THE 
 
 H I S T O R Y 
 
 O F 
 
 The Robinhood Society. 
 
 IN WHICH THE 
 
 ORIGIN 
 
 OF THAT 
 
 Illustrious Body of Men 
 is traced ; 
 
 TheMethod of managing their Debates 
 
 is fhewn ; 
 
 The Memoirs of the various Members 
 that compofe it are given ; 
 
 And fome Original Speeches, as 
 Specimens of their Oratorical Abilities, are 
 recorded. 
 
 Chiefly compiled from Original Papers. 
 
 I will a round, unvarnilh’d Tale deliver $ 
 
 ---nothing extenuate. 
 
 Nor let down aught in Malice. 
 
 Shakespear e. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for James Fletcher and Co. at the 
 Oxford Theatre in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 
 
 M.PCC.LXIV. 
 

 V 1 
 
 
 Ji 
 
 
 267550 
 
 HS^P'65' 
 L 7R(,2 
 
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 -A ' V ■ 
 
 !■’ ■ » 
 
 BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRARY 
 CHESTNUT HILL. MASS. 
 

 TO THE 
 
 Truly Honourable and Highly Refpe&able 
 
 BODY of MEN, 
 
 CALLED, 
 
 "The Robinhood Society , 
 
 THIS 
 
 HISTORY, 
 
 WITH 
 
 The mod perfeft Admiration of 
 
 v » 
 
 Their Unrivalled Abilities, 
 
 AND 
 
 With the Profoundeft Refpefl, 
 
 t 
 
 Is moll fubmiffively 
 
 DEDICATED, 
 
 B Y 
 
 The Author, 
 
 A 2 
 
■ROST 'fi' COLLEGE LiBRMlY 
 E ° I’CMUT HILL, MASS, 
 
 CHLb 
 
TO THE 
 
 PUBLIC. 
 
 r^eeOREVERAL Pamphlets 
 
 having from Time to 
 #(30C S jdM Time beenpublifhed 
 
 fteikS concernill s thc Ro " 
 
 binhood Society.* 
 fome in Vindication of it, and 
 others againft it, the public At¬ 
 tention has been awakened$. and 
 many have defined to know the 
 
 A 3 Orgin* 
 
vi To the PUBLIC. 
 
 Origin of this Society, and to 
 be acquainted with its Proceed¬ 
 ings, from it firft Formation to 
 its prefent State. But no Work 
 hitherto printed, has related thefe 
 Particulars. Indeed, they have 
 all been fo remarkably hlent on 
 thefe Heads, that, like the brave 
 Irijhman> who, born ©f a com¬ 
 mon Proftitute, and unable to 
 learn who was his real Father, 
 concluded he had none at all, 
 many People imagine, either that 
 this Society had no Origin, or 
 that it is fo obfcure and uncer¬ 
 tain, that no Traces of it can 
 now be difcovered. 
 
 But this is a Miftake. A true 
 and impartial Review of thefe 
 
 ^ Parti- 
 
To the PUBLIC, vii 
 
 Particulars may be expedled in 
 thefe Memoirs ; and it is not 
 doubted, but it will amply gratify 
 the Curiofity of the Reader. If 
 he defires to know from whence 
 thefe Materials have been drawn, 
 
 I fhali inform him, that they 
 were from Manufcripts of my 
 Grandfather and Father; the for¬ 
 mer of whom was not only a 
 Member, but the Promoter of 
 “ The Societie for Free and 
 cc Candyd Enquiries for fb 
 were they at firfi: called ; and in¬ 
 deed, they have retained the Title 
 ever fince. 
 
 As to the Hiftory of the Mem¬ 
 bers of the Robinhood Society, 
 for 1764* that, indeed, is intirely 
 
 my 
 
viii To the PUBLIC. 
 
 my own Work, I have been obli¬ 
 ged to no one for Anecdotes, but 
 to the Members themfelves; and 
 I have, with no fmall Pains and 
 > Induflry, as well as Time and 
 
 Expence, collected from them 
 fuch Accounts as the Reader will 
 here meet with. Indeed, in a 
 Work of this Nature, fome Anec¬ 
 dotes, not founded on Fadts, muff 
 be expefted > Anecdotes invented 
 4 by the Envy or Vanity of the. 
 
 5 Relater. But it is hoped, the 
 
 Number of thefe is but few: For 
 the Author, or rather Compiler, 
 has, when he fufpedted the Truth 
 of any Relation, not contented 
 himfelf with having fomething 
 new to fay, as too many of our 
 Biographers and Hiftory-Writers 
 
 do ; 
 
To the PUBLIC. he 
 
 do 3 but has made the moil; dili¬ 
 gent Enquiries of different People, 
 to "whom the feveral Members 
 were intimately known, and fome 
 as School-fellows 3 and from them 
 he has learnt their real Parentage 
 and Education , Life , Character 
 and Behaviour : So that, in gene¬ 
 ral, thefe Memoirs may be deem¬ 
 ed as a uthent ic and genuine, as, 
 perhaps, any that have been 
 ever given to the World, though 
 they may not be fo gaudily 
 dreffed. 
 
 The Speeches I have given on 
 different Subjects, as Specimens 
 of the Members Abilities, are, in 
 
 the fbrieft Senfe of the Word, 
 Original 3 for they were taken 
 
 down 
 
x To the PUBLIC. 
 
 down in Short-Hand, at the very 
 Time they were fpoken* 
 
 The Reader may now difcera 
 what he has to expeCt in this 
 Work. And, without the Im¬ 
 putation of Vanity, I think I may 
 affirm, that the Public will be both 
 inftruCted and entertained in the 
 Perufal of it. The Robinhood 
 Society has,, of late, greatly at¬ 
 tracted the Notice of the World; 
 and is now fo much frequented, 
 that, almoff: every Monday Night, 
 Numbers are robbed of the En¬ 
 tertainment they expeCt, becaufe 
 it is fo crowded, that no Qiore 
 can be admitted. 
 
 To 
 
S& the PUBLIC. xi 
 
 To thofe who have often at¬ 
 tended the Society, and are ac¬ 
 quainted with the Nature of it, 
 the Author of thefe Memoirs ap¬ 
 peals for a Character of Candour 
 and Impartiality; and he is confi¬ 
 dent they will allow, that his De- 
 fcription of the Debates is true 
 and faithful, his Portraits of the 
 Members juft and ftriking, and 
 the Speeches he has feledted au¬ 
 thentic and original 
 
 He will only add farther con¬ 
 cerning this Work, that he be¬ 
 lieves no other MSS. but thofe he 
 has in his Pofieffion, containing 
 the Origin of the Society and 
 its Proceedings, till it was re¬ 
 moved 
 
xii To the PUBLIC. 
 
 moved to the Butcher-Row, are 
 now extant. 
 
 A s then no other Perfon is able 
 to trace the Original of the Soci¬ 
 ety, and relate its Progrefs for no 
 lefs a Term than 151 Years, (for 
 fo long it has fubfifted) he doubts 
 
 not but his complete Hijlory will 
 favourably be received. 
 
 * * * 
 

 THE 
 
 % 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 * *• * I l • 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Robinhood Society. 
 
 H E Englifh have been cha- 
 ra&eriied by many ingenious 
 Foreigners, as a People that 
 delight greatly in Clubs and 
 AfTemblies ; which they im¬ 
 pute to a focial and good-natured Difpo- 
 fition, and to a Love of Science. It is 
 owing to this Difpofition, and to this af¬ 
 fection for Knowledge, that there^is fcarce 
 a Town or Village in our Kingdom, but 
 
 B what 
 
2 
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 •what has its Clubs, or Places of no&urna! 
 Entertainment; where, after the Fatigues 
 of the Day, Men of various Occupations 
 in Life, meet to diflipate the Gloom which 
 has been fpread by Study, or any intenfe 
 Application ; and, by a mutual Commu¬ 
 nication of Sentiment, either in Flafhes of 
 Wit, or folid Argument, to improve their 
 Judgments, and entertain their Imagi¬ 
 nations. 
 
 Such is the favourable Point of View 
 in which judicious Foreigners behold our 
 natural Propenfity of forming and fre¬ 
 quenting Clubs ; and fuch their Defcription 
 of the good Effects refulting from them. 
 
 But, I am afraid, that though fome 
 Clubs produce thefe EfFe&s, the Genera- 
 rality of them produce the Reverfe; and 
 may be deemed Receptacles for the Idle 
 and the DifTolute, where Modefty is 
 thrown aftde, like their Great Coats, 
 and where Impiety, Obfcenity, and Li- 
 centioufnefs prevail to the greateft Degree j 
 where a Love of Lazinefs, and an Averfion 
 to honeft Induftry are contra&ed ; where 
 the keeping ill Hours is encouraged, to 
 the great Detriment of Individuals, and to 
 the Prejudice of the Community; and 
 
 where, 
 
the Robinhood Society. 3 
 
 where, in fhort, no ufeful Subje<£l em¬ 
 ploys their Thoughts or Tongues, but 
 mere Noife and Nonfenfe, obfcene Songs 
 or Tales, and large Draughts of Liquor, 
 form their Savage Happinefs. 
 
 But, however true this Defcription 
 may be of Clubs in general, it cannot be 
 faid, that the particular Kind of Club, re- 
 fembling that of the Robinhood, is of 
 their Nature, or produces their Effects : 
 Thofe are Drinking Clubs ; this is a Dif~> 
 put'ing one. At thofe Places, Men meet to 
 feed their 3odies ; at this, they aflemble 
 to feed their Minds. At thofe, Intoxi¬ 
 cation is very frequent; at this, very rare. 
 I could heighten the Contrail, but it is 
 needlefs. The Perufal of thefe Sheets will 
 fufEciently acquaint the Reader with the 
 Nature and Tendency of the Robinhood 
 Society, and of Difputing Clubs in 
 general ; and therefore, without flriving 
 to biafs his Judgment, or preclude his Re¬ 
 marks by any of my own, I {hall proceed 
 to my Account of The Society for 
 4< Free and Candid Enquiry”, from 
 its infant State, to its prefent mature 
 Growth, at the Robinhood and Little 
 John, in Butcher- Row . 
 
4 Tfo HISTORY of 
 
 In the Year 1613, when that fine Piece 
 of Work, equally honourable and ufeful, 
 the New River was completed, Sir Hugh 
 Myddleton, who had a great Affe&ion 
 and Regard for my Grand-father, Wil¬ 
 liam G********, Efq; being in Com¬ 
 pany with him one Day, lamented it as a 
 great Infelicity, and a vafi: Obftru&ion of 
 human Knowledge, that light and trivial 
 Subje&s alone generally found Admittance 
 into polite Companies, while important 
 and weighty ones were excluded. My 
 Grand-father acquiefced with him in Sen¬ 
 timents, and propofed it as hrs Opinion, 
 that a Society might be formed to confift 
 of a certain Number of Gentlemen, of li¬ 
 beral Education and acquired Accomplifh- 
 ments, to meet Weekly, at fome conve¬ 
 nient Room, to difeourfe on Subje&s that 
 would contribute to their mutual Inftruc- 
 tion and Entertainment. Sir Hugh de¬ 
 clared it was a lucky Suggeftion, and he 
 would think of it at Leifure, and let him 
 know his Opinion of the Practicability of 
 putting fuch a Scheme into Execution the 
 next Time he faw him. 
 
 The Intimacy that had, for many Years, 
 fubfifted between Sir Hugh and my Grand¬ 
 father, 
 
the Robinhood Society. 5 
 
 father, would not permit their being ab¬ 
 sent for any confiderable Time after this 
 Meeting, and the Starting of a Subject 
 which had fuch Chaims for both. My 
 Grand-father was a good Speaker, and no 
 bad Writer. In the juvenile Part of his 
 Life, he had been engaged in mercantile 
 Bufinefs in a very extenlive Manner ; and 
 conducing his Affairs with Skill and Prii- 
 dence for about feven-and-twenty Years, 
 he had amafTed no lefs a Sum than forty- 
 feven thoufand Pounds ; with which, con¬ 
 trary to a great Number of Merchants, 
 being contented, he retired from Bufinefs, 
 and lived on the intereff of his Fortune.. 
 As to Sir Hugh, lie was a Man of ex¬ 
 treme good natural Parts, heightened and 
 embellifhed by the Acquifition of the ufe- 
 ful and ornamental Parts of Learning ; and 
 having, at the Expence of the greateft 
 Part of an opulent Fortune, completed 
 his darling Project of bringing Water from 
 IVare, through various Turnings and 
 Windings, to London , thereby fupplying 
 that great Metropolis with one of the 
 greateft NecefTaries of Life, he had now 
 Leifure to confider of other Employ¬ 
 ments, and partake of other Amufements, 
 not lefs fuited to his Taffe, and for which 
 he was not lefs qualified. At the Meet- 
 
 B 3 ing 
 
6 lie HISTORY of 
 
 ing my Grand-father and Sir Hugh had 
 at the oldeft Tavern in London , the Lon- 
 don Stone , in Cannon-Street , over a Bottle 
 of found Red Port, and, while fmoaking a 
 Pipe of the new-lound Plant, Tobacco, 
 (which had been introduced into England 
 by Sir Walter Raleigh, but about 
 t wenty-fiveYears before) they difcourfed at 
 large of the Advantages that might be reaped 
 from a Society of judicious Perfons, meet¬ 
 ing once a Week to debate on Subje£!s of 
 Importance. For an Account of the In- 
 ftitution and Nature of the Society, I am 
 indebted to a Folio Book, which I have 
 now in my Cuftody, in my Grand-father's 
 own Hand-writing, and from which I 
 have tranfcribed the following Paffages, 
 
 * i» 
 
 44 It was here (fays the good old Man) 
 44 that wee fully difcourfed of the Affaire. 
 44 Sir Hugh declared the Number of Per- 
 u Tons that were to compofe our Societie 
 44 ought to be limitted, and that they 
 44 fhoulde not exceede twentie ; and in 
 44 fine, wee both agreed in this Point, 
 44 that wee woukie forthwith looke out 
 44 and learch for proper Perfons to be- 
 44 longe to the Societie, and whofe Names 
 44 wee woulde enter into a little Booke : 
 And after that we had gained our pro- 
 
 4,4 pofed 
 
 <6 
 
the Robinhood Society. 7 
 
 44 pofed Number of Perfons, which wee 
 44 alfoe asreed (houlde be noe more than 
 44 twentie, nor lcfs than twelve, wee 
 tc would aflembel ourefelves once in a 
 44 Week, at a Houfe of one of the So- 
 44 cietie, and the next Week, at the 
 ' 4 Houfe of another, and fo on ’till wee 
 44 had been at each other’s Houfe. After 
 44 wee had fpoken of thefe Things, and 
 44 fully agreed thereon, as I have here 
 44 amply related, wee parted ; Sir Hugh 
 44 wins: to a Countrie Houfe he had late- 
 44 lie rented at Mile-end , and I going to 
 44 mine in Norfolk-Street . 
 
 44 About one Moneth after this, wee 
 44 had gotten the Number of fifteen Per- 
 44 fons, all of whome were Men of good- 
 44 lie Parts and difcreete and worthie 
 44 Conduct ; and at the Intreatie of my 
 44 verie good Friende«Sir Hugh, wee met 
 44 all of us at the London-Stone, of a JVcd- 
 44 nefday Night, to write downe our 
 44 Names in a Booke, and to abide by,-. . 
 44 and agree to, a few Articles, which 
 44 were drawne up by Sir Hugh, which 
 44 conteined all the Rules that wee would 
 44 be fubjeil to, and which I think meet 
 44 here to fetdown.” 
 
