NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 23 



stone-walls, so starve them to death under pre- 

 tence of sanctity ; and because not to die a vio- 

 lent death, the anchorite fancies he dies not 

 at all. Is not this a fine way to mortify the 

 flesh, when at the same time they'll surfeit with 

 fish ? that grope in the dark at noon-day, and 

 hold up a taper to illuminate the sun ? that like 

 spiders, they'll unravel their own bowels, though 

 it be but to entrap a silly insect. 



At-n. I look on the hierarchy of the Church 

 of Rome, like men that encounter a blasted fate : 

 Where priests are saints bells, but defective of 

 sound ; and oracles at the altar, but dumb in ex- 

 planation ; that kindle their tapers to blaze in 

 the temple, and consecrate sacrifices without a 

 blessing ; so cover their nakedness with a Baby- 

 lonish garment : Where mattins are metamor- 

 phosed into masquins, collects translated into 

 collations, and St Anthony's bells into nocturnal 

 cabals. These are the men that can mode reli- 

 gion, and dress it up to humour the times. 



Theoph. Religion of late is very much dis- 

 cours'd, and after some sort crept into most 

 men's mouths ; but least in practice of any thing 

 practicable. If they tell you that Asians are 

 Athenians, you are bound to believe them ; and 

 that Turks are Christians, you cann't disprove 

 them, since France and the Port have been con- 

 federates. Nay, there are some blear-ey'd Ro- 



