Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/233

Rh other. Mr. Dennis in anſwer to this, in a letter to a member of parliament, with much zeal, force of argument, and leſs ferocity than uſual, endeavours to overthrow the propoſition, and ſhew the danger of prieſtcraft, both to religion and government.

In this letter he very ſenſibly obſerves, ‘That ſince the very ſpirit of the chriſtian religion, is the ſpirit of union and charity, it follows by conſequence, that a ſpirit of diviſion, is a ſpirit of malice, and of the Devil. A true ſon of the church, is he who appears moſt for union, who breathes nothing but charity; who neglects all worldly greatneſs to bear his maſter’s yoke; and who has learned of him to be meek and lowly of heart.’

He ſhews that the moderate part of the Church of England are the trueſt church; and that violent party which differs from the moderate ought to be called Diſſenters, becauſe they are at a greater diſtance from charity, which is the characteriſtric of a true church, than any Diſſenters. By which, ſays he, ‘It appears that Mr. Sacheverel has made a rod to whip himſelf, for if only the true Church of England is to remain, and if the moderate part is the true church, the moſt violent ought the leaſt to be tolerated, becauſe they differ from charity; and conſequently are more ready to diſturb the public peace.’

In 1703 he publiſhed propoſals for putting a ſpeedy end to the war, by ruining the commerce of the French and Spaniards, and ſecuring our own without any additional expence to the nation. This was thought a very judicious, and well deſigned plan.

In 1706 our author publiſhed an Eſſay on the Italian Opera, in which, with an irreſiſtable force, he ſhews the extreme danger that a generous nation is expoſed to, by too much indulging effeminate muſic.