Ifi^G.] liccoUcctions of Dr. Parr. 137 



play then ?" — " Can you play piquet ?" — " A little, Sir ;" and to -pitjuet 

 we went. 



In the course of the evening the Doctor cried out, " Have you read 

 Sardanapalus ?" — " Yes, Sir." — " Right, and you couldn't sleep a wink 

 after it ?" — " No." — " Right, right, now don't say a word more about it 

 to-night." The memory of that fine poem seemed to act like a spell of 

 horrible fascination upon him. 



Among his detached opinions, I only remember his asserting that 

 night, that the subject of Churchill's poem, " The Ghost," was 7iot the 

 famous Cock-lane Ghost. He named what it was, which I regret to 

 have forgotten. 



He next adverted to the prosecution that was then going on about 

 " Cain," and said it would only increase its notoriety ; he then added 

 these awful and memorable words : " Indeed, no body ever could define 

 what blasphemy was. For my part, I never heard a man blaspheme 

 but one, and that was — Baretti !" He described him as " a villanous 

 looking fellow, like a murderer ;" and said he was once in company with 

 him after the trial in which Baretti very narrowly escaped by a verdict 

 of manslaughter. Notwithstanding the presence of a churchman, Ba- 

 retti began indecorously ridiculing the superstitions of his own country ; 

 next, religious worship in general ; and lastly, denied the existence of a 

 Supreme Being. 



Dr. Parr, having meditated his plan of attack, appeared (waving all 

 professional privileges) most ready for free and fair discussion. 



" Mr. Baretti," he said, " I will go upon your own ground — I will 

 give up a particular revelation to God's own people — I will admit (for 

 the sake of argument) that the Christian religion is unfounded : — I give 

 up all religions, all churches. You see, Mr. Baretti, I make pretty 

 large concessions for a churchman. But, Sir, in civilized society there 

 must be some, restraint — there is such — there does exist a being who 

 has power over you — a person whom you must look up to — whom you 

 must reverence — whom you must fear I" He paused ; and when ex- 

 pectation was wound up to the highest, resumed, in a voice of thunder 

 — " It is the hangman I it is the hangman, ]Mr. Baretti. \^^len you have 

 got rid of all religious responsibility, jou still must stand in awe and 

 tremble before him!" This, to one who had but just escaped the rope 

 of the executioner, was, to be sure, a thrust not to be parried. 



I have heard Dr. Parr speak in high terms of Dr. Middleton, author 

 of the " Life of Cicero." Indeed, where there was merit, no difference in 

 political or religious creeds could damp the full flow of his praise. Yet 

 was he the farthest in the world from a blameable indifference. Mys- 

 terious subjects of a religious nature he approached with a holy awe. 

 He lamented dissent, though he did not think it a sufficient reason for 

 producing uncharitableness between men and brethren. To those who 

 could hardly comprehend such exalted toleration, he alone appeared 

 deficient in zeal. But let us recollect that similar spirits wrote treatises 

 on the " indifference" of the mild Melancthon — and be satisfied. 



Of the celebrated Tom Sheridan, of convivial memory, he used to 

 say, that when a pupil under his care, he was able to teach him the 

 meaning of every word in the English language, saving one little mono- 

 syllable — and that single monosyllable was " no !" 



Of his grandfather, Thomas Sheridan, father of Richard Brinsley, he 

 retained a most affectionate remembrance. To an old friend he said, 



M. M. Nexi} Series,— \oi.. I. No. 2. T 



