"a Hill in the Darke, and stoode calling

"to his Companions below, Come on, come ""on! this Way lies the Eaft; I am avised 66 6 we fhall fee the Sun rise anon.' But they "never did. What a Chriftian he woulde have "made! Ah! he is one now. He and "Socrates-the Veil long removed from their "Eyes-are fitting at Jesus' Feet. Sancte Socrates, ora pro nobis!"

66

Beffie and I exchanged Glances at this fo ftrange Ejaculation; but the Subjeckt was of such Interest, that we listened with deep Attention to what followed.

Sayth Father, " Whether Socrates were what "Plato painted him in his Dialogues, is with

66

me a great Matter of Doubte; but it is not "of Moment. When fo many Contempo

never

"raries coulde diftinguish the fancifulle from "the fictitious, Plato's Object could "have beene to deceive. There is fomething "higher in Art than grofs Imitation. He "who attempteth it is always the leafte fuc"cessfull; and his Failure hath the Odium of "a discovered Lie; whereas, to give an avow

"edlie fabulous Narrative a Confistence within "itselfe which permitts the Reader to be, for “the Time, voluntarilie deceived, is as artfulle 66 as it is allowable. Were I to construct a "Tale, I woulde, as you fayd to Cecy, lie "with a Circumstance, but shoulde consider it noe Compliment to have my Unicorns and

66

Hippogriffs taken for live Animals. Amicus "Plato, amicus Socrates, magis tamen amica "Veritas. Now, Plato had a much higher "Aim than to give a very Pattern of Socrates "his fnub Nofe. He wanted a Peg to hang "his Thoughts upon-"

"A Peg? A Statue by Phidias," interrupts Erafmus.

"A Statue by Phidias, to clothe in the "most beautiful Drapery," fayth Father;

66

no Matter that the Drapery was his own, "he wanted to fhow it to the beft Advan"tage, and to the Honour rather than Preju"dice of the Statue. And, having clothed "the fame, he got a Spark of Prometheus his "Fire, and made the aforefayd Statue walk "and talk, to the Glory of Gods and Men,

"and

"and fate himself quietlie down in a Corner. "By the Way, Defiderius, why shouldst thou "not fubmitt thy Subtletie to the Rules of a "Colloquy? Set Eckius and Martin Luther "by the Ears ! Ha! Man, what Sport! "Heavens! if I were to compound a Tale or "a Dialogue, what Crotchets and Quips of "mine own woulde I not putt into my Pup"pets' Mouths! and then have out my Laugh "behind my Vizard, as when we used to act Burlesques before Cardinall Morton. What

66

66

rare Sporte we had, one Christmas, with a

Mummery we called the Triall of Feast""ing!' Dinner and Supper were brought up "before my Lord Chief Juftice, charged with "Murder. Theire Accomplices were Plum"pudding, Mince-pye, Surfeit, Drunkenness, "and suchlike. Being condemned to hang "by the Neck, I, who was Supper, ftuft out "with I cannot tell you how manie Pillows, "began to call luftilie for a Contessor; and,

66

on his stepping forthe, commenct a Lift of "all the Fitts, Convulfions, Spafms, Payns in "the Head, and fo forthe, I had inflicted on

"this one and t'other. 'Alas! good Father,' "fays I, King John layd his Death at my "Door;-indeede, there's scarce a royall or "noble House that hath not a Charge agaynft "me; and I'm sorelie afrayd' (giving a Poke " at a fat Priest that fate at my Lord Cardinall's Elbow) 'I shall have the Death of that holy "Man to answer for.'

66

66

Erafmus laughed, and fayd, "Did I ever tell you of the Retort of Willibald Pirk"heimer? A Monk, hearing him praise me "fomewhat lavishly to another, could not "avoid expreffing by his Looks great Disgust "and Diffatisfaction; and, on being afkt "whence they arose, confeft he could not, "with Patience, heare the Commendation "of a Man foe notorioufly fond of eating "Fowls. 'Does he steal them?' fays Pirk"heimer.

66 6

Surely no,' fays the Monk. 'Why, 'then,' quoth Willibald, I know of a Fox "who is ten times the greater Rogue; for, 66 'look you, he helps himself to many a tat "Hen from my Rooft without ever offering "to pay me. But tell me now, dear Father,

'Moft affu

" is it then a Sin to eat Fowls?' "redlie it is,' fays the Monk, if you indulge "" in them to Gluttony.' 'Ah! if, if!' quoth "Pirkheimer. If ftands ftiff, as the Lacede"monians told Philip of Macedon; and 'tis ""not by eating Bread alone, my dear Father, "you have acquired that huge Paunch of

'yours. I fancy, if all the fat Fowls that "'have gone into it could raife theire Voices "and cackle at once, they woulde make "Noife enow to drown the Drums and

Trumpets of an Army.' Well may Luther fay," continued Erafmus, laughing, "that theire fafting is easier to them than our eating to us; feeing that every Man Jack of "them hath to his Evening Meal two Quarts "of Beer, a Quart of Wine, and as manie as "he can eat of Spice Cakes, the better to "relifh his Drink. While I... 'tis true my "Stomach is Lutheran, but my Heart is Ca

tholic; that's as Heaven made me, and I'll "be judged by you alle, whether I am not as "thin as a Weafel."

"Twas now growing dufk, and Cecy's tame

Hares