 B 4 , Let 
 
 
 y / 
 
 /) 0 2 
 
 ; c. 
 
 /- 
 
 A/U 
 
 
 K ' J / 
 
 'L'tsti ft A „ 
 
 If/ 
 
 
 
 .' A. 
 
 /-J- 
 
8 
 
 the HISTORY of 
 
 Let not the Reader think me too cir- 
 cumftantial for giving him the Articles 
 which this Society of Difputants drew up 
 and figned : Any Thing relative to the 
 Xnffitution of a Society which has lince that 
 
 j 
 
 Time made fuch Noife in the World, 
 cannot be unintcrefting ; on the contrary, 
 it may afford greater Pleafure to a curious 
 Perfon, than the Perufal of the trifling 
 Anecdotes that the mod eminent Hiftory- 
 Writers often fwell their Works with, or 
 even than many Papers that are obtruded 
 on the World by a certain Society, who 
 yet deem themfelves great Philofophers. 
 
 aKCscie© a no Eajs.es> 
 
 jaisici) w®<®, 
 
 2C!je ttnaernamea p 0 l£v»> »>, 
 
 Da (jereup agree to alitoe bpe, ana to 
 
 perfume. 
 
 jfidt, ‘JTOatC toe ao agree to com* 
 pofe ana fojme a^octe# 
 tie, toto'clj fljaU be ffplea ana callca, 
 
 . The 
 
the Robinhood Society. 9 
 
 The Societie for Free and 
 Candid Enquirie. 
 
 £>econtr, SCljat tore todl affemWe ano 
 meet at eadj other’s l^cttfes opiate? 
 of #l>ose Mleeklt'e; tljat ts to tape, 
 at t\)Z I^Ottfe of gut Hugh Myd- 
 dleton, tl)c fieft OTeeke, at tlje 
 i^ottfe of Thomas Venne, Cfcittter, 
 tlje fecono Meeke, ano at tlje fucteex^ 
 tng tljtrteene ©eutlemens ll^aufes, 
 tdjofe igantes are Ijercttnoet fet, in 
 tfje £Dj&er tljep tljere appears, t\)z ttjtr^ 
 teeite nert Slleckes. 
 
 SCtn'rn, Cfjat tlje 2Da(e of our *ipeet^ 
 mge (Ijall be a ftonoate, ano to nteete 
 at Pencil of t \)t Clock in t be Coen? 
 ntge, ano to kreake up at SCettne of 
 tlje Clocks. 
 
 • jTottrtk, HEf)at to anftoer tlje Cnoe 
 of our intentions, toee 00 agree, eadj 
 ano all of us, to mate kotune fuck ufe* 
 M ^udfious as maps from Itime to 
 fl&rtte occur to us/ njfndj ®all be 
 
 B 5 coppeo 
 
10 7be HISTORY of 
 
 copgeB into s iBooke, anB CjaTl bee Be* 
 bates on tn tbe £>roet Wherein tbe? 
 are fet BoWne. 
 
 f-itilh 2Cbat tfje firff SCbinge to bee 
 Banc eberp gSonQate jf>igbt (ball be to 
 reao tlje ffiueffion wbteb is to bee Bik 
 eottrfeB off tljat CSbcmnge, anB tljen 
 eberte one that oefiretb to fpeake to it 
 mate bo it, but be (ball not bee al# 
 lotneB to fpeake more tljatt ten £pt# 
 ntttes, nor (ball be fpeake again ’till 
 it contetb to Ijts Cunt. 
 
 injtbj 2Cbat wee bo agree that noe 
 tUuettton that is profeffeBlie on, o? 
 fabouretb of Keligion or affaires of 
 State bee pjopofeB or Bifcourfeo off; 
 for Wee all are of Opinion, tljat tbe 
 firlf is of Btbine SDrigitt, aitB pure 
 anB ttnBefrlcB, as fet forth in our er* 
 tellent JLttnrgte, anB tbe taking on 
 us fuel) unwarrantable iltbertie as to 
 tenfttre or to tail in ©tteffioti tbe Con* 
 Butt of tbofe whom tbe iiinge batb 
 appointeB to manage tlje affaires of 
 
 Ijts 
 
the Robinhood Society. 1i 
 
 l)i$ ^tngoome, ts not a fit fatter foj 
 no to ijanoel, noj a proper ^Dbjecte fo^ 
 tije <Sitcjuirpe0 of tfuoiouo $pen, toijo 
 ioattte onite to cttittbatc ano to meitoe 
 rljetr rcafonabei faculties. JBefioeg, 
 tt t0 flptng tit tlje jfacc of tl;e ilunge 
 btmfeif, toijofe foie JBufinefg tt to to 
 fee fits Hitngoome Ijatlj proper ana fit 
 ffltnitteve to manage tlje affatres 
 tljereoff, ano in Cffect eenfttung butt 
 tljat ije ootb not fee public ; 3 ffatresa? 
 better conottcreo, 
 
 &ebentb, SLljat tt (bail ano rnape bee 
 iatofuii to ano foj attp Member of tin's 
 ^octette to piopofe anp perlon to be^ 
 ioitge to tt, but tijat tije j$ame of 
 fttcb #erfon fijaii be oeltbereo in 
 OTrtttnge to ail tbe pjefent tmoer^ 
 nameo ano fttbfcrtbtnge Members; 
 but no rnoje than fine fljall bee aorntt* 
 teo tljt0 p^efettt foeare. 
 
 3 n Mitnefle of tbefe our articles, 
 Mules, ano agreements, toe babe fare* 
 unto fet our Barnes in our ottm ?pano- 
 
 Writ 
 
iz ’The HISTORY of 
 
 OT'minp tljts ftoeteentfj Date of tfje 
 £©onetl) of ©rtobcc, ano tn ttje ^eare 
 of OUC JLOJO 1613, 
 
 \* j -v . V' > ’ " W 
 
 Hugh Myddleton. 
 Thomas Venne. 
 William G******** 
 Joseph Lewis. 
 
 Samuel Read. 
 
 • f ~ i ■ ■*- ' V s - • % 
 
 John Dowding. 
 
 Sam. Cooke. 
 
 Ben. Jervis. 
 
 Richard Palmer. 
 Will. Somerville. 
 Will. Whitaker. 
 John Whitaker. 
 
 John Slade. 
 
 Richard Read. 
 
 John Grant, 
 
 The 
 
 
the Robinhood Society. 15 
 
 The firft Meeting which this Society 
 of Gentlemen had, was the Monday fubfe- 
 quent to the Drawing up and Signing 
 the foregoing Articles, being the 20th 
 Day of October , 1613. At Seven o’Clock 
 in the Evening, precifely, they all met at 
 Sir Hugh Myddleton’s Town Houfe, 
 which was in the Strand ; and, after con¬ 
 gratulating each other on their propofed 
 Undertaking, and drinking two Glailes of 
 Wine each. Sir Hugh got into a large 
 Elbow Chair, and officiated as Prefident, 
 the reft being feated in common Chairs, 
 placed there for that Purpofe. 
 
 Sir Hugh then read the Queftion to 
 them, for their Night’s Debate 5 which 
 was as follows : 
 
 IVbether the common Methods of edu¬ 
 cating Youth , in this Nation , are not 
 very defective , both with refpedte to 
 Alorals^ and a Knowledge of the Eng- 
 lifh Tongue ? 
 
 This Queftion, the Reader will per¬ 
 ceive, was a very good one, and worthy 
 the Confideration of the moft refpecfable 
 Society. I might be thought unpardonably 
 
 prolix. 
 
i + The HISTORY of 
 
 prolix, were I to tranfcribe the long Ac¬ 
 count which my Grand-father has given 
 of the Debate upon this Queftion, and the 
 many learned and ingenious Arguments 
 produced by the feveral Members ; yet it 
 would be equally unpardonable, to omit 
 the capital Arguments, and pafs over in 
 Silence the Manner in which this firft 
 Queftion of The Society for Free and Can¬ 
 did Enquiry , was handled. 
 
 Sir Hugh, after he had read the Quef¬ 
 tion, afked if any of the Gentlemen pre- 
 fent chofe to deliver his fentiments of it 
 to the Company. On which Mr. Whi¬ 
 taker got up, and in a learned Speech 
 pointed out the many errors, which, he 
 apprehended, prevailed in the then defec¬ 
 tive Syftem of Education. He expatiated 
 on the Folly of the major Part of Parents 
 of the lower Clafs, in fending their Sons 
 to School, to learn many Parts of Educa¬ 
 tion, which it was almoft impoffible, and 
 highly improbable, from their fituation in 
 life, they could poflibly ever have any 
 Occafion for. He then pointed out the 
 erroneous Methods that Schoolmafters in 
 general made Ufe of, to introduce Youth 
 to the Knowledge of the Languages di- 
 ftinguifhed with great Propriety and Pre- 
 cifion, the various Qualifications that 
 
 ought 
 
the Robinhood Society, 1 y 
 
 ought to centre in that Perfon, that took 
 on him the arduous Bufinefs of fafhioning 
 the juvenile Mind, and infilling the Prin¬ 
 ciples of Science; and fhewed how thefe 
 various Qualifications ought to be exerted 
 towards thofe committed to their Care, if 
 any Fruit was to be expe&ed from the 
 young Nurfery. He then confidered the 
 Bufinefs of Education, fo far as it related 
 to the Morals of Youth : And here he 
 lamented, that the mod important fhould 
 be the mod negle&ed Branch of Educa¬ 
 tion ; that the inculcating the great Duties 
 of Religion and Morality, fhould be look’d 
 on as of fuch fmall moment, as to be to¬ 
 tally difregarded ; and, in fine, that the 
 Sydem of Education in general, left the 
 Minds of Youth unfurnifhed with real 
 Knowledge, and their Hearts uninfluenced 
 hy the great Principles of Chridianity. 
 
 My Grand-father enforced this Speech 
 of Mr. Whitaker by fome additional 
 Arguments, and placing the others in a 
 ftronger and more driking Light. But the 
 bed, and mod remarkable Speech, is that 
 which was made by Mr. Jervis, who 
 was, as appears by my MS. at that time 
 pofleded of a Place at Court, which pro¬ 
 duced him upwards of thirteeen hundred 
 
 Pounds 
 
1 6 The HISTORY of 
 
 Pounds a Year ; an immenfe Sum at that 
 time ! This Speech, in my Opinion, is fo 
 good, and the Complaint he makes of the 
 defective Methods of Education in thofe 
 Days, fo well adapted to the modern Me¬ 
 thod of Education, that, I think, I can¬ 
 not do better than give his Speech at full 
 Length. 
 
 44 This Quedion, Mr. Prefident, is 
 44 certainly of the lad Importance, and 
 44 worthy of the mod ferious Confidera- 
 44 tion. The forming of the Minds of 
 44 Youth, and implanting in them fuch 
 44 Seeds as, when ripened to Maturity, 
 46 may bring forth much good Fruit, is, 
 46 in my Opinion, of more Moment than 
 44 any other Subject about which we may 
 44 intered ourfelves ; and therefore de- 
 44 ferves to be fully fpoken to. 
 
 64 The human Mind has been conipa- 
 4,4 red, by antient Writers, to a Piece of 
 44 Wax, that may be moulded to any 
 44 Form, and is capable of receiving any 
 44 Impreffion, while it is young and pli- 
 44 able ; but when it grows old and ft iff, it 
 44 is with the utmod Labour, anjl at a vaft 
 44 Expence of Time, that we can imprint 
 
 the Shape of what we defire, on it, 
 
 44 From 
 
the Robinhood Society. V/ 
 
 <£ Fro'm hence we may and mud infer, 
 <c that it is the Duty of every Parent to 
 <c train up his Child to fuch Learning, as 
 <c may in time qualify him to be a worthy 
 <£ Member of that Community to which 
 <e he belongs : And let it be confidered 
 “ too, that Youth is the bed Time for 
 “ doing this, for the Reafon before af- 
 figned, and alfo, becaufe fuch Princi- 
 “ pies both of Religion, Morality and 
 “ Learning, which are inculcated, or, as 
 “ it were, engraved on his Heart, will 
 <c grow with his Growth, and drengthen 
 cc with his Strength, and at length will 
 £ ‘ be written on the Tablet of his Soul in 
 <c fuch deep and legible Characters, as 
 cc Time itfelf fhall not be able to erafe. 
 t£ Confider too, Gentlemen, it is far ea- 
 <c Tier to learn good things, than to unlearn 
 <c bad ones, which, I apprehend, there 
 “ is fome Necedity of doing, according 
 <c to the prcfent Sydern of Education pre- 
 “ vailing in this Kingdom, and which I 
 <c fhall now endeavour to prove. 
 
 cc In the fird Place then, I think, that 
 cc the true End of Education is both grofly 
 cc negleCted, and manifedly perverted by 
 64 the ProfefTors of it, not duly confider- 
 5C ing the Difference of Genius in Boys, 
 
 “ the 
 
18 ^HISTORY of 
 
 the different Conditions of Life in which 
 44 they are placed, and the different Pro- 
 44 feflions and Trades they are deligned for. 
 “ Education is like a vafl Bafon of fine 
 44 Water, which belongs to a large 
 44 Town, and to which every Inhabitant 
 44 has an equal Right; but every one 
 44 that would receive the Advantages of 
 44 it, mull furnifh Conduit-Pipes to direct 
 44 it to his own Hou'e, in like Manner as 
 44 our worthy Prefident firft planned, and 
 44 has now, compleated, the Current of 
 44 Ware Water, to the Houfe of ever y 
 44 Inhabitant in London. But if our Pro- 
 44 feffors of Education do not duly confi- 
 44 der the Capacities of thofe intruded to 
 44 their Care, but furnifh the Heads of 
 44 intended Taylors, Barbers, and Shoe- 
 44 makers, with fuch Branches of Learn- 
 44 ing, as are not only ornamental, but 
 44 abfolutely neceflary in Divines, Law- 
 44 yers, Phyficians, or Gentlemen of 
 44 Rank, who want to make a Figure in 
 44 the World, then Education may be 
 44 truly faid, like Water running to 
 44 Wade, though extremely good in it- 
 44 felf, to be of no real fervice to any 
 44 one, but rather a Misfortune to the 
 44 educated Perfon ; fince the Length of 
 44 Time employed in gathering Chaff, 
 
 44 might 
 
the Robinhood Society. 19 
 
 4i might have been much better employed 
 44 in reaping Com ; by which, I mean fuch 
 * 4 Parts of Education as are necefTary for 
 44 fuch particular Perfon. 
 
 44 When a Perfon, like that I have 
 44 been defcribing, arrives to an Age, 
 44 when Reafoti begins to exert itfelf, and 
 44 to blaze forth with a confiderable Degree 
 04 of Luftre, he finds he has miferably 
 44 mifpent his Time, in learning Things 
 44 which can poftibly be of no Service to 
 44 him, and neglecting thofe which are 
 44 necefTary to his going through life with 
 44 Credit to himfelf, and Utility to So- 
 44 ciety in general. Before he can furnifh 
 44 himfelf with Pieces of ufeful Know- 
 44 ledge, it is necefTary that he dived: him- 
 * 4 felf of fome Prejudices which he muft 
 44 have contracted, and fome Things 
 44 which he muft have learnt, while at 
 44 School: And it is not lefs difficult to 
 44 do thefe Things, than to gain new and 
 44 ufeful Acquifitions, in travelling the 
 44 Road of Science, and rambling in the 
 44 Fields of Learning. Since then Sub- 
 44 fiances, not Shadow’s, Things, not 
 44 Sounds, deferve the Attention of a 
 44 wife Man, it is highly necefTary, that 
 44 Wifdom and real Learning, fhould be 
 44 taught in our public Schools and Semi- 
 
 44 naries. 
 
