1738; but, notwithstanding the designation, "a gentleman of Trinity
College," it may be at least partly by Alsop, though he undoubtedly was
of Christchurch. There are English poems by him, published both in
Dodsley's and Pearch's collection, and several in the early volumes of
the _Gentleman's Magazine_. I have the authority of a competent judge
for saying, that the very witty, but not quite decent verses in that
miscellany, vol. v. p. 216--"Ad Hypodidasculum quendam plagosum, alterum
orbilium, ut uxorem duceret, Epistola hortativa." Subscribed "Kent,
Lady-day, 1835"--are Alsop's. He took the degree of M.A. in 1696, and of
B.D. in 1706, and, by favour of the Bishop of Winchester, got a prebend
in his cathedral, and the rectory of Brightwell, Berks. He was
accidentally drowned in a ditch leading to his garden gate, in 1726.
There is good reason to believe that a MS. life of him is to be found
among the Rawlinson MSS., which it may be worth while to consult.

It will be remembered that Christchurch was the head-quarters of the
phalanx of wits opposed to Bentley.

"Nor wert thou, Isis, wanting to the day,
[Tho' Christchurch long kept prudishly away,"]

is Pope's ironical banter; and he has not failed to mention Alsop and
Freind in Bentley's speech:--

"Let Freind affect to speak as Terence spoke,
And Alsop never but like Horace joke,"

where the note says, "Dr. Antony Alsop, a happy imitator of the Horatian
style."