48 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



fond, and begun a collection very early, which, 

 in progress of time, came to be large and cu- 

 rious. But his chief recreation and relief from 

 his more necessary employments, and serious 

 studies, was the conversation of learned and in- 

 genious men ; and for this he was happily 

 situated ; the town then affording him a set of 

 acquaintance not only very knowing and judi- 

 cious, but also very coaimunicative ; in whose 

 agreeable and improving company, he spent 

 his vacant and leisure hours. The chief of 

 these were those celebrated London divines, who 

 were the ornaments of that age ; as Dr. Stilling- 

 fleet, Patrick, Beveridge, Cradock, Whichcot, 

 Calamy, Scot, Sherlock, Wake, and Cave ; and 

 above all, his dear and fast friends, Dr. Tillot- 

 son and Dr. Claggett, with whom he enjoyed 

 a more intimate conversation. They had fre- 

 quent stated meetings and conferences at each 

 other's houses (for it was a rule with Dr. Sharp, 

 and probably with the rest too, not to fre- 

 quent taverns, or places of public resort and 

 entertainment,) at which they proposed such 

 points of discourse, as they were desirous to 

 have each other's judgement and opinion upon; 

 and chiefly such subjects as pertained to their 



account of them, in which some treatises respecting the Eng- 

 lish coins, and their proper marks of difference, have been 

 thought, by good judges, very accurate and valuable. 