2 o The H I S T 0 R Y of 
 
 44 naries. But it may be afked, what are 
 44 Wifdom and real Learning ? I anfwer, 
 “a thorough Knowledge of the Princi- 
 44 pies of the Chrirtian Religion, and of 
 44 the great Duties of Morality, and a 
 44 Competent Knowledge of the Englijh 
 44 Tongue. But neither of thefe, I ap- 
 44 prehend, are taught. The dead Lan- 
 44 guages only engrofs the Attention, and 
 44 excite the Care of Tutors and School- 
 44 mailers: And, indeed, if a Knowledge 
 44 of thofe Languages would facilitate the 
 44 Attainment of Wifdom itfelf, and mend 
 44 the Morals of thofe that learn them, it 
 44 would be a ufeful and an ornamental 
 44 Part of Education to every one5 not 
 44 only to the Prince, but Peafant ; not 
 44 only to the Nobleman or Divine, but 
 44 to the Tradefman and Artificer. Bat 
 44 I will be bold to fay, thefe Tilings are 
 44 not fo, nor do they produce thefe ef- 
 44 feefs. A Knowledge of the Languages, 
 44 is not Knowledge itfelf, but a Key 
 44 only, that being in the Hands of People 
 44 of Rank and Fortune, or thofe of the 
 44 learned Profertions, may by them be 
 44 made an Inftrument to unlock and open 
 44 the Cherts of Knowledge, from whence 
 44 they may load themfelves with Trea- 
 44 furej but the fame Things taken from 
 
 44 thefe 
 
21 
 
 the Robinhood Society. 
 
 <c thefe Cheds of Knowledge, are not 
 only of no Value to Men in mean 
 45 Trades, or to low Artifans, but abfo- 
 <c lutely an Incumbrance. 
 
 cc Nay, we may go {fill farther, and 
 <c afTertjthat the learning of fome particular 
 “ Branches of Literature, has manifeftly 
 <c a bad Tendency to encourage in the 
 e< Minds of thofe Youths intended for 
 Trade, fuch Notions of Things as will 
 <c abfolutely difqualify them from excel- 
 <c ling in their Bufinefles ; for, inftead of 
 iC endeavouring to become eminent in 
 c< their Trades, they will be ambitious of 
 “ being thought great Scholars ; though, 
 tc after all, perhaps, the Rudiments and 
 firfl Principles of Learning only they 
 <c have Capacities for acquiring. Hence a 
 <c miftaken Notion of their Superiority 
 over others in the fame humble Stations 
 <c of Life will arife ; and the Pride and 
 * c Vanity they poffefs, and which lead 
 them to difdain their Fellows, will in- 
 cc fallibly draw down on them their Con- 
 “ tempt and Indignation, and the Laugh- 
 c< ter op Pity of the reft of Mankind. 
 “ By thefe Means, Men that might have 
 <c become ufeful Members, turn Pefts of 
 <c Society, or, at lead, mere excrefcences; 
 
 “ and 
 
22 ?'he HISTORY of 
 
 “ and thus is the Community robbed of 
 * c the Induftry and Genius of many Indi- 
 “ viduals, whofe Talents, if diverted into 
 “ a proper Channel, and exerted on pro- 
 “ per Objects, might have brought Ho- 
 Cc nour to their Country, Improvement to 
 <c their particular Trade, and Profit to 
 “ themfelves and Family. 
 
 “The Care and Attention of a School- 
 “ mafter ought to be immediately directed 
 “ to thefe Points. He fhould endeavour 
 <c to difeover the particular Genius which 
 “ every Boy pofTefles ; for there is no 
 “ Boy but has a Genius for fome Art or 
 <c Science more than another ; and it 
 “ ought to be cherifhed, and cultivated 
 “ to the utmoft. Many a Man, for 
 <c Want of a due Attention to this Rule, 
 tc now cuts a defpicable Figure as a 
 4< Poverty-ftruck Phyfician, who might 
 ** have proved an ingenious Painter, and 
 “ have acquired great Fame and Wealth : 
 “ And many a dull Clergyman now 
 ** thumps a Cufhion, or reads a dull 
 41 Compofition to a drowfy Audience, 
 li who might have proved an excellent 
 “ Cutler, and furnifhed the World with 
 “ fuch Wares as might have engroiled 
 ° the Trade in that Branch of Manufac- 
 
 4 * ture 
 
the Robinhood Society. 23 
 
 <e ture to Britain alone, which is now 
 (hared by other Nations. 
 
 Besides, confider too, Gentlemen, 
 “ that the Time we are at School is by 
 “ far too long, and too precious to be 
 (< thrown idly away ; which it moft cer- 
 <c tainly is, if not properly employ’d. No 
 <c lefs than feven or eight Years is thought 
 “ fufficient to lay in a proper Stock of 
 Learning, even for the loweft Rank of 
 “ People ; and what that Learning is, I 
 “ have before told you. For my Fait, I 
 “ mult pronounce it a moft ridiculous 
 44 Piece of Vanity, in the loweft Order 
 44 of People, to have their Children taught 
 44 Latin y Greek , French , ‘the Mathema- 
 44 tics, or any other Branch of Literature, 
 44 which is not immediately neceftary and 
 44 requifite to them in the Trades they 
 44 are defigned for : And I would gladly 
 44 know, whether, to weigh a Pound of 
 44 Rafins or Sugar, to make a full-bot- 
 44 tomed Peruque, to cut out a Suit of 
 44 Cloaths, or to fell a Pair of Shoes, a 
 44 Man that is illiterate is not as well qua- 
 44 lified as he that underftands Algebra or 
 “ Greek? 
 
24 The HISTORY of 
 
 Cl I am not, Gentlemen, fpeaking 
 (C againfl: the Utility of fuch Branches of 
 “ Learning ; but I am for confining them 
 (i to their proper Learners : nor am I 
 “ to be underftood as an Enemy to 
 s( Tradefmen and Artifans partaking of 
 “ the common Advantages that flow 
 from Literature ; but lam forlimitting 
 <c them to fuch Branches of it as may be 
 for their own Good. What thefe 
 “ Branches are is very evident ; a Know- 
 “ ledge of their own Tongue, fo as to 
 <c be capable of reading and fpeaking it 
 * ( with Propriety ; a Knowledge of the 
 * e Principles of their Religion ; and a 
 ft Knowledge alfo of Writing and Arith- 
 “ metic : And thefe, in my Opinion, are 
 “ fufficiesit for People intended for mean 
 “ Trades. 
 
 “ I Shall now. Gentlemen, (hew 
 you another Defe£t in the Conduct of 
 “ our Schools ; and that is, an improper 
 <s Choice of Books. Sure I am, that a 
 great Number of Books now univer- 
 “ fally made Ufe of, are a Difgrace to 
 ££ Humanity, and a Scandal to aChriftiart 
 <£ Nation. It has ever been an Opinion 
 6£ of mine, that without a Perufal of 
 
 * ( Horace, 
 
the Robinhood Society. 25 
 
 <c Horac e, Juvenal, Catullus, 
 “ Martial, in our tender Years, we 
 “ might attain a thorough Knowledge of 
 “ the Latin Language ; and we might 
 iC underftand Greek without learning 
 “ Aristophanes. All thefe Authors 
 (( were great Libertines, and fpeakof a de- 
 (( tellable Vice, that reflects Difhonour on 
 “ Human Nature, in fuch Terms, as fhew 
 “ their Approbation and Practice of it ; 
 “ and I mull declare it as my Opinion, 
 “ that had fuch Authors not have men- 
 “ tioned it in the Manner they do, the 
 “ Vice itfelf would have been unknown 
 <( to, and unpradfifed by fucceeding Ages. 
 “ Were there no other Caufe but this, 
 “ thofe Authors ought never to enter a 
 “ School ; and furely, the Impoffibility of 
 “ learning Latin or Greek without them, 
 (C can never be pleaded, when we have 
 iC Chrijlian Writers that have written on 
 “ the mod important Subjects, in a pure 
 “ and clafiical Style, in fuch great Nunv 
 “ bers. 
 
 “The Knowledge of the Englifi 
 “ Tongue is of the laft Importance to 
 “ every one ; but this great Branch is al- 
 “ mod entirely neglected. We do not 
 “ learn to /peak it at all ; and how we arc 
 
 C taught 
 
9.6 HISTORY of 
 
 “ taught to read it, I leave to every one’s 
 44 own Experience. In Latin and Greeks 
 <c which, per.haps, we have no Occafion 
 44 to make Ufe of above once a Year, 
 
 44 no Pains, no Expence, is thought too 
 <sc great to make us Adepts ; but to make 
 44 us fpeak Englijh well, which we have 
 44 Occafion to do every Day of our Lives, 
 
 44 no Expence, no Pains are beftowed on 
 44 us. 
 
 * 4 In thefe feveral Particulars I have 
 ** mentioned, I think the common Me- 
 44 thods of educating Youth in this Na- 
 44 tion, are very defective ; and, I think, 
 
 44 that Man who would point out a proper 
 14 Remedy for thefe Difeafes, would dc- 
 44 ferve well of Society, and be juftly 
 44 confidered as a Friend to Mankind in 
 44 general. I fhall mention one, which, 
 
 44 I think, would contribute not a little 
 44 to cure the Diforders that muft inevita* 
 i4 bly enfue from the prefent defective 
 44 Syftem ; for he muft be a bad Man who 
 44 (hews us our Unhappinefs, and does 
 44 not in fome Meafure endeavour to re- 
 44 move it. 
 
 I 
 
 64 The remedy then which I imagine 
 u would be ferviceable in the literary Dif- 
 
 44 cafe 
 
the Robinhood Society. 2 7 
 
 44 cafe I am fpeaking of, is, to compel all 
 44 thofe who fet up public Schools for the 
 ' c Education of Youth, to wait on four or 
 44 five Clergymen of Integrity and Learn- 
 44 ing, to be examined with Refpe< 5 ! to 
 44 their Abilities, and to receive under 
 44 their Hands, duly attefted, proper Cer- 
 44 tificates of their being capable of under- 
 44 taking that great Work, previous to 
 44 their actually engaging in it. Were 
 44 this to be done, the Number of Schcol- 
 44 matters would be greatly reduced ; but 
 44 it would excite a fufficient Number of 
 44 able Men to engage in the Bufinefs of 
 44 Teaching, as the fewer there were of 
 44 them, the greater would be their Profit. 
 
 44 I could point out more Methods, 
 41 Mr. Prefident, to advance Education, 
 44 but I have been already too prolix, and 
 44 therefore fhall trefpafs no more on your 
 44 Time at prefent, but propofe a Quef- 
 44 tion on that Subje& for our debating 
 44 forne future evening . 9i 
 
 How far thefe Complaints of one ef 
 the firtt Members of the Difputing Society, 
 made one hundred and fifty one Years ago, 
 were juft, appears by the unanimous Ap- 
 plaufe my Grand-father has obferved was 
 
 C 1 given 
 
28 The HISTORY of 
 
 given to his Speech : And how far appli¬ 
 cable his Obfervations on the defe&ive Sy- 
 flem of Education then in Vogue, are to 
 the prefent, I leave to the Determination 
 of every learned Reader. 
 
 The fubfequent Monday , being the 
 27th of Odobcr , 1613, the Society met 
 for the fecond Time. This Meeting was 
 held at the Houfe of Thomas Venne, 
 Efq; a Man of an immenfe Fortune, and 
 great Erudition, at his Houfe in St. "James's 
 Square, 
 
 The Queflion debated that Evening, 
 was, 
 
 Whether, notivithfanding the Complaints 
 made both by the Clergye and Laitye 
 of the Degeneracye of the Age, the 
 Moderns are not more virtuous and 
 ivife tha?i the Ancients ? 
 
 In difcuffing this Queftion, many learn¬ 
 ed and ingenious Arguments were produ¬ 
 ced by the Members, in Support both of 
 the Affirmative and Negative Sides of it: 
 But the major Part of the Society were 
 for the Affirmative, and evidently demon- 
 flrated the Superiority of the then prefent 
 
 Age 
 
- the Robinhood Society. 29 
 
 Age to any former, both with RefpeCt to 
 their Knowledge of the Arts and Sciences, 
 and their leading more exemplary Lives. 
 They proved thefe two Opinions, by the 
 infallible Evidence of Scripture, drawing 
 a Comparifon between the Principles and 
 Manners of the People of old, with the 
 prefent, wherein the latter appeared infi¬ 
 nitely more wife, and not near fo wicked 
 as the Holy Writings inform us the World 
 antiently was. They then enquired into 
 the Caufe of public Speakers and Writers 
 reprefenting the Degeneracy of the Age 
 in fuch lively Colours, and their being 
 funk deeper into the Pits of Iniquity and 
 Ignorance than any former Ages ; and 
 they fuppofed it to arife from the Want 
 of a Relifh for innocent Gratifications, in 
 thofe public Speakers and Writers; from 
 their having been difappointed in their Pur- 
 fuits and Expectations, which fowered 
 their Minds, and gave them a Difguft 
 to the World ; and from Pride and Vani¬ 
 ty, which fwelling their Souls, and in¬ 
 toxicating their Imaginations, made them 
 look down with Contempt from their own 
 fancied Height of Excellence, on thofe they 
 imagined fo far beneath them. 
 
 The 
 
3 o The HIST DRY of 
 
 The next Time of their Meeting was 
 on Monday the 3d of November , at my 
 Grand-father's Houfe near Char mg-Cr of ; 
 but I fhould be too prolix, were I to relate 
 the Particulars of this Meeting, and the 
 feveral Arguments which this ingenious 
 Set of Gentlemen made Ufe of in the 
 debating of their Queftion. I fhall how¬ 
 ever inform my Reader what that Queftion 
 was, and mention a few others, which 
 were debated in their Turn at the Houfes 
 of the other Members. 
 
 Whether ^ from the various Accounts gi¬ 
 ven to us in Hi/lorie , we may not 
 reafonablie conclude , that Demoft- 
 henes was a greater Orator than 
 Cicero ? 
 
 Whether the Manufacture of Broad Cloth 
 might not be carried to a Jlill greater 
 Degree of Perfection? 
 
 'Phis Queftion was agreed by the So¬ 
 ciety to be debated on again the next Mon¬ 
 day Night, which was the 24th of Novem¬ 
 ber ; and theSubjedl being, in their Opinion, 
 of the greateft Importance, and not ex- 
 haufted, after they had again difeufted it 
 
 that 
 
the Robinhood Society. 3t 
 
 that Evening, it was agreed that it fhould 
 be a Subject for their Entertainment a 
 third Night. 
 
 / 
 
 lVhether Emulation in brave and noble 
 Minds, and Envy in coivardly and 
 bafe ones , are not Acquirements in the 
 Pojfeffors own Power f 
 
 On this Queition I muft remark, that, 
 however intelligible it might be at that 
 Time of the Day, it is t not fo now ; nor 
 do I fee what Purpofe the proposing it 
 could ferve—no Debates appear by my 
 Manufcript to have been made upon it. 
 
