be set too high; we must beware of exaggeration; he must be represented as good and pious, rather than wise or great. This comes not from the truth, but from the times: and it is what we must expect to hear, till the times shall alter, and a few stumbling-blocks shall be removed out of the way. After what I had related, with so little disguise, concerning the early studies studies of Doctor Horne, I could foresee that his character, excellent as it is, had a fiery trial to pass: I therefore prepared myself to see what I have seen. But, while I heard some things which were unpleasant, I heard others, which gave me encouragement. For, though it was commonly reported, that I had bestowed too many words upon a cause, which neither required nor deserved them, one of the wisest men of this age, who is an host of himself, wished I had said more; it being a cause of which the world heard much, but knew little, and wanted to know more. I shall take this opportunity of satisfying their curiosity as faithfully as I can. But I find myself called upon, by the way, to justify the Bishop against an unexpected accusation of a late author; who charges him with fancifulness and presumption: for what reason, and with how much justice, learning, and judgment, we shall see presently: and I am glad this second edition was deferred, because the delay has given me an opportunity of seeing some things, of which I ought not to be ignorant. In a New Biographical Dictionary, a life of Doctor Horne is inserted; the author of which speaks of him with as much caution, as a man would handle hot coals. For what he is pleased to say of me, as a writer of Doctor Horne's life, I am much obliged to him; and I think it more than I deserve or desire: but, I should be false to the Bishop's memory, were I to allow his account of him to be either just or true. He gives him the praise of being a blameless man! (cold enough!) when they, that have eyes to see, and judgment to discern, must discover him to be, both for matter and manner, one of the first orators and teachers this church can boast; and that he often displays a rich vein of wit, rarely indeed to be found in a man of so much sweetness and good temper. What a poor figure does Priestley make in the hands of the Under-graduate! And the great philosopher, Hume, in the letter to Doctor Adam Smith! Where the Bishop is reflected upon, for being an Hutchinsonian, it is allowed, nevertheless, that he might be partly right in his natural philosophy; though I do not understand the biographer's method of making it out; and I question whether he understood it himself. But then it is added, that "if he proceeded to a supposed analogy between material and immaterial things, "and compared the agency of the Son and Holy "Ghost to that of light and air in the natural world ; "it will surely be thought, that he went upon very * uncertain and fanciful, not to say, presumptuous "grounds." |