glories of Heaven!" And here now, I do not at all question but the
_Absolver_, a little nettled at this last Parallel, will fall to biting
of his fingers again, his Righteous Spirit being offended at my
Insolence, in scribling the Word _Parson_ so oft, it being a Nickname,
and only invented by some idle fellow, who resolv'd to use the Order
with no more respect. Why truly, I confess, in this Case, Modesty is
a little gravell'd, but then she may thank him for it, for he has
dignify'd the Poets with so many _Hell-defying_, _deep-mouth'd
Swearing_, _Relapsing_, _Witch-riding Titles_, that the worthy Ministry
cannot reasonably be angry, especially when the Word is only meant to
him, whom I shall prove has lessen'd the true Title, by his _Immorality_
and _Hypocrisie_, more than ever the Poets did the Reputation of the
Stage, by their Time-serving Loosenesses and Licentious Diversions.

It is, no doubt, a considerable Maim to us, in some Peoples opinions,
who never digested the benefits arising from the Stage in its Moral
Representations, that this smarting Lash is given us by a Clergy-man of
the Church of _England_, that is, good friends, if he be so, for some
Judicious Heads are not resolv'd in that Affirmative--but let that be
_discuss'd_ in another place, I'm sure, if he is, _Obedience to
Government, in the first place, should be his principal Tenet_; and
whether that is a part of the _Absolver_'s Character, I think has
sufficiently appear'd. But let him be what he will, I shall now take the
pleasure to inform those People, that but few years since, we had a Man
of Wit and Learning, that wore the Gown, and as true a Son of the Church
as she could possibly breed; that was intirely devoted a Champion in our
Cause, and Asserted the Rights of the Stage with Success and Applause;
and whoever will but look back a little, and incline his Eyes towards
the delectable River _Cam_, may Encounter the fam'd Wit of that
University, the Ingenious Mr. _Thomas Randolph_, who in one of his great