 JVhether the Improvement of our Heads 
 and the Improvement of our Hearts , 
 do not go Hand in Hand I 
 
 What Kind of Education is the mojl 
 proper for a Nobleman , a Gentleman , 
 and a ’Tradefman P 
 
 What Regulations or Improvements a*e 
 needful to be made , in Order to ad~ 
 vance the great IVcrk of Education 
 in this Kingdom ? 
 
 ' c 4 
 
 Wheti/er 
 
3 2 The HISTORY of 
 
 Whether , if a Committee or Number of 
 Gentlemen of acknowledged. Abilities , 
 were appointed either to draw up , or 
 to alter the Epitaphs which , according 
 to the prefent Method , dijgrace our 
 Cburch-Yards, it would not reflect 
 Honour on the Nation , and excite a 
 higher Opinion of our Wifdom in the 
 Minds of judicious Foreigners ? 
 
 Whether the Stage , under proper Regu¬ 
 lations ., might not be made an Aid to 
 Wifdom , an Enforcer of Virtue , and 
 a Supplement to the Pulpit ? 
 
 Whether a Spendthrift or a Mifer , is 
 the mojl ufelefs Member of the Com¬ 
 munity ? 
 
 On this Queftion, my Grand-father 
 made a Remark, which I cannot forbear 
 transcribing. 
 
 <e A Spendthrift, fays he, is like a 
 “ Grafhoppfr, and a Mifer like a Jack- 
 “ daw, The former diiTipates his Sub- 
 4 4 ftance, and fmgs away his Time, in his 
 <c Summer of Life, regardlefs of what 
 “ may happen to him in Winter, and 
 
 44 not 
 
the Robinhood Society. 33 
 
 ce not confidering that wilful Wafte brings 
 46 woeful Want ; and the latter hides the 
 <c Treafure he has colle&ed, and which 
 “ he can never enjoy. They both are 
 <c Fools, and unfit for Society ; but the 
 <c Mifer, 1 think, is moft fo. The Mifer 
 44 is a- mere Muckworm, a Dunghill- 
 44 maker, that has brought together a 
 44 Quantity of Manure, which, if pro- 
 44 perly diflributed, would enrich the na- 
 44 tional Soil; the Spendthrift, however 
 44 an Enemy to himfelf, is the generous 
 44 Hand that fcatters the rich Dung, that 
 44 doth Good to Thoufands.” 
 
 JVI)ether the Difference of Genius , obfer- 
 vable in the People of different Na¬ 
 tions , is owing to the Climate , Soil , 
 Form of Government , or Education ? 
 
 Whether an hypocritical Sinner, or an 
 open and audacious one , be the greateff 
 Enemy to Society ? 
 
 Such were the firft thirteen Queftions 
 debated by the then infant Society, at their 
 Meetings at the Members Houfes ; the 
 Jaft of which was held at the Houfe of my 
 Grand-father, 
 
 c 5 
 
 I Shall 
 
34 The HISTORY of 
 
 I Shall now take a Liberty frequently 
 ufed by Biographers, and other Writers, 
 that of /kipping over a long Space of Time, 
 in which nothing material happened in the 
 Society, fave that it increafed in Numbers 
 and in Fame. 
 
 For no lefs than eight-and-twenty Years 
 was it continued on the fame Principles, 
 and conduced in the fame Manner, as at its 
 jfir /1 Eftabli/hment, during all which Time 
 my Grand-father - belonged to it, who has 
 not only preferved in a large Folio Book 
 all the Queftions propofed, but alfo the 
 Debates on thofe that were more particu¬ 
 larly interefting, or which more forcibly 
 excited his Curiofity. 
 
 From whatever Caufe it was owing, I 
 know not, but for half a Year the Society 
 was adjourned, which was the Summer 
 of 1641. I have been fometimes tempted 
 to impute it to the particular Severity of 
 the Ufurper’s Government, and the criti¬ 
 cal Exigency of the Times ; but that could 
 not be the Cafe, as the Meetings were 
 again held „ in October , being at the Time 
 of the dreadful Irtjh MaiTacre, when no 
 kfs thara 45 3 ooo Souls were cruelly mur¬ 
 dered ; 
 
the Robinhood Society^ 35 
 
 dered $ though Tome Writers, for fome 
 finider Views, or Reafons bed known to 
 themfelves, have diminifhed the Numbers 
 that fell by the Hands of the Murderers, 
 more than two-thirds. 
 
 Shortly after their aflembling toge¬ 
 ther again, a great Number of Gentlemen 
 of Rank and Fortune, having heard of 
 their Fame, and approving their Scheme, 
 offered themfelves as Members : But the 
 Society imagining that it would be ex¬ 
 tremely inconvenient for a greater Number 
 of Members to meet together, refufed ad¬ 
 mitting them, and declared they would 
 not alter, or break m on their original 
 Plan. 
 
 In this Manner they continued ’till the 
 Redoration of King Charles II. m 
 1660 ; and to fhew in what Edeem they 
 were held, I fhall tranfcribe the following 
 curious Anecdote, which the Reader may 
 depend on as a Matter of Fact. 
 
 <c Our Society now began to attract 
 4 4 the public Attention in a very partial- 
 46 lar Manner, and was fo much difcour- 
 <c fed of, and fo univerfally applaufed* 
 
 “ that it even excited Majefty itfelf to pay 
 
3 6 ^HISTORY of 
 
 “ us a Vifit. He was introduced to us 
 <c by Sir Hugh, who inform’d us he 
 was a diftant Relation of his; that 
 cc coming lately from the Country, and 
 c< hearing of our Fame, as he exprefTed 
 <£ it, was defirous of hearing himfelf thofe 
 cc Debates which the World talk’d fo 
 loudly of. Now feveral of us would 
 l( have known the King, had he appear’d 
 fcC in propria Perfona , but lie had put a 
 c< Piece of black Silk over his left Cheek, 
 <e which almoft cover’d it ; and his Eye- 
 i( brows which were quite black, he had 
 by fome Artifice or other, converted 
 “ to a light brown, or rather to a flaxen 
 “ Colour, and had difguifed himfelf in 
 “ his Apparel and Looks fo effedfually, 
 that none of us knew him ; and of this 
 Circumftance my good Friend, Sir 
 “ Hugh, was entirely filent ’till two 
 tc Years afterwards, being, no Doubt, 
 44 fo caution’d by his Majefty.” 
 
 This little Anecdote throws a farther 
 Light on the Charadfer of that facetious 
 Monarch, who, as we may gather from 
 Hiftory, lov’d a Frolic at his Heart, and 
 was never happier than when at fome pub¬ 
 lic Entertainments, or Aflfemblies, of his 
 Subjedls, where he might throw off the 
 x cumbrous 
 
 A v ~ 
 
 
 / 
 
 f 
 
 
the Robinhood Society. 37 
 
 cumbrous Robes of Majefty, and give a 
 free and natural Vent to his humorous Dif- 
 pofition. I find- that he \yas fo well en¬ 
 tertain’d with the Debates of the Society, 
 that he came there three Times more, and 
 expreffed himfelf greatly fatisfied with an 
 Inflitution, which, he declared, had fo 
 great a Tendency to enlarge the Mind, 
 and to refine the Tafle. 
 
 The Society had now exided forty- 
 feven Years, and of the Members that firft 
 form’d itj two only furviv’d, my Grand¬ 
 father and Sir Hugh. But it being like 
 the immortal Regiment of Frederick II. 
 King of Priijfia , fupplied with new Mem¬ 
 bers as the old ones dropp’d off, there was 
 no Doubt of its DifTolution, efpecially as 
 they took Care to eleX fuch Men only as 
 were pofleffed of Integrity and Abilities ; 
 for it was an invariable Maxim with them 
 that none but fuch fliould be admitted, let 
 their Station in Life, Age, Connexions, 
 or Fortune, be what they would. 
 
 Five Years after this Time, the dread¬ 
 ful Plague happen’d, which carried off no 
 lefs than fixty-eight Thoufand five Hundred 
 and eighty-fix Souls, Aden, Women, and 
 Children. Among them was my Grand¬ 
 father, 
 
 I 
 
 
 / 
 
 tit 2 / 
 
 f rUt 
 
 r/ / IjJ A 
 
 r • 
 
 
 
 
 , V S N 
 'i's'/l-#? \’Hir 
 
 ¥ 
 J M 
 
 — /Ha 
 
 lA //> / 
 
 / t 
 
 

 3 8 Vhe HISTORY of 
 
 father, who, after being feized with it, 
 and continuing exceffively ill for eleven 
 Days, departed this Life in the eighty-fe- 
 venth Year of his Age, having for the 
 lad fifty-two Years been a Member of the 
 Society for free Enquiry, of which he 
 was the firft Propofer and Promoter, and* 
 with the Afliftance of Sir Hugh Myddle- 
 ton, the chief Eftablifher. 
 
 End of the First Part. 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Robinhood Society . 
 
 % - f I • s 
 
 l 
 
 PART II. 
 
 ITHERTO we have been 
 M n ^ enabled to compile this Hifto- 
 ry by the Manufcript of my 
 Grand-father. He has been, 
 as it were, our Polar Star, by 
 whofe Light we have dire&ed our Courfe; 
 and if that Light fhall be adjudged fuffi- 
 cient to reflect a Splendor on fo obfcure a 
 Subject as that which we have attemp¬ 
 ted. 
 
4 o HISTORY of 
 
 ted, (a Subje£t whofe Original, Rife, and 
 Progrefs cannot, I believe, be traced 
 with greater Fidelity, involved as it is in 
 the Darknefs of Time) and to fatisfy the 
 Expe£Iations of the Reader, we {hall 
 think ourfelves very happy. It is true, 
 that we could have been more minute in 
 the Defcription of feveral Things ; could 
 have tranfcribed many Speeches of various 
 Members on different Subjedfs, which we 
 have entirely omitted ; and have given all 
 the Queffions that were debated by the 
 Society from their firfl Effabliftiment in 
 1613, to the Time of my Grand-father’s 
 Death in 1665. But the doing thefe 
 Things we have conceived unnecefiary, 
 fince it muft have been very dry and in- 
 fipid to our Readers, a very difagreeable 
 Talk for ourfelves, and would have fwel- 
 led this Hiffory to an enormous Size. 
 
 We {hall now, in this Second Part, 
 continue our Hiffory from my Grand¬ 
 father’s Death, till the Removal of the 
 Society to the EJfex-Head in Ej/ex-Street, 
 when its original Plan was alter’d, and 
 its Condudf became very different; and 
 {hew its various Fortune, till its lalf Tranf- 
 migration to the Robinbood in Butcher-Row, 
 where it now continues to be held. 
 
 My 
 
the Robinhood Society. 41 
 
 My Father, for fome Years before my 
 Grand-father’s Death, had been admitted 
 a Member of the Society, and was looked 
 on as a very intelligent and worthy Man. 
 He was not lefs fond of it than my Grand¬ 
 father, and no lefs particular in tranfcri- 
 bing from the Club-Book the various Que- 
 ftions that were inferted there, and the 
 feveral Arguments that palled pro and con 
 on the SubjeCts, when they came to be 
 debated. This he performed in the fame 
 large Folio Book my Grand-father made 
 Ufe of for the fame Purpofe ; and which 
 being now in my PofTeflion, enables me to 
 compile this Work. 
 
 In the Year 1667 the Society had 
 fome Thoughts of enlarging their Plan, and 
 admitting more Members. They had re¬ 
 ceived Applications from feveral Men of 
 Quality, and great Numbers of others di- 
 ftinguifhed for Wit and Judgment, for 
 their being admitted to partake of the In- 
 ftruCtion and Entertainment which their 
 Debates afforded ; but fo general an Ad- 
 miHion was deemed impracticable, on Ac¬ 
 count of the great Inconvenience the 
 Members would all be put to, in their 
 Turn, to entertain fo many Perfons, and 
 
 there- 
 
42 The HISTORY of 
 
 therefore fuch Applications were to no 
 Purpofe. 
 
 Occasional Vifitants had been, how¬ 
 ever, allowed the Liberty of being prefent 
 at the Debates, and to fpeak themfelves to 
 the Queftion if they thought proper. Re- 
 {traint irritates Defire, and Things forbid¬ 
 den have greater Charms for Mankind, 
 than thofe they are at free Liberty to en¬ 
 joy. So proved it with thofe Gentlemen, 
 who, though they had been prefent at the 
 Debates of the Society, were not Mem¬ 
 bers of it. Enraged, to find they had not 
 the Liberty of becoming Members, they 
 deviated from the Queftions they fhould 
 have fpoken to ; and complained, that a 
 Society that was not free for the Reception 
 of every one in general that had an Incli¬ 
 nation to frequent it, could have no good 
 Effedf, and that, fuppofing its Influence 
 on the Manners and Principles of thofe 
 that attended it ever fo great, the Public 
 
 in general could reap no Advantage from it. 
 
 * 
 
 In this Manner the Society went on for 
 fome Time, and the Debates were a mot- 
 ly Mixture of angry Cenfures and folid 
 Arguments, Animadverfions on the Que¬ 
 ftions propofed, and Complaints of the 
 
 narrow 
 
• Robin hood Society, 43 
 
 narrow Spirit of the Society : So that the 
 original Intention of the firlf Members was 
 entirely fruftrated, and the Satisfaction and 
 Pleafure which mull always arife from a 
 reciprocal Communication of Sentiments 
 between learned and ingenious Men, gave 
 Way to private Cabals and perfonal Invec¬ 
 tives j which will ever check the Growth 
 of Knowledge, and choak up the Paths of 
 Truth. 
 
 To put a Stop to thefe Proceedings, one 
 of the Members, a Man of a violent Spirit, 
 and boifterous Difpofition, propofed it to 
 the Confideration of the Society, whether 
 it would not be advifeable to refufe Admit¬ 
 tance, for the future, to any Gentleman 
 whatever, that might defire to be an occa- 
 fional Vifitant, and to make fuch an Order 
 in their Book. And he gave it as his Opi¬ 
 nion, that without doing it, the Society 
 muft foon fall to the Ground, by the Up¬ 
 roar and tumultuous Proceedings which 
 frequently prevailed there. 
 
 He was feccnded in his Motion by ano¬ 
 ther of the Members, a Man of like Tem¬ 
 per wdth himfelf ; who alfo gave it as his 
 Opinion, that no Perfon whatever, let his 
 Fortune or Rank in Life be what it would, 
 
 ought 
 
44 The HISTORY of 
 
 ought to be admitted as an occafional Vifi- 
 tant. He obferved, that their Society was 
 of a private Nature ; and that, for People 
 to infid on pufhing into their Company, 
 and hearing their Sentiments of Men and 
 Things, whether they would or not, was 
 an unparallelled Piece of A durance, and 
 equally unmannerly with a Beggar, that, 
 cloathed in Rags and Wrctchednefs, yet, 
 full of a true Hibernian Impudence, would 
 force his Way into a Gentleman’s Parlour 
 againd his Ccnfent. He expatiated largely 
 on the Folly of fird permitting any Gentle¬ 
 man to attend there who was not a Mem¬ 
 ber, and obferved, that though it was a 
 Cudom to grant fuch Permiffion, yet the 
 Breach of fooliib Cuftoms is better than the 
 Obfervance of them : And concluded, by 
 remarking, that if they had, in that Re- 
 fpedt, travelled on in a wrong Road for fif¬ 
 teen Years lad pad, there was no Reafon 
 they fhould dill travel in it, efpecially as 
 they had then experienced the Inconveni- 
 encies that arofe from it. 
 
