larmed at the schisms that arose
among his children, but did not yet believe his son's doctrine to be so
pernicious as it really was, till one day talking of his setting-dog,
the son said he did not question but _Trey_ was as immortal as any one
of the family; and in the heat of the argument told his father, that for
his own part he expected to die like a dog. Upon which the old
gentleman, starting up in a very great passion, cried out, Then, sirrah,
you shall live like one; and taking his cane in his hand, cudgeled him
out of his system. This had so good an effect upon him, that he took up
from that day, fell to reading good books, and is now a bencher in the
_Middle Temple_.

10. I do not mention this cudgeling part of the story with a design to
engage the secular arm in matters of this nature; but certainly, if it
ever exerts itself in affairs of opinion and speculation, it ought to do
it on such shallow and despicable pretenders to knowledge, who endeavour
to give man dark and uncomfortable prospects of his being, and destroy
those principles which are the support, happiness, and glory of all
public societies, as well as private persons.

11. I think it is one of _Pythagoras's_ golden sayings, _that a man
should take care above all things to have a due respect for himself_;
and it is certain, that this licentious sort of authors, who are for
depreciating mankind, endeavour to disappoint and undo what the most
refined spirits have been labouring to advance since the beginning of
the world. The very design of dress, good-breeding, outward ornaments
and ceremonies, were to lift up human nature, and set it of too
advantage. Architecture, painting, and statuary, were invented with the
same design; as indeed every art and science that contributes to the
embellishment of life, and to the wearing off and throwing into shades
the mean and low parts of our nature.

12. Poetry carries on this great end more than all the rest, as may be
seen in the following passages taken out of Sir _Francis Bacon's
Advancement of Learning_, which gives a true and better account of this
art than all the volumes that were ever written upon it.

"Poetry, especially heroical, seems to be raised altogether from a noble
foundation, which makes much for the dignity of man's nature. For
seeing this sensible world is in dignity inferior to the soul of man,
poesy seems to endow human nature with that which history denies; and to
give satisfaction t