en. As he was never celebrated for his prudence, he had no
sooner taken his side, and informed himself of the chief topics of the
dispute, than he took all opportunities of asserting and propagating
his principles, without much regard to his own interest, or any other
visible design than that of drawing upon himself the attention of
mankind.

The dispute between the Bishop of London and the chancellor is
well known to have been for some time the chief topic of political
conversation; and therefore Mr. Savage, in pursuance of his character,
endeavoured to become conspicuous among the controvertists with which
every coffee-house was filled on that occasion. He was an indefatigable
opposer of all the claims of ecclesiastical power, though he did not
know on what they were founded; and was therefore no friend to the
Bishop of London. But he had another reason for appearing as a warm
advocate for Dr. Rundle; for he was the friend of Mr. Foster and Mr.
Thomson, who were the friends of Mr. Savage.

Thus remote was his interest in the question, which, however, as
he imagined, concerned him so nearly, that it was not sufficient to
harangue and dispute, but necessary likewise to write upon it. He
therefore engaged with great ardour in a new poem, called by him, "The
Progress of a Divine;" in which he conducts a profligate priest, by all
the gradations of wickedness, from a poor curacy in the country to the
highest preferments of the Church; and describes, with that humour which
was natural to him, and that knowledge which was extended to all
the diversities of human life, his behaviour in every station; and
insinuates that this priest, thus accomplished, found at last a patron
in the Bishop of London. When he was asked, by one of his friends, on
what pretence he could charge the bishop with such an action, he had no
more to say than that he had only inverted the accusation; and that he
thought it reasonable to believe that he who obstructed the rise of a
good man without reason would for bad reasons promote the exaltation
of a villain. The clergy were universally provoked by this satire;
and Savage, who, as was his constant practice, had set his name to his
performance, was censured in The Weekly Miscellany with severity, which
he did not seem inclined to forget.

But return of invective was not thought a sufficient punishment. The
Court of King's Bench was therefore moved against him; and he was
obliged to return an answer to