 The many Debates and Arguments 
 they had at various 'Rimes on this Topic, 
 at lad produced the following Queftion 
 
 Whe- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 45 
 
 IVhether it is proper to allow any Gentle- 
 many who is not a regularly . chofen 
 Member of this Society , a Liberty of 
 attending it ? 
 
 This Queftion gave Rife to many Ar¬ 
 guments on both Sides, and produced no 
 fmall Commotion. The two hot-headed 
 Members I have juft mentioned, were of 
 Opinion, that no Man, however dignified 
 or diftinguifhed, ought to have Liberty of 
 coming there ; and urged all the Argu¬ 
 ments they were Mafters of to fupport 
 their Opinions ; which they did not do 
 with the calm Demeanour of a venerable 
 and pacific Nestor, whole Words fall 
 from him like Flakes of Snow, that melted 
 as they fell, but with all the Fire and Fury 
 ©f an enraged Ajax. 
 
 As the Iftue of this Debate produced a 
 Revolution in the Society not lefs remark¬ 
 able, in Proportion to the Numbers that 
 were affe&ed by it, than the Revolution 
 in the State that happened but two Years 
 afterwards, I {hall tranfcribe the Speech 
 that my Father made on the Occafion, and 
 which, he declares, made fuch an Impref- 
 fion on them, that they followed his Ad~ 
 
 vice* 
 
4 6 Tbs HISTORY of 
 
 vice, in the Alteration and Enlargement of 
 their Plan. 
 
 4C I look on this Quedion, Gentlemen 
 <c to be of no fmall Importance as not 
 44 only the Well-being, but the very Ex- 
 idencc of our Society muft depend on 
 44 the Determination we make concerning 
 <( it, and the Influence fuch Determina- 
 44 tion mud neceflarily have on our Con- 
 44 du£L It has been allowed, ye all 
 <f know, for Gentlemen, recommended 
 44 by any Member of our Society, to be 
 44 prefent at our Debates. How long it 
 44 has been allowed, I cannot fay ; but it 
 “ has been fo ever fince I have had the 
 44 Honour of belonging to It. The Ad- 
 41 vantage our Society derives from this 
 44 Permiffion is not inconfiderable. It re- 
 44 ceives a Luftre and Chara&er from the 
 44 Reports which our occafional Vifitants 
 44 make of it to their Friends ; and thus 
 44 Men of real Genius and Learning are 
 44 induced to vifit us, and by their hear- 
 44 ing our Debates, and lidening to our 
 44 Sentiments on Subjects of Importance, 
 44 or Matters of Controverfy, they are 
 41 excited to give us theirs ; and thus we 
 are mutually improved, and mutually 
 4f obligated. Befides, conftder that very 
 
 44 fre- 
 
 
the Robinhood Society, 4^ 
 
 4C frequently not one Half of the Members 
 attend, and if occafional Vifitants were 
 * c s not‘then to come among us, the De- 
 u bates would grow languid, and no Ar- 
 gument could fubfift. Thofe Gentle- 
 “ men that arc for having no Perfons to 
 “ partake of the Entertainment they may 
 iC expe£I, and feek for here, but Mem- 
 <£ bers, feem to refemble an avaritious, 
 “ covetous old Mifer, that hoards up his 
 Bags, and would have no one the-bet- 
 “ ter for them. Let us not be mifers in 
 tc Knowledge, but defpife the Character 
 £C as much as we do him that clofets up his 
 “ Gold. The worft Avarice is that of 
 “ Wifdom ; and if we really poffefs any, 
 <c let us a£l like the generous Man, and 
 the good Chriftian, that will commu- 
 “ nicate to others the good Things that 
 he hath, and give unto him that want- 
 “ eth : If we have not that Wifdom 
 “ which we may imagine, and without 
 ** Vanity imagine, People think we have, 
 44 and which they come here to partake of, 
 they will, perhaps give us fome. Ye 
 44 all know. Gentlemen, that in the Di- 
 “ ftribution of Things of this Kind, he 
 44 that gives away the mo ft is never the 
 44 poorer for it ; his Treafures are not 
 44 the more exhaufted : Then let us not 
 
 44 be 
 
4 8 The HISTORY of 
 
 “ be afraid that ours will be fo, but rather 
 hope that we (hall be enriched by the 
 <c Treafures of thofe that often vifit us, 
 <c and frequently come to us very oppor- 
 64 tunely in the Abfence of fome of our 
 ct Members. 
 
 *• One Gentleman has obferved, that 
 <c foolifh Cuftoms ought to be broke 
 <c through ; and that if we have travelled 
 6C in a wrong Road for fome Time, it is 
 proper to quit it, and travel in a right 
 Road. I allow it, Gentlemen ; but he 
 <c ought to have proved thefe two Things : 
 c< He ought to have fhewn that our Ad- 
 <c million of Vifiters was a foolifh Cuf- 
 6C tom, and that the Road we had hitherto 
 cC travelled in was a wrong one ; but he 
 * c has not done thefe Things ; he has on- 
 “ ly given us his mere Ip/e Dixit . 
 
 cc He has obferved likewife, that N for 
 iC People to pufh themfelves into our So- 
 <c ciety, to hear our Debates, is as un- 
 “ mannerly as for a Beggar to pufh, with- 
 out PermifTion, into a Gentleman’s 
 * c Parlour. This I deny. Gentlemen 
 ii that come here, do it by the Liberty 
 “ that is given to each Member, to bring 
 46 one Friend with him j and therefore, 
 
 “ that 
 
the Robinhood Society. 49 
 
 cc that is not a Cafe in Point. As to the 
 44 Inconveniencies that have arifen, and 
 44 the Tumults that have been railed, they 
 44 have not been owing to our admitting 
 44 Vifiters, as that Gentleman has afterted, 
 44 but to our not admitting more. And 
 44 really, I am of Opinion, that a Society 
 44 for free and candid Inquiry, ought to 
 44 * be a free rnd candid Society. But how 
 44 can it be a free one, if Gentlemen are 
 44 denied Entrance? How can it be a 
 44 candid one, if we ohflru£f the Propaga- 
 64 tion of Knowledge ?—In fhorr, Gcntle- 
 44 men, I think our Plan might be ini- 
 4e proved, and a very neceflary Reforma- 
 44 tion take Place ; a Reformation that 
 44 will put a Stop to all Manner of Diftur- 
 44 bailees, and increafe our Reputation by 
 44 the Acceflion of more Members. 
 
 44 You experience very clearly. Gentle- 
 14 men, that the chief Inconveniencies we 
 44 are put to, is the Want of Room. 
 44 Could we but get a larger Place, ca- 
 44 pable of holding conveniently a lar- 
 46 ger Company, we (hould neither be 
 44 fo crowded, nor would the Debates 
 44 meet with fuch Obflrudlions. Befides, 
 44 to fpeak my Sentiments plainly, I don’t 
 
 D 44 think 
 
5 o The HISTORY of 
 
 “ think that meeting at each other’s 
 ee Houfes is at all proper. We put our- 
 (C felves to many Inconveniencies we 
 cc might avoid ; we fuffer many Per- 
 c< plexities we have no Occafion to fuffer ; 
 fi and we diforder our Family Affairs, 
 <f when we might avoid doing it. 
 
 <c I am confident, Gentlemen, there is 
 e( not a Man among ye, how attached 
 ci foever he is to the fntereft of the Socie- 
 IC ty, but dreads the Approach of that 
 <c Monday , when, perhaps, no lefs than 
 “ fifty People are to alienable ; and fome 
 e( of us perfectly tremble at it. For my 
 <c Part, I mull: confefs, that on the Mon- 
 “ day Evening the Society meets at my 
 “ Houfe, I am the unhappiefi: Creature 
 <c imaginable ; my Wife dillikes it, and 
 (C my Servants detefi: it. I doubt not but 
 et this is the Cafe with ye all, Gentlemen, 
 “ though your Refpedf for the Society, 
 “ and for one another, has prevented your 
 (C making Mention of it. The Method 
 c< of Meeting at each other’s Houfes 
 tc might be extremely proper for the So- 
 iC ciety in its Infancy ; but I don’t appre- 
 (S hend it is fo now. The fame Reafons 
 
 do not now exift as might then ; and 
 
 “ there- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 51 
 
 < £ therefore we are not under the fame 
 <£ Obligation to follow the fame Method 
 <£ of Procedure in this RefpedK 
 
 “ When this Society was fir ft inffitu- 
 <£ ted, which was fifty-three Years ago, 
 <c there were only fifteen Members that 
 (i compofed it ; and no more were added 
 “ to it for fome confiderable Time. No 
 ££ Member then brought a Friend with 
 <f him ; fo that the Society might then be, 
 “ with great Propriety, {filed a private 
 ££ one. But that is not the Cafe now. 
 ££ Our Number of eflablifhed Members 
 cs doubles theirs, and the Number of oc- 
 t£ cafional Vifitants that come among us, 
 <£ allowing for the Abfence of fome Mem- 
 ££ bers every Monday Night, at lead trebles 
 <£ it. Thelnconveniency that fuch a Num- 
 £< ber of People occafion to a Family I have 
 <£ before fet forth ; and therefore fhali 
 ££ now deliver it as my Opinion, that this 
 ££ is a Grievance that wants a fpeedy Re- 
 “ drefs, and demands our Attention much 
 <£ more than, whether it is proper to al- 
 <£ low Gentlemen, not Members of our 
 <£ Society, a Liberty of attending it.” - 
 
 This Speech wa? received with univerfal 
 Applaufe. Even the Gentlemen that op- 
 
 D 2 pofed 
 
52 The HISTORY of 
 
 pofed my Father in the former Part of his 
 Speech, could not but join with him in the 
 latter ; and they all came to a Refolution, 
 that their meeting at one another’s Houfes 
 to debate, threw their Families into great 
 Confufion, was improper in itfelf, and re¬ 
 quired an Alteration. 
 
 In Confequence of this Opinion, the 
 Society came to a Determination, of having 
 their Meetings at fome Tavern or Coffee- 
 houfe, where they might be accommoda¬ 
 ted with a Room fufficient to hold a large 
 Number of Gentlemen, and where every 
 one, whofe Curiofity excited him to attend 
 the Debates, might have a Liberty of en¬ 
 tering. 
 
 It may eafily be imagined, that in a 
 City like London , it could not be a very 
 long Time before a Houfe pofleffed of fuch 
 a Room was difcovered. Indeed, many 
 fuch occurred to the Minds of the Mem¬ 
 bers ; but that which feemed moll com¬ 
 modious, and beft adapted to their Pur- 
 pofe, was the EJfex-Hcad in EJTex-Street. 
 
 To this Houfe, therefore, feveral of the 
 Members went ; and having examined it 
 very attentively, reported to their Bre¬ 
 thren, 
 
- the Robinhood Society. 53 
 
 thren, on their Return, that it would, 
 with fome Alterations, anfwer their Pur- 
 pofe extremely well ; that they had fpoken 
 to the Landlord concerning it; and that he 
 had promifed to do every Thing in his 
 Power to make it agreeable to them. 
 
 The Society received this Account with 
 general Approbation ; and informing the 
 Landlord of the Nature of their Club, he 
 fitted up the lareeft Room in his Houfe, 
 fixing Benches therein, fo as to make it 
 contain upwards of an hundred Perfons. 
 
 The Rules and Orders the Society had 
 before obferved, were now altered. Be¬ 
 fore , every Member had, in his Turn, 
 defray’d the whole Expence attendant 
 on the Meeting held at his Houfe ; but 
 now , they ordered, that every Member, 
 and every Perfon that came to the Society 
 to hear their Debates, fhould, previous to 
 his Admiffion into the Club-Room, take a 
 Ticket at the Bar, for which he fhould 
 pay Six-pence : That every Six-pence fo 
 paid would be received by the Landlord ; in 
 Confideration of which, he fhould furnifh 
 them with as much Porter and Lemonade 
 as would amount to the Sum total recei¬ 
 ved : That the Price of both thofe Kinds 
 
 D 3 of 
 
54 We HISTORY of 
 
 of Liquors fhould be rated at Four-penc* 
 a Pot: That if any Gentleman chofe other 
 Liquors, he fhould pay for them feparateJy : 
 And that if any Money remained in the 
 Landlord’s Hands, after he had deducted, 
 from the whole Money received, the Price 
 of the Porter and Lemonade he had fur¬ 
 nished the Society with, it fhould be paid 
 to his Servants, in proportionable Shares, 
 in Consideration of the Trouble they were 
 put to. 
 
 They likewife formed fome new Rules 
 with Refpedfc to the Conduct of the Society, 
 and their Methods of Debate ; of which the 
 following are the moft remarkable. 
 
 44 Ordered , That the Society for free 
 44 and candid Inquiry, be a free one, and 
 44 open to any Perfon that thinks pro- 
 46 per to attend it. 
 
 44 Ordered , That that no Perfon be 
 44 admitted a Member of the Society, un- 
 44 lefs he is elected by a Majority of 
 44 Voices ; and that no Meeting be held 
 44 for the Election of new Members, but 
 44 once a Quarter, which fhall be in a 
 44 private Room, after the Debates of tht? 
 44 Night are over. 
 
 44 Ordered , 
 
the Robinhood Society. 55 
 
 44 Ordered , That Religion and Poli- 
 44 tics (hall be debated on in this Society, 
 44 provided Decency and good Order be 
 44 obferved, both in the wording the Que- 
 44 ftion on thofe Subjects, and in the Dif- 
 44 cuftion thereof. 
 
 44 Ordered , That more than one 
 44 Quell ion be debated of a Night, if tlure 
 44 is Time fufficient for fo doing. 
 
 44 Ordered , That no one (hall be al- 
 44 lowed more than five Minutes to fpeak 
 44 to the Queftion. 
 
 44 Ordered , That no Queftion fhall be 
 44 propofed to the Confideration of the 
 44 Society, nor admitted in the Rook as 
 44 a Queftion, unlefs it is figned by feme 
 46 Name. 
 
 Ordered , That no Perfon fhall be 
 44 obliged to fign his own Name to any 
 44 Queftion he (hall think proper to pro- 
 44 pofe, but a fictitious one, if he thinks 
 44 proper. 
 
 44 Ordered , That in the debating any 
 44 Queftion, the Propofer fhall not be 
 
 D 4 obliged 
 
 /< 
 
 1 
 
5 6 The HISTORY of 
 
 <c obliged to father it, or to open it by 
 ts explaining the Terms, and the Manner 
 <c he would have it confidered in, unlefs 
 “ he thinks proper : But if no Perfon 
 “ owns the Queflion, it fhall go from the 
 44 Prefident, and be deemed as his •, after 
 <4 which it fhall be debated in due Order ; 
 “ the Perfon that fits on the Left Hand of 
 <c the Prefident to fpeak to it firfl, and 
 
 tt r ->i 
 
 Jo on. 
 
 These are the mod: material new Re¬ 
 gulations which the Society made on their 
 removing to the EJfex - Head , their 
 other Rules and Orders being the fame as 
 before. 
 
 It is impoflible to conceive what Num¬ 
 bers of People attended the Society as foon as 
 it was declared a free one, and Liberty was 
 given to every Perfon to enter it, on pay¬ 
 ing Six-pence. No one Topic for Con- 
 verfation fo univerfally prevailed as this. 
 It became a general Subjedl of Debate with¬ 
 out Doors, as much as Philofophy, Meta- 
 phyfics, and the Belles Lettres did within. 
 From the Courtier down to the Peafant, 
 from the hoary Sage down to the playful 
 School-boy, Curiofity had extended her 
 Influence, and excited Defires in every 
 
 one 
 
the Robinhood Society. 57 
 
 one to vifit an AfTembly of Men that had 
 rendered themfelves fo famous. 
 
