1828. ] Echard’s Contempt of Clergy. 583 
so falling on again with fresh Valour, he fights backward and forward, charges 
through and through, Routs, Kills, Takes, and then Gentlemen, as you were. 
Now, to such of his Parish as have been in the late Wars, this is not very 
formidable ; for they do but suppose themselves at Naseby or Edg-hill, and 
they are not much scared at his Doctrine ; but as for others, who have not 
had such fighting opportunities, it is very lamentable to consider, how shiver- 
ing they sit without understanding, ’till the Battle be over. The like instance 
might be easily given of many more discourses ; the Metaphorical Phrasing 
whereof, depending upon peculiar Arts, Customs, Trades and Professions, 
makes them useful and intelligible only to such who have been very well 
busied in such like Employments.” 
After several other styles have been humorously discussed, we come 
to one very amusing one :— 
“ But for a short text, that certainly was the greatest Break that ever was ; 
which was occasioned from those words of St. Luke, Chap. 23, Ver. 28. Weep 
not for me, Weep for yourselves, or as some read it, but weep for yourselves. 
It is a plain case, Sir; here are but eight words, and the business was so cun- 
ningly ordered, that there sprang out eight parts: Here are, says the Doctor, 
eight words and eight parts. 1. Weep not. 2. But weep. 3. Weep not, but weep. 
4. Weep for me. 5. For yourselves. 6. For me, for yourselves. 7. Weep not 
Sor me. 8. But weep for yourselves. That is to say, North, North and by 
East, North North East, North East and by North, North East, North East 
and by East, East North East, East and by North East. Now it seems not 
very easie to determine which has obliged the world, he that found out the 
Compass, or he that divided the forementioned Text : but I suppose the Cracks 
will go generally upon the Doctor's side, by reason what he did was done by 
undoubted Art, and absolute Industry; but as for the other, the common 
report is, that it was found out by meer foolish Fortune. Well, let it go how 
it will, questionless they will be both famous in their way, and honourably 
mentioned to Posterity. 
The ingenious divine who preached on “ Weep not for me,” &c. 
was Dr. Playfere, who flourished about the end of the reign of Eliza- 
beth ; and it must be confessed, that he and the other divines above- 
mentioned made almost as much of their texts as the facetious John 
Dodd did of the short text given him by the thieves—viz. “ Malt.” 
These extracts will suffice to shew Echard’s style. ‘There are many of 
his sketches of character, as of the dandy, the philosopher “ hot from 
Cartesius,” and others who despise the clergy, admirably well done ; 
but we have no space to extract them. We think a book on the preach- 
ing of the present day might be made a humorous one: there is as 
much room for it, as there was in the time of Echard. 
His other principal work is a dialogue against Hobbes (on whose 
steel cap, as Warburton observes, every theologian thundered), between 
Philautus and Timothy—the name of which, at least, was remembered 
by Swift, when he wrote his Dialogue between Mad Mullinix and 
Timothy. Echard was one of the Dean’s favourite authors. 
