Page:Characteristicks of men, manners, opinions, times Vol 3.djvu/90

 82 MISCELLANEOUS barous Terms and Idioms were every day introduc'd : Monflrous Definitions invented and impos'd : New Schemes of Faith erecled from time to time; and Houjlitys, the fiercell imaginable, exercis'd on thefe occafions. So that the Enthusiasm or Zeal, which was ufually fhewn by Mankind in behalf of their particular Worfhip, and which for the mod part had been hitherto dejenfwe only, grew now to be univerfally of the ojfenfwe kind. IT MAY be expected of me perhaps, that being fallen thus from remote Antiquity to later Periods, I fhou'd fpeak on this occafion with more than ordinary Exactnefs and Re- gularity. It may be urg'd againft me, that I talk here, as at random, and without-book : ne- glecting to produce my Authoritys, or continue my Quotations, according to the profefsd Style and Manner in which I began this prefent Chapter. But as there are many greater Pri- vileges by way of Variation, Interruption, and Digreffion, allow'd to us Writers ^Miscel- lany; and efpecially to fuch as are Commen- tators upon other Authors ; I (hall be content to remain myfterious in this refpecl, and ex- plain my-felf no further than by a noted Story; which feems to fute our Author's Purpofe, and the prefent Argument. TiS