 In Confequence of fuch an univerfal and 
 eager Curiofity, Multitudes of People af- 
 fembled at the Ejjex-Head every Monday 
 Night, fome as Orators, and fome as Au¬ 
 ditors ; fome to be inftrudfed, fome to 
 be entertained ; fome to fee, and fome to 
 be feen ; fome to fhew their fine Cloaths, 
 and delicate Perfons ; and fome to criti- 
 cife the Speeches of the Effex-Hcad Ora- 
 tors, and entertain their Miftrefles with 
 an Account of the Debates, and difplay 
 their own Sagacity in diftinguifhing their 
 Merits, and their Defeats. 
 
 It is not more wonderful for Critics to 
 congregate at fuch Places, than for Rooks 
 and Jackdaws to meet in the Fields of . 
 human Slaughter. A Critic that has not 
 the Power of fpeaking a fingle Sentence in, 
 Public, is yet able to difiecl the finefi Ora¬ 
 tions of the fineft Orators ; he can dimi- 
 nifh the Graces of Elocution and A£Iion, 
 and exaggerate little Defers, with all the 
 petulance of Pedantry, and Rage of Cen- 
 fure. 
 
 Such 
 
5 B ^HISTORYc/ 
 
 Such Critics are like Eunuchs : They 
 have not Vigour nor Courage to a£t man¬ 
 fully themfelves, and they envy and cen- 
 fure thofe that do. When they come into 
 a public Aflembly, it is not to partake of 
 its Entertainments, but to feek Occafions 
 of finding Fault, and giving an ill-natured 
 Turn to the moft harmlefs Amufements. 
 They are like fo many Hounds at a Car- 
 cafe, devouring their Prey as fail as they 
 can, and growling all the Time they are 
 eating. 
 
 There was like wife a Number of thefe 
 Gentlemen of a higher Clafs, the Writing 
 Critics, who attended the Society, in 
 Search of frefh Topics to exercife their 
 Abilities, and amufe the Public. They 
 knew that the Paflion for Novelties muft 
 ‘ be gratified ; and when almoft every Sub¬ 
 ject had been exhaufted, and every Field 
 been fo much traverfed, as to render the 
 Whole a common, beaten, and highway 
 Path, it was ncceflary for thofe Sportfmen 
 to turn out of the common Road, where 
 nothing but common Obje&s, and Things 
 that have been a thoufand Times descri¬ 
 bed, meet the Eye, and ftrike into bye 
 Lanes and covert Places, where, perhaps. 
 
 Plenty 
 
the Robinhood Society. 59 
 
 Plenty of original and curious Game might 
 he ftarted, hunted down with Sport and Plea- 
 fure, and be at length cooked, and ferved 
 up as a choice Difh for the public Tafte. 
 
 This was the Cafe of the EJfex Head 
 Society. While it was confined within 
 the Bounds of each Member’s Houfe, the 
 Public in general knew but little of it, 
 and the venal Authors of thofe Days, not 
 having Intimacy and Intereft enough with 
 any of the Members to gain Admittance, 
 were of Courfe difabled from informing 
 the World of the Nature of the Society, 
 and fignalizing themfelves, by ftriking into 
 a new Species of Writing, and entertain¬ 
 ing the Public with a new Subje<£f. Not 
 but of late Years the Race of Writing- 
 Critics is greatly improved. Formerly, 
 thofe Votaries of Dullnefs never attempted 
 to write on Subje&s of which- they had 
 no Knowledge ; but now, grown more 
 vivacious, and cultivating the finer Powers 
 of Imagination, they can traduce Men 
 whom they never knew, refute Arguments 
 they do not underftand, and pronounce 
 Sentence on Books they have not read. 
 
 Nay, the Writing-Critics of the prefent 
 Age, are fo fagacious, that even the raw 
 
 and 
 
60 ft HISTORY of 
 
 and undifciplined can form a right Judg¬ 
 ment of every new Production, by read- 
 ins: only the firft ten Lines ; and as to 
 Veterans , the Cooks of Monthly Hafhes 
 for the public Palate, they can difcover 
 an Author by his Style , and of Courfe 
 know, in ten Minutes, whether they are 
 to praife or cenfure his Piece : Though, 
 indeed, to their Credit it mull be obferv’d, 
 that they are not abfolute Slaves to malig¬ 
 nant Obduracy ; for, after they have 
 vowed to damn a Work and its Author 
 to Contempt and Obfcurity, a Beef-Steak 
 and a Bottle of Wine have had a wonder¬ 
 ful Efficacy in foftening the Severity of 
 their Difpofitions, making them adore and 
 cherifti that very Work, which, without 
 the Interpofition and Agency of the Wine 
 and the Beef, they would have butchered 
 without Decency, and devoured without 
 Remorfe. 
 
 So much for Critics of every Species.— 
 I (hall now return to my Hiftory , and as 
 I am too poor to give a Beef-Steak and a 
 Bottle to fecure it from the Reviewer’s 
 Place of Torment, it mufl of Courfe be 
 - but no Matter. 
 
 As 
 
the Robinhood Society. 61 
 
 As the Society was now declared to be 
 free, and Religion and Politics, thofe in- 
 exhauftible Topics of Converfation, were 
 allowed to be handled, the Room was 
 crowded every Night, and Orators, like 
 Mufhrooms in a foggy Morning, ftarted 
 up from every Seat. The Exclufion of 
 thefe Subjects from their Debates before, 
 had, in the general Opinion of the Society, 
 robbed them of much Entertainment and 
 Knowledge. They, therefore, departed 
 from the Maxims of the original Members, 
 who had declared, that the Chriftian Reli¬ 
 gion being of Divine Original, could not 
 but be pure and holy, and therefore not a 
 fit Object for the Debates of Difputing 
 Clubs ; and that for Philofophers and ftu- 
 dious Men, who wanted only to cultivate 
 their rational Faculties by the Difcuffion 
 of ufeful Subjects, to wade into the Depths 
 of Politics, and to take on them the Li¬ 
 berty of fcrutinizing into the Meafures of 
 State, would be an unwarrantable ACtion, 
 and productive of no Good. 
 
 Nay, as it is ufual not only with private 
 Men, but with public Aflemblies, to run 
 into Extremes; fo our Society now deba¬ 
 ted 
 
62 Ths HISTORY of 
 
 ted very few Quefiions, but what were 
 religious, or political. 
 
 True Religion, they obferved, like 
 Silver feven Times purified in the Fire, 
 appear’d the brighter the more it was exa¬ 
 mined into ; and it was the indifpenfible 
 Duty of every Man, to fearch the Scrip¬ 
 tures, and to endeavour to give an Anfwer 
 to him that afketh a Reafon for the Hope 
 that is in him. Nay, without doing it, 
 every Man mull be extremely criminal; 
 fince, if the only Reafon a Man can give 
 for his being of any particular Perfuafion 
 with Refpe<5f to his Religious Principles, 
 is, that his Father and Mother were of 
 the fame Religion he was , and that he 
 profefied that Religion, becaufe he was 
 educated in it ; then, by a Parity of Rea¬ 
 fon, a Hottentot , or a Mahometan , a Jew , 
 or a Pagan , has as Prong Reafons for his 
 Mode of Religious Worfhip, and is as 
 juftifiable in the Continuance of it, as the 
 Chriftian. As to the feeming Impropriety 
 of debating on Religion in a Public Houfe, 
 and examining into its Principles over a 
 Pot of Beer, they concluded, it was not 
 only warrantable, but laudable, and infi¬ 
 nitely better than doing it in private 
 
 Houfes, 
 
the Robinhood Society. 63 
 
 Houfes, where they could not have an 
 Opportunity to inflru£f their Minds and 
 refreih their Bodies at the fame Time : 
 For they infilled, that in all Debates 
 whatever, more efpecially cn Religion, the 
 Converfation grows languid and infipid, in 
 Proportion as the Speakers grow hungry 
 and thirfly ; and therefore, a Welch Rab¬ 
 bit and a Pot of Beer, were as neceiTary 
 Requifites for aprofefled Orator, as Know¬ 
 ledge and Elocution, or even a Subject to 
 harangue on. 
 
 As to the Ad million of Political Quef- 
 tions, they obferv’d, that in this Land of 
 Liberty, where the Goddefs herfelf reigns 
 with fo much Luftre, and infufes her 
 chearing Influence into every Breafl, it is 
 abfolutely neceiTary for every one who has 
 the Good of his Country at Heart, to 
 fcrutinize into, and examine the Meafures 
 which are from Time to Time taken by 
 our State Pilots, in the Management of, 
 and fleering the Political Veflel: That it 
 is a Duty incumbent on every Man in a 
 free State, in a Rank of Life, and poiTef- 
 fed of Abilities beyond the Vulgar, to 
 fathom the Depths of Government, and 
 to point out and expofe the hidden Rocks 
 
 and 
 
64 The HISTORY of 
 
 and dangerous Shoals, on which Statefmen 
 often fplit: That as we are all Links of 
 one great Chain, we are all interefted in 
 the Fate of each other, and bound by the 
 moft folemn Ties of doing our utmoft, for 
 •the Support and Welfare of that Com¬ 
 munity to which we belong : And, that 
 though to dire<5f the Helm of State requires 
 an able Head and an incorrupt Heart, 
 Pra£fice and Experience, Courage and 
 Prudence ; yet, it has been found, that as 
 a Pigmy mounted on the Shoulders of a 
 Giant, may be able to fee farther than the 
 Giant hirnfelf, fo People not converfant 
 with State Affairs, may ftrike out fome 
 Road, that, being purfued, may lead to 
 Glory and Happinefs, and make fome 
 Obfervations, of which thofe that have 
 the Dire£tion of public Affairs, may avail 
 themfelves. 
 
 For thefe, and fome other Reafons 
 equally cogent, they determined, that Re¬ 
 ligion and Politics fhould find a Place in 
 their Debates, and employ their Attention 
 as much as any other Subjects. 
 
 The firft Queflion they had of a reli¬ 
 gious Nature, was the following ; which 
 the Reader will perceive was as ingenious 
 
 as 
 
the Robinhood Society. #5 
 
 as it was modefl, highly emblematical of 
 that Freedom of Enquiry which afterwards 
 prevailed in that free Society. 
 
 Whether Faith and Belief are not one 
 and the fame Thing P And , if fo y 
 Whether it is in the. leaf meritorious 
 to believe tvhat we cannot help upon 
 the Conviction of the SenfesP 
 
 Anti-Fidelis. 
 
 Many Arguments were urged on both 
 Sides, and Religion and Reafon were ban¬ 
 died to and fro by the various Difputants, 
 as a Foot-ball is by a Company of Soldiers, 
 or a Shuttlecock by the alternate Strokes 
 of founding Battledores. 
 
 The Affirmatives ftrongly infilled that 
 Faith was nothing but a Convi&ion in the 
 Mind, of the Truth of any particular 
 Do&rine, or Thing ; that we could not 
 help, from the internal Evidence we have 
 of Things, to believe or difbelieve them ; 
 that in Confequence of our examining 
 them, we form our Opinion, or in other 
 Words, our Faith; and that fince the 
 Evidence produced within every Man’s 
 Mind, is more or lefs forcible, in Propor¬ 
 tion as it flrikes the Imagination, it is no 
 
 Wonder 
 
66 The HISTORY of 
 
 Wonder that the Opinion, or Faith of 
 Mankind, lhould be fo greatly different, 
 and that one fnould firmly believe what 
 another fo ftrcnuoufly denies. They al- 
 ledgcd, that if a Man did all in his Power 
 to arrive at a due Knowledge of Things, 
 and in Confequence of his gaining the beff 
 Information he could, grounded his Belief, 
 he was not culpable, let that Belief be 
 what it would ; but any one that fits down 
 contented with Things as he finds them, 
 and believes them without a free and im¬ 
 partial Examination of their Nature and 
 Tendency, is extremely Culpable ; fmce 
 he only believes what he has been taught, 
 as a Parrot may prate what he has been in¬ 
 truded in. That to examine into the 
 Truth of any Dodfrine before we affent to 
 it, is our Duty ; that implicit Faith is a 
 Monfter in its Nature, and worthy only 
 of Papal Regions, where the Mind is fet¬ 
 tered and Credulity and Ignorance ftalk at 
 large. 
 
 Many other Arguments were produced, 
 in Support of the Opinions of thofe inge¬ 
 nious Gentlemen, which it would be too 
 tedious to enumerate ; the Refult, how¬ 
 ever, of their Enquiries, and the Inferen¬ 
 ces they drew from their Propofitions, 
 
 were. 
 
the Robinhood Society, 67 
 
 were, that Faith, of whatever Kind or 
 Nature foever, was not in the lead: meri¬ 
 torious, and of confequence not neceffary 
 to Salvation; fince it depended only on 
 the Formation of our Minds, and their 
 Capability of diftinguidling with Precifion 
 and Accuracy, the Nature of Things, 
 which accordingly influenced us to reject 
 or admit, to believe or disbelieve any Pro¬ 
 portion or Doctrine which came under the 
 Examination of our Senfes ; and that an 
 Infidel and a Chridian, are alike accepta¬ 
 ble to God, and ufeful Members of the ' 
 Community. 
 
 I shall not give the Subdance of what 
 was faid on the other Side of the Quedion, 
 for the greater Part of the Speakers were 
 thofe who difbelieved the Truth of the 
 Chridian Religion ; and thofe who fpoke 
 in its Defence, injured the Caufe they 
 fhould have fupported, and betrayed the 
 Fort they ftiould have defended, by their 
 feeble and ridiculous Arguments. To re¬ 
 fute, therefore, the Obfervations before 
 made, would not be to record the Proceed¬ 
 ings of the Society, but to give my own 
 Opinion. 
 
 One 
 
63 The HISTORY of 
 
 One Obfervation I mu ft, however, 
 be permitted to make. An ignorant Chris¬ 
 tian that pretends to defend Chriftianity 
 againft the Attacks of Infidels, is the 
 greateft Enemy it can have. The Shafts 
 of Ridicule pointed againft it by its Foes, 
 are too blunted, and the divine Shield of 
 Truth, which Chriftianitv has to defend 
 her, is too ftrong for any Impreftion to be 
 made on it. It muft not be concluded 
 therefore, that if, in public Societies, 
 Chriftianity is not always defended with a 
 cool and intrepid Spirit, againft the hot 
 Aftaults of a whole Legion of Adverfaries, 
 that it is not defenfible. Let but the pre¬ 
 tended Friends of Chriftianity hold their 
 Tongues, and it will defend itfelf; but 
 if they open the Gate to its Foes, it is no 
 Wonder that they fhould enter, and tri¬ 
 umph without a Viftory. 
 
 To give the Reader as fatisfa&ory Ac¬ 
 count of the Society as I can, and to en¬ 
 able him to form an adequate Idea of the 
 Members that compofed it, I (hall tranf- 
 cribe a few of the Qucftions they debated, 
 and give a brief Hiftory of a few of the 
 principal Speakers. 
 
 Some 
 
the Robinliood Society. 69 
 
 Some of the Queftions that adorn the 
 Book of Debates, and called forth the 
 Oratorial Abilities of the Members, are as 
 follow : 
 
 RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS. 
 
 JVhether the Ceremonies and Practice of 
 Mankind, relative to Marriage, under 
 the Mofaic Difpenfation, were Juper- 
 feded, or fet afide hy the Chrijlian 
 Revelation ? J u D JE U s. 
 
