4e11.] 
rody of Spinoza’s mode of reasoning, and 
‘shows that at this period the author’s 
mind was occupied about the abstruser 
questions of metaphysical philosophy, 
and in the demolition of all educational 
prejudices. The Jatin phraseology of 
this treatise was originally very incorrect; 
‘but has been subsequently amended: 
some notes in English, and an Epistle 
‘against the fear of death, are affixed, ‘in 
which Clarke and Spinoza are repeatedly 
quoted, 
In the year 1750, Fransham was -en- 
‘gaged asa private tutor for the young 
thidren of Mr. Leman, ‘a farmer at 
‘Hellesdon’: when his services were no 
fonger necessary there, he refumed the 
occupation of writing for attorneys, and 
for authors. The reverend Samuel 
Bourne, who came in 1754, to settle at 
Norwich, occasioually employed him as 
an amanuensis: an unpublished disser- 
tation of that rational divine, on the 
Mosaic Dispensation, ‘which ‘espouses 
the scheme of ‘the antisupernaturalists, 
was lately circulated, in Fransham’s hand. 
writing, and is thought to -be-still ex- 
‘tant. 
Fransham was now acquiring, or ra- 
ther exercising, a marked distaste against 
the Christian religion. This was much 
the fashion of the time. At the court 
of George ‘the Second, the literature of 
infidelity was not frowned down: it was 
thought to diminish.the certainty and the 
Mecessaria: ergo eternum st (axiom. .v1.) 
qc. d. 
sills Coroll. 
‘Omnis substantia est immutabilis. 
Coroll. ex precedentibus. 
‘Spatium, vel extensio, est (prop. wirr.} 
non dependens, (prop. xiv.) unica substan- 
tia, solum (axiom. wr1r.) absolute necessa- 
rium, solum (defin. writ.) a se existens, 
solum (coroll. 1.) non ab alio eftectum, in- 
finitum (axiom. vi11.) simplex (prop. xv.) 
immobile (coroll. 11.) eternum (coroll. 111.) 
immutabile (coroll. prop. xvi.) essentia uni« 
wersalis (coroll. prop. x1v.), causaque omnium 
caterorum existentium. — i 
: ‘Scholium. 
' é Definitio. 
_. @ns non dependens quod etiam causa est 
emnium ceterorum existentium Deus appel- 
datur. 5 
. Hine sequitur: 
Spatium esse (prop. viii. et coroll, prop. 
ziv-) Deum. 
‘Porro. 
, Spatium (prop. x1v-) solum esse Deum, 
' Coroll. 
_ Deus, vel spatium, est solidum, 
» 
Memoirs of the late John Fransham. $43 
authority of theologians, and thus their 
asperities and persecutions: it was 
thought to corroborate the impartiality, 
discernment, ‘and tolerance of the ma- 
gistrate. ‘Perhaps it was considered too 
as inculeating the natural and expedient 
doctrine of ‘the military and literary 
classes ; inasmuch as it unlocks the cham= 
bers of pleasure, banishes the fear of 
death, bestows frankness and moral 
courage, strengthens the vigour, and en- 
farges the dominion of intellect. Reli- 
gious indifference also favours a cosmo- 
polite pliancy, or plasticity of character’; 
which, in ‘colonial ‘emigrants, and in 
ambitious sectaries, prepares ‘an expe- 
dient conformity to contiguous opinion, 
With the calm repose of indifference the 
activity of Fransham’s mind was not con- 
tent: he hated, as Porson says of Gib- 
bon, our religion cordially. Those who 
knew him, (I am quoting a written -do- 
cument) observe: “ Christianity and 
bull-baiting, Christianity and horse- 
docking,—Christianity and hunting,—in 
fine, Christianity and * cruelty, were with 
him inseparable ideas.” In a disposition 
so prone to compassionate the brute 
creation, these were expressions of the 
utmost abhorrence. 
Among Franshami’s ‘books ‘may be re- 
marked a-copy of Thomas Chubb’s Post- 
humous ‘Works, carefully eorrected 
througkovt with the pen, is if intended 
fox republication; and ‘fringed with mar-= 
‘ginal annotations, which imbitter the 
Scattered sarcasm, strengthen the bold- 
ness of the arguments, and shake with 
sceptical doubts the narrow isthmus of 
retained creed. In the humble origin 
and -rank of Chubb, in -his -selftaueht 
excellence and intellectual clearness, 
Fransham must ‘have felt a parallelism 
of condition, which probably instigated 
this project for editing anew the writings 
of the glover of Salisbury. 
‘* As a metaphysician,” continues’ the 
manuscript document, on which I rely, 
** Fransham was an ardent admirer of 
Hume, whom he calls the prince of phi- 
dosophers, and whose dialogue ‘On Na. 
tural Religion,’ the considered as among 
the most exquisite aud masterly produces 
tions of the human mind.” This with 
the Natural History of Religion, the 
Sceptic, and the Essay on Miracles, 
are in fact the only portions of the works 
of 
* He would cite, in illustration, the punish 
ment of sodomy with death, as a crucity pe~ 
culiar to Christian countries. 
