164 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



been charged, in anonymous letters sent to him- 

 self, with rigour in his proceedings against his 

 Clergy ; though, in reality, he never was severe 

 where he could help it, or without a justifiable 

 cause, and that, too, after all other milder me- 

 thods had been taken in vain. 



A vicious and scandalous clergyman did, 

 above all other things, provoke his resentments ; 

 he never found it so difficult to keep his temper 

 as when any such person came before him. 

 It is true, taking all his Clergy together, and 

 considering their number, he had as many valu- 

 able and worthy men as could be met with in 

 the same compass, who were an honour to their 

 profession and his diocese ; and he was troubled 

 with as few unworthy ones, as could in reason 

 be expected in a country where such scanty 

 provisions were made for the churches, as were 

 in his time ; but these few were a great trouble 

 to him, and when he was forced to use severities 

 with any of them, that usage always procured 

 his favour and bounty to their poor innocent 

 families, whom he lamented should any ways 

 suffer for the faults of those who ought to have 

 protected and provided for them. 



Had he used his authority only over the clergy, 

 or confined his reprehensions and censures to 

 them alone who were neither of abilities to 

 cope with him, nor in a situation so independent 