 Whether the Character of the Man after 
 God’j own Heart, is proper for the 
 Imitation of People in thefe Days P 
 
 Titus. 
 
 Whether a Plurality of Wives, praflifed 
 by the firjl Race of Men, is not jufli- 
 fiable by the prefent, as the Doctrine 
 and Practice were not abrogated by the 
 firjl Chrijlians P 
 
 Anglicanus. 
 
 Whether the Doflrine of the Trinity can 
 be jujlified either by Reafon or Scripture? 
 
 Anti-Trinitarian. 
 
 hThither 
 
7 o The HISTORY of 
 
 TVbether a pofitive Command to believe in 
 Doctrines we have no Conception off 
 and cannot compel our Reafon to fub- 
 mit to , has not a manifejl Tendency to 
 hoodwink our rational Faculties , and 
 to put us on a Level with Beajls, 
 whom we command to perform our 
 Wills without giving them any Rcafons 
 for our fo doing ? 
 
 PHILO-LlBER TATIS. 
 
 Whether the Doctrines of Chrijlianity are 
 not irreconcileable to the Reafon , and 
 repugnant to the Interefs of Mankind? 
 
 Draco. 
 
 Whether the Exercife of our rational Fa¬ 
 culties ., independent of any fupernatural 
 Affiftance , be not fuffcient to guide us 
 to Salvation ? And if it is not a grofs 
 Affront to the Wifdom of the Great 
 Firft Caufe to fuppofe the contrary? 
 
 Britannicus. 
 
 Whether it is conffent with the Common 
 Senfe of Mankind to believe , that the 
 Divine Logos, or Word, or Su¬ 
 preme Being, could be born of a Vir¬ 
 gin? Negativus. 
 
 Wbe- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 71 
 
 JVI) ether any one is accountable to any 
 Body of Aden whatever for his religi¬ 
 ous Sentiments? 
 
 Christianus. 
 
 Whether the Variety of Religious Syjlems , 
 all pretending to have the Divine Au¬ 
 thority of the Sacred Writings for their 
 Foundation , does not warrant an un¬ 
 prejudiced and a rational Per/on to fuf- 
 pedl the Authenticity of thofe Writings ? 
 Or, if not, to decline being a Member 
 of any vifible Church ? 
 
 Chubb. 
 
 As thefe Queftions are fufBcient tofhew 
 into what Extravagancies Men may be led 
 by the Freedom of Enquiry, Tome, though 
 not expunged from the Book of Debates, 
 are yet omitted here, as too impious and 
 blafphemous to be repeated. 
 
 POLITICAL QUESTIONS. 
 
 IVhether the Power lodged in a Pr'mie 
 Minijler, be not too great to be en- 
 trufted with any Subject 5 and if, in 
 
 Time 
 
72 The HISTORY of 
 
 'Time, it will not fap the very Vitals 
 of our Constitution ? 
 
 Aristarchus. 
 
 i r , ' ’* 
 
 JVbether , if it can he undeniably proved , 
 that a K — has broke his Coronation 
 Oath , the Subjects are not difcharged 
 from their Allegiance ? 
 
 Dubitor. 
 
 Whether a Monarch , who loads an unde- 
 ferving Favourite ivith FreafureSy and 
 who hears and fees every thing with 
 his Ears and Eyes, merits the glorious 
 Fitle of a Patriot King, notwithstand¬ 
 ing the fulfome Adulation and fervile 
 Compliments paid hi?n by dependent Sy¬ 
 cophants and venal Authors ? 
 
 Republicanvs. 
 
 Whether the great Snow we had fome time 
 paf *, attended with a fmart FroSiy 
 has not had a wonderful Effe ft infreez- 
 
 * The great Snow here alluded to happened in 1674, 
 and continued without IntermiiTion eleven Days. Great 
 Damages were occafioned thereby. Huts and little Houfes 
 were intirely covered, the Current of our Rivers was 
 ftooped, and Multitudes of People miferably perhhed. 
 
 tng 
 
the Robinhood Society. 73 
 
 ing and congealing the Senfes of fo?ne 
 certain Minifters ? 
 
 Sarcasticus. 
 
 Whether a King , who, in a Speech he snakes 
 from his ’Throne, folemnly declares he 
 will perform certain Actions which he 
 never does perform, ajferts manifejl 
 Falfehoods that are evident to the whole 
 Nation, and endeavours to make his 
 Subjects believe that black is white, and 
 that two and tivo make five, is a bet¬ 
 ter Monarch than Alfred or Conftan- 
 tine ? Antoninus. 
 
 IVhether the Smiles of a Monarch can 
 purify the Heart of a Gamejler, or the 
 Bed of a Countejs fanftify Levcdnefs 
 arid Adultery, noiwithfanding both the 
 Utopian Monarch and Countcfs are 
 bedawbed over by venal Pens, and re- 
 prefented as Pious, Good, Great, and 
 every Thing that is excellent P 
 
 Dun Scotus. 
 
 Whether the notorious Brattice of the MT 
 niflry's interfering with the Elettion of 
 Members of Parliament, and the Arts 
 of Bribery and Corruption, fo univer¬ 
 sally known to be made life of on thofg 
 E Occaftons 
 
74 toe HISTORY of 
 
 Occafions , do not reflect Dijhonour on 
 
 the - that permits or connives at 
 
 thofe illegal Practices , which manifejlly 
 tend to dejlroy the Freedom of the Sub- 
 jett? Marcus Aurelius. 
 
 Whether triennial Parliaments would not 
 be for the good of this Nation ? 
 
 Augustus. 
 
 These are Tome of the Religious and 
 Political Quedions debated bv the Soci¬ 
 ety, and from their Nature and Tendency 
 the Reader is enabled to judge of the reft. 
 He may obferve, that the moft abftrufe, 
 and'the moft eafy Subjects, are alike de¬ 
 bated on ; thofe that the grgateft human 
 .-Faculties cannot reach, and thofe that the 
 verieft Blockhead can underftand. 
 
 The Abfurdity of fuch Queftions muft 
 appeaT to every one. What can be more 
 ridiculous, than for a Society of Philofo- 
 phers and Chriftians to endeavour to explain 
 Myfteries, to fathom what is unfathom¬ 
 able, and to conceive what is inconcei¬ 
 vable ? Such is the Pride of human Wit, 
 and fuch our Delight in reconciling Para¬ 
 doxes, and fighting with Shadows, that we 
 negledt the Study of Subje&s that are of 
 
 the 
 
the Robinhood Society. 75 
 
 the laft Importance, and eafy to be under- 
 ftood, and employ our Thoughts on thofe 
 that are out of the Reach of finite Capa¬ 
 cities, and which, could they he explained 
 and underftood, would ceafe to be myfte- 
 rious ; for, as an eminent Divine has juft- 
 ly obferved, a Myftery explained is a Con¬ 
 tradiction in Terms, fince, being explained, 
 it becomes no Myftery at all. 
 
 Nor lefs abfurd and ridiculous is the de¬ 
 bating on Subje&s that can admit of no 
 rational Debate, or the leaft Doubt. Why 
 fhould an Aflembly of Men, whofe pro- 
 feftea Intention is to improve one ano¬ 
 ther, propofe a Quefton, Whether Vice is 
 Vice or not ? For that is the whole Pur¬ 
 port of the fixth Political Queftion before 
 fet down. That Vice is intrinfically Vice, 
 in Subject or in King, can admit of no 
 Difpute : No Power, no Rank, no For¬ 
 tune can alter the Eftence of Things, 
 however they may gild them over, and 
 conceal their native Horror. As to the 
 other Queftions, both Religious and Poli¬ 
 tical, I forbear commenting on them : 
 But I muft needs obferve, that I think the 
 firft: are extremely indecent, and the latter 
 vaftly bold, to be difeufted in a public So¬ 
 ciety •, to fay nothing of the Application 
 
 E 2 that 
 
76 The H I S T O R Y of 
 
 that every one cannot help making when 
 attentively confidering the laft. 
 
 I come now to perform the Promife I 
 before made, of giving a concife Account 
 of a few of the principal Speakers in this 
 illuftrious Society : But as forne of them 
 areftill living, inflead of their real Names, 
 I (hall charaCterife them under fictitious 
 ones. 
 
 POMPONIUS ATJICUS was 
 a young Gentleman of Genius and Judg¬ 
 ment, of a graceful Prefence, and ready 
 Elocution. But Fancy frequently got the 
 better of fober Reflection, and hurried 
 him into Inconhftencies and Paradoxes, 
 which all hfe Wit ana 1.earning could not 
 fupport. He was, according to the recei¬ 
 ved Meaning of the Word, a Deift ; but, 
 according to a true Exp eflion of that Cha¬ 
 racter, an Unbeliever of the Truth of the 
 Chriftian Religion, and the Divinity of its 
 Author. He had an Eirate left him bv his 
 deceafed Father, of feven hundred a Year, 
 which he had mortgaged to aimoft its full 
 Value at different Times, and diflipated 
 the Produce in the Purfuit of fafhionable 
 Vices and Follies ; fo that, at the Age of 
 uweniy-feven., when he firfl became a 
 
 Mem- 
 
 r 
 
the Robinhood Society. 77 
 
 Member of the EJfex-Hcad Society , aa 
 Annuity for Life of fixty Pounds only re¬ 
 mained. A loofe and diforderly Life gene¬ 
 rally brings on fome Rebukes of Confid¬ 
 ence, and fome alarming ReRe&ions. To 
 prevent their Influence, returning Appe¬ 
 tite and ftrong Temptation prefent them- 
 felves, and enlifling the Will under their 
 Banners, Reafon is feduced, and Confci- 
 ence {mothered. But, as under the mofl 
 mountainous Oppreflion, thefe rigid Mo¬ 
 nitors will call forth, with a loud Voice, 
 and bid their Mafter beware of the gilded 
 Poifon that prefents itfelf to his View, and 
 dafh the unbleifed Cup from his defiring 
 Lips ; fo, Pomponius feeling the dread¬ 
 ful Confequences of Vice, and attending 
 to the Monitors within, refolved to reform. - 
 his Life, and to forfake the Companions 
 of his Wickednefs. But this Resolution 
 was but tranfitory : The firff fine Woman 
 he faw difarmed him, and he fell from his 
 Heroifm. A Continuance in Wickednefs 
 debilitates the Faculties, and urges us to 
 defend what we praclife. Inflead, there¬ 
 fore, of leaving off the Practice of Vice, 
 Pomponius began to extenuate it—to 
 jufiify it *—and to admire it. He now 
 commenced a philofophic Rake, defended 
 his Actions by Figures of Speech, and ha- 
 
 E 3 rangued 
 
yS The HISTORY of 
 
 rangued on the Expediency and Utility of 
 Fornication, with the choiceft Metaphors. 
 He was now furprifed at his former Pufil- 
 Janimity and Doubt ; and was clearly of 
 Opinion, that the Practice of Whoredom 
 was juflifiable by Reafon, that great Ixm! 
 Chief Juftice in the Court of Man, and 
 tended greatly to the Support of the Com¬ 
 mon-Wealth. The Tranfition of this 
 State of Mind, Into a perfect Compofure 
 and Serenity in the Practice of Vice, is 
 very quick. Before we have deviated 
 from the Path of Duty, indeed, Confci- 
 ence, that ill-natured Snarler, that Enemy 
 to our Happinefs, fuggeffs a thoufand Rea- 
 fons for our Continuance in the fame Road, 
 and pretends to aftert, that the pleafant 
 Views, and delightful Profpecfs we fee on 
 each Side of us, are unreal, and a mere Moc¬ 
 kery of the Senfes ; and warns us, with an 
 an earned: and a loud Voice, not to for- 
 fake the Road we are in, to grafp at Sha¬ 
 dows, or to catch Butterflies. Nobly 
 difdaining to be controuled by fo rigid a 
 Monitor, we quit the Path in which we 
 fafely trod, and turn towards the Bowers 
 of JBJifs, and Beds of Rofes, where Sy¬ 
 rens folicit our Approach, and urge us to 
 recreate our jaded Senfes, and refrefh our 
 tired Limbs. We comply with the kind 
 
 Invi- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 79 
 
 Invitation : We are lulled to reft by the 
 foft Melodv of enfnaring Voices : We en- 
 ter the Bowers of Blifs ; we throw our- 
 felves on the Beds of Rofes, fully perfua- 
 
 ded we ftiall there be happy--But, ah ! 
 
 what Horror invades us, when we find 
 Harpies and Furies are the Inhabitants of 
 thofe Bowers, and that Adders, and Vi¬ 
 pers, and Scorpions, lurk beneath the Rofe 
 Beds ! 
 
 So was it with Pomponius. But of 
 the latter Pa t of this Defcription he ex¬ 
 perienced not the‘Truth, ’till Conviction 
 came to him on a Death-Bed-Fre¬ 
 
 quenting the Ejjex-Head Society , he was 
 confidered by all as a fine Speaker, and 
 clofe Reafoner. No Chriftian daied enter 
 the Lifts with our Unbeliever ; but if, rafh 
 and impetuous, by Chance any one at¬ 
 tempted it, he was fure of being foiled. 
 
 In this Manner he went on ’till he ar¬ 
 rived at the Age of Forty, happy in his 
 Vices, and perfectly convinced of their 
 Innocence, His deiftical Notions were 
 confirmed by the Authority of many 
 Writers of the firft Note, and many 
 Speakers of the fame Sentiments, that 
 attended the Society ; and they encouraged 
 
 E 4 / each 
 
go The HISTORY of 
 
 each other in them, and from Time to 
 Time entertained the World with their 
 Productions, in Order, as themfelves ob- 
 ferved, that the Caufe of Truth fhould be 
 propagated, and Bigotry and Superftition 
 be banifhed from the World. 
 
 A melancholy Sequel remains 
 to complete the Story. Shall I relate, or 
 leave the Imagination to guefs at the 
 Power of Sicknefs, and the ProfpeCI of 
 
 Death?--No; there is no Occafion. 
 
 Suffice it to fay, that the witty, the face¬ 
 tious, the learned Pomponius, retraced 
 the Opinions he had efpoufed, and declared 
 that he felt Chriftianity was no empty 
 Name, no Juggle or Trick put upon 
 Mankind, by artful Piiefls, to fetter Rea- 
 fon, and impofe on the Senfes, but a fub- 
 idantial Good, which its Profeffors may 
 pofTefs, but of which he could entertain 
 no Idea, but from the Defpair and Horror 
 
 he felt from the Want of it.-Thefe 
 
 Things he now declared ; but where de¬ 
 clared them? Alas! on a Bed from whence 
 lie never more arofe into this World : His 
 immortal Spirit freed from its Imprifon- 
 ment in the Body, entered the Regions of 
 Eternity. 
 
