Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/56

 no body cares to undertake it, unles ome humble creature of the Tyrant-, who is oblig'd to accept of it with a good grace, to erve a double policy; as by this means he may conceal from vulgar eyes how bad a condition their affairs are in, and by whoe fault they became o——— For I have heard, by the by, that all of colleges, and Senior fellows, do not pay their Battels as they ought to do.

But I was peaking of my lord Clarendon's hitory.—Is it not a very dicouraging conideration to all future benefactors that o great a man, as this noble author, hould watch o many nights, and wate o much of his brain, only to enable one man to fare umptuouly every day; to entertain Lords and miniters of tate; to eat French kickhaws, and drink French wine; to game, to wench, to tock-job, and indulge himelf in all the vanities and vices of the world?

I have indeed often heard it argued in defence, or rather in commieration of this venerable deceiver, that he was a very worthy, but unfortunate gentleman; that the mot urgent neceities obliged him at that time to do what he did; that it had been the cae of a great many very honet men, beides him; and that if we waited with chritian patience, and chritian charity, he would, no doubt, poor gentleman! honetly re-imbure us; with a great deal more of uch old-woman-like tuff, which might with as much jutice be pleaded in behalf of a pick-pocket, or an highway-man.

Nay, don't we, in like manner, often hear the friends of one who comes to the gallows, ay, with tears in their eyes, alas! poor young man! his mifortunes brought him to this; neceity obliged him to it: whereas, perhaps, if you examined his life, you would find that his vices were his only misfortunes; and that if Neceity did oblige him to it, yet