clergyman, must "subscribe slave, and take an oath withal, which,
unless he took with a conscience that could retch, he must straight
perjure himself. He thought it better to prefer a blameless silence
before the office of speaking, bought and begun with servitude and
forswearing."

These expressions are, I find, applied to the subscription of the
Articles; but it seems more probable that they relate to canonical
obedience. I know not any of the Articles which seem to thwart his
opinions: but the thoughts of obedience, whether canonical or
civil, raise his indignation.

His unwillingness to engage in the ministry, perhaps not yet
advanced to a settled resolution of declining it, appears in a
letter to one of his friends, who had reproved his suspended and
dilatory life, which he seems to have imputed to an insatiable
curiosity, and fantastic luxury of various knowledge. To this he
writes a cool and plausible answer, in which he endeavours to
persuade him, that the delay proceeds not from the delights of
desultory study, but from the desire of obtaining more fitness for
his task; and that he goes on, "not taking thought of being late, so
it gives advantage to be more fit."

When he left the University, he returned to his father, then
residing at Horton, in Buckinghamshire, with whom he lived five
years, in which time he is said to have read all the Greek and Latin
writers. With what limitations this universality is to be
understood, who shall inform us?

It might be supposed, that he who read so much should have done