 A VERY 
 
the Robinhood Society. 81 
 
 A very different Kind of Being was 
 that v/hofe Hiflory I (hall now give. 
 Grip us was born of very mean and poor 
 Parents at Shiff'nall in Sbropfhire , who, 
 with great Difficulty, brought him up to 
 a Knowledge of Reading and Writing. 
 At the Age of thirteen, he was put Ap¬ 
 prentice to a Peruke-maker, and on his 
 Arrival to his twenty-fecond Year, with 
 eleven Shillings and nine Pence only, he 
 fet out for London . On his coming to 
 this sfreat Citv, and examining into the 
 
 o j 7 rD 
 
 State of his Finances, he found he had 
 one Shilling and three Pence Halfpenny 
 left. With that Sum he determined to 
 try his Fortune, and looked out for a 
 Place in the Capacity of a Journeyman 
 Barber. His Endeavours were crown’d 
 with Succefs: He found a Place, and he 
 was happy. Nine Months he continued 
 here, and faved up the Sum of feven 
 Pounds nine Shillings. It was a Fortune 
 to him, and he refolv’d to improve it; 
 but not in the Bufmefs he was bred to, for 
 he found it would not anfwer his Purpofe. 
 With feven Pounds and nine Shillings 
 only, Gripus enter’d the Alley , and took 
 on him a Bufmefs he knew nbthing of: 
 but lie had heard that fmall Sums had pro- 
 
 £ 5 duced 
 
82 The HISTORY of 
 
 duced immenfe Fortunes in it. He was 
 ignorant and illiterate to the lafl: Degree ; 
 had no Accomplifhments that could re¬ 
 commend him to the Notice of the World, 
 or refcue him, according to all Probability, 
 from that low and mean State he had been 
 bred in, and was then fubje& to. 
 
 As Fortune is hoodwink’d, and re- 
 gardlcfs of the Merits of her Suitors, it 
 frequently happens, that the Unworthy 
 are admitted into her Temple, and re¬ 
 ceiv’d as h,er peculiar Favourites, while 
 the Learned and Ingenious languifh in Ob- 
 feurity, or drag a heavy, galling Chain, 
 condemn’d to Penury and Want. Gripus 
 experienced the Truth of this Obfervation. 
 With not a fingle Qualification that could 
 intitle him to the Regard of any one, or 
 refcue him from the fervile and ignomi¬ 
 nious State he had been ufed to, he met 
 with great Succefs, and abounded in Af¬ 
 fluence; Wealth flow’d in fail upon him, 
 while Men of infinitely greater Merit 
 were finking beneath a Load of Misfor¬ 
 tunes, and patiently enduring the Frowns 
 of Fortune. The Alley prov’d a real 
 Friend to him, and his Subftance conti¬ 
 nually increafed. As he grew more weal¬ 
 thy, he was more parfimonious; and he 
 
 feldom 
 
the Robinhood Society. 83 
 
 feldom or never (pent more than three 
 Half-pence for his Breakfaft, three Pence 
 Half penny for his Dinner, and three 
 Half-pence for a Nipperkin of home¬ 
 brewed, either at the Crooked Billet in 
 Shire Lane, or the Welch Harp in Full- 
 wood's Rents. 
 
 In about twenty Years he had amafTed 
 together the Sum of Twenty Thoufand 
 Pounds, with the greateft Part of which 
 he purchafcd an Eftate in Shropjhire , and 
 laid out the Remainder in the Stocks. His 
 Subftance, like a Snow-ball, was conti¬ 
 nually iricrealing, and with it the Defire 
 of more. Like the Grave, his Luft for 
 Money was boundlefs, and he endea¬ 
 vour’d to obtain it by all the Means in 
 his Power. 
 
 On his Arrival to his forty-feventh 
 Year, Curiofity brought him to the Ejfex 
 Head, and Avarice kept him there. Six¬ 
 pence a Night was, indeed, more than he 
 had made it a Rule to fpend \ but for 
 that Six-pence he might drink a Gallon 
 or two of good Porter, and on the Days 
 he went there, he took Care to drink 
 none any where elfe j fo that he juftly 
 
 confider’d^ 
 
84 3Z* HISTORY of 
 
 consider’d, that if he drank but three full 
 Pots, he was Three-pence Gainer. 
 
 It can fcarcely be expedled that fuch a 
 Genius as I am describing, could be ail 
 Orator; but he was as good a Drinker as 
 any of them, and though he could neither 
 fpeak to a Quedion, or comprehend the 
 Force of any Argument, yet while the 
 Debates were held, he could amufe him- 
 felf with his Tankard, and fmoke his 
 Pipe ; and after they were finifhed, could 
 for two or three Hours longer, fmoke his 
 Pipe, and amufe himfelf with his Tan¬ 
 kard--and all for Six-pence. 
 
 In this Manner old.GRiPus went on 
 ’till the lad Day of his Life, the Jed of 
 Fools, the Contempt of Coxcombs, the 
 Pity of Men of Senfe, and the Detedation 
 of his Relations; though, indeed, thefe 
 latter being needy, paid him fome Court, 
 and fhewed him fome Refpecd, which his 
 Wealth, not his Merit, extorted; mere 
 
 Mouth-Honour, which the poor Heart 
 * c would fain have denied.” 
 
 GRIP US had many Relations, who 
 Hood in Need of his Bounty; but, infen- 
 
 fible 
 
the Robinhood Society. 85 
 
 fiblc to every Thing but the Luff of Mo¬ 
 ney, dead to all the focial Feelings of the 
 Soul, he cared not a Straw if his Kindred 
 and all Mankind were at the Bottom of 
 the Sea, fo that he could {land fafely on 
 Land, furvey the Scene, and, like a Sujjex 
 or Cornijh Savage, pillage the Wreck. 
 
 A Length of Years, however, weigh’d 
 him down at laid, and he fell ill. Death 
 was written in his Face, and he was pro¬ 
 nounced incurable. The Landlord, in 
 whofe Houfe he had for many Years 
 lodged by Way of Cheapnefs, had Two 
 Hundred Pounds in his Hands belonging 
 to Gripus ; and this Sum, he determin’d, 
 by fome Artifice, to appropriate to his 
 own Ufe. How this was to be obtain’d, 
 was the grand Quefiion, and well worthy 
 the Contriver’s Genius. Will was no 
 lefs a Mifer than Gripus, rind had, by 
 keeping a mean, beggarly Coffee-Houfe, 
 in a dirty-Lane, faved up Three or Four 
 Thoufand Pounds; but lie confider’d, 
 that Two Hundred would be a good Ad¬ 
 dition to it.- The Scheme being at length 
 duly adjufted, Will made his Appear¬ 
 ance before Gripus, attended by two 
 Witnefles, who were to {land concealed, 
 hear the Difcourfe, and, if negeflary, give 
 
86 The HISTORY of 
 
 in Evidence of it. 44 I have Two Hun- 
 44 dred Pounds of yours in my Hands, 
 44 Mr. Gripus, faid Will, and I want 
 44 to know what I mud do with it.” 
 Gripus, rack’d with Pain, and fcarce 
 fenfible of any Thing, replied, 44 Keep 
 44 it yourfelf.” A Wink of the Eye, 
 and a Proje£hon of the Hand, now were 
 neeelfary, to bring the two Witnedes 
 forward. They came. 44 What muff I 
 44 do with the Two Hundred Pounds, Mr. 
 4 Gripus ? As you are now, in all Pro- 
 44 bability, on a Death-bed, it is bed to 
 
 44 fettle thefe Affairs.”- 44 You may 
 
 44 keep it yourfelf, anfwer’d the fick 
 * 4 Man.” 44 Then you give and bedow 
 44 the Two Hundred Pounds on me, 
 
 44 don’t you ?”- 44 I do, reply’d he.” 
 
 This was different. Will haden’d down 
 Stairs, had an Affidavit drawn of the 
 Legacy given him, and in a fhort Time 
 after Gripus expired ; That Gripus 
 who lived defpifed and hated, and died 
 unlamented. 
 
 Another Member of the Society, 
 was Father Murtagh O’Flaherty, 
 a Popifh Pried:. Ireland gave him Birth, 
 St. timer's Education, and England a 
 good Income. He had for a long Time, 
 
 aft er 
 
the Robin hood Society. 87 
 
 after his Return from St. Omer' s, refided 
 in the North of Ireland , and was looked 
 on as a very learned and able Divine. The 
 Aged revered him for his Judgment; and 
 the Youthful for his gay and lively Difpo- 
 fition, freed from the Aufterity and Ri¬ 
 gour that frequently make Wifdom odious. 
 Murtagh would demonflrate with the 
 greateft Clearnefs, that Mirth and Chear- 
 fulnefs were not in the lead: inconfiftent 
 with Religion ; that a Bottle of good 
 Claret fortified the Body, and railed the' 
 Spirits ; and that the Joys which a good 
 Tavern and boon Companions afford, 
 were not to be defpifed by Men of Senfe. 
 
 In Confequence of this natural Propen- 
 fity, this longing Defire to be happy, and 
 to make others fo. Father Murtagh 
 would frequent Clubs, and fing Catches, 
 fpeak Speeches, drink Toads, break Glaf- 
 fes, and tell merry Stories, with any one: 
 And though fome rigid Priefis, and fevere 
 Moralifts, would cenfure him behind his 
 Back for his immoral Conduct, as they 
 term’d it, yet, when he appear’d before 
 them, he had fuch a pretty Way, fuch a 
 forcible Method of vindicating his Beha¬ 
 viour, and winning their Affe&ions, that 
 
 they 
 
88 
 
 rfhe HISTORY of 
 
 they could not find in their Hearts to 
 blame him. 
 
 But, with fucb AccomoUfhments, if 
 he was a Favourite of the Men, what 
 muft he be with the Women r They per¬ 
 fectly idolized him, and, in Return, Fa¬ 
 ther Murtagh had no lefs Pafiion and 
 Veneration for them. Indeed, there was 
 another Circumftance, which, though it 
 may be deem’d a Trifle by fome Folks, 
 had a wonderful EffeCl in forcing the Af¬ 
 fections of the Fair. As he. aCted in the- 
 Character of a Confeflor, to rivet the 
 Efteem of his Penitents, he ufed Lenity 
 infiead of Severity, and in Cafes where 
 fome Confefiors would have fcourged 
 with a Rod of Iron, he rebuked with the 
 Mildnefs of a Father, and exhorted them 
 to a contrary ConduCl, if they would 
 avoid his juft Indignation. Thefe lenient 
 and gentle Methods prevail’d where rough 
 and violent ones would not. The human 
 Mind is rather won by Entreaty, than 
 dragged by Force, and receives Conviction 
 from a Friend that foothes its Anguifh, 
 and makes Allowance for its Frailties ^ 
 when, by a contrary Conduct, venial Er¬ 
 ror might rife to Guilt, and youthful In¬ 
 dulgence 
 
the Robinhood Society. 89 
 
 dulgence terminate in confirmed Wicked- 
 nefs and obftinate Villainy. 
 
 Father Murtagh being fuch a pro* 
 fefied Admirer of the Fair, and treating 
 them with finch Mildnefs, he had To won 
 their Hearts, that they refounded his 
 Praifes continually. They iufifted on it, 
 he was the belt Pried in the Kingdom, 
 the mod learned and judicious Man, and 
 infinitely the bed qualified to be a Confef- 
 for. In lhort, they would confefs to no 
 one but Father Murtagh. Father 
 Murtagh was the univerfal Cry. 
 
 This Trade continued fo long, that a, 
 Confpiracy was formed by his envious Bre¬ 
 thren againd his Monopoly, and by Force 
 of Bribes and Numbers, he fell a Vi£lim 
 to popular Wrath, and priedly Artifice. 
 
 For a long Time the good Man, poor 
 and friendlefs, wandered about, a melan¬ 
 choly Proof of the unhappy Fate that may 
 attend Men of the greated Parts, and of 
 the Want of Gratitude for pad Favours, 
 when the Power of continuing them is 
 taken away. 
 
 Finding 
 
90 The H I S T O R Y of 
 
 Finding he could fearcely fupport him- 
 felf in Ireland , he came to London , and 
 loon formed an Acquaintance with many 
 People of his own Religion. An Irijh 
 Roman Catholic k Prieft need never fear 
 wanting a Beef-Steak and a Pot of Porter 
 for his Dinner in London: Nay, he need 
 not fear wanting Venifon or Ortolans, and 
 good Claret. There are Abundance of 
 Papifts in this City, who regard their Priefts 
 as fo many Demi-Gods, and who will 
 think themfelves as highly honoured with 
 their Prefence at Dinner or Supper, as 
 Baucis and Philemon thought them- 
 felves by the Prefence of their heavenly 
 Gueft ; and in confequence of this Opi¬ 
 nion, the Markets are ranfacked for the 
 choiccfi: Viands, and the Wine Vaults for 
 the beft Wines, to entertain them. As 
 ftolen Interviews between Lovers are the 
 fweeteft, fo the Neceffity the Roman Ca¬ 
 tholic Clergy are under to keep themfelves 
 concealed, in order to gain Profelytes, and 
 pervert the People to their Religion, give 
 a Reliih to their Entertainments which they 
 would otherwife want. 
 
 Father Murtagh foon faved up a 
 good deal of Money, and lived as elegantly 
 
 as 
 
the Robinhood Society* 91 
 
 as his Heart could wifh. He attended eve¬ 
 ry Monday night at the EJfex-Head , fpoke 
 to the Queffions in the Character of a Pro- 
 teffant, yet could not help betraying the 
 cloven Foot on fortie Occalions. After the 
 Debates of the Evening were over, and the 
 Company entered into private Conferences 
 with each other, Father Murtagh would 
 fingle out that Perfon whom he conceived 
 moll fit for his Purpofe, and ufe the greatefl 
 Induffry and exert all his Abilities, to de¬ 
 preciate the effablifhed Religion of this 
 Kingdom, and extol that of the Roman 
 Catholic, and his Endeavours were often 
 fuccefsful. 
 
 He is now very old, and having for many 
 Years attended at the EJfex-Head Society , 
 he comes to the Robinhood ; but not con- 
 ftantly, on Account of his Age and Infir¬ 
 mities. 
 
 BOB SCAMPER was a Man very 
 different from the three I have been de- 
 feribing: Bob was born in the Weff of 
 England , and was reckoned a Youth of 
 enterprifing Genius, and ready Parts. At 
 the Age of eighteen he came to London , and 
 having fpont the five Guineas he brought 
 up with him on Women of the Town, 
 
 was 
 
5 2 • The H I S T O R Y of 
 
 was greatly at a Lofs to what to betake 
 himfeif. Poverty flared him in the Face, 
 and tho’ he had fome good natural Parts, 
 and a great AfTurance, yet having no Learn¬ 
 ing, he could get no genteel Employment. 
 His Female afibciates, however, foon fur- 
 nithed Hints, which a Lad of his ready Wit 
 and enterprifing Spirit, eafily underfiood, 
 and as intrepidly executed. He turned 
 Collector on the Road, and having Suc- 
 cefs, rioted in the Spoils he had taken, and 
 with his Girls enjoyed all the Happinefs he 
 defired : Not but that fometimes it was 
 dafhed with fome Remorfe, and the Dread 
 of the fatal Confequences that might.enfue. 
 But Excels of drinking, the Company of 
 Libertines, and the Converfation of his 
 Women, difperfed the Clouds that obfcured 
 his Flappinefs, and confirmed him in the 
 Refolufion he had taken to plunder and rob 
 the Public, and to gain a Livelihood by the 
 bold Hands of Violence. 
 
 A Continuance in Wickednefs fa- 
 miliarifis the Mind to it, and what at firft 
 a Man would dart even to think of, he at 
 length prac-ifes without Horror. Ail Guilt 
 is progrefiive: We go not at once, but 
 Step by Step, into the Extremes of Vice ; 
 and iho’ it is impoflible to lilence the Cries 
 
 of 
 
 i 
 
the Robinhood Society. 93 
 
 of Confcience, and to ftifle the Di&ates of 
 Reafon all at once, yet an habitual Viola¬ 
 tion of their Admonitions, brings us to ail 
 Infallibility of the Horror of our Crimes, 