from any thing else, but their having been from their Childhood
accustomed to this Language in the _Bible_, and their still continuing
frequently to hear it in the publick Offices of the Church, and
elsewhere: From whence I am apt to think Mr. _Pope_'s Opinion is not
to be subscrib'd to, when he says,

"_And what now_ Chaucer _is, shall_ Dryden _be_."

It did not occur to that ingenious Writer, that the State of the
_English_ Language is very different at this time from what it was in
_Chaucer_'s Days: It was then in its Infancy: And even _the publick
Worship of God was in a foreign Tongue_, a thing as fatal to the
_Language_ of any Country, as to _Religion_ itself. But now we have
all that Service in the vernacular Tongue; and besides that, the
_Bible_ in _English_, which may be properly called the _Standard_ of
our Language: For this Book contains a Variety of every kind of
_Stile_, the _Poetick_, the _Historick_, the _Narrative_, and all
framed after the manner of the most learned Tongues. So that whilst
this _Book_ continues to be as publickly used among us as it is at
present, the _English_ Language cannot receive any great Alteration;
but all sorts of learned Men may write, either in Verse or Prose, in
the most learned manner in their native Tongue, and at the same time
be perfectly understood by the common People. Indeed, if ever we
should be so unhappy as to be depriv'd of the _publick Use_ of that
_Book_, all that came with it, must go with it; and then Farewel the
_English Language_, Farewel _Milton_, Farewel _Learning_, and Farewel
all that distinguishes Man from Beasts.

Decemb. 9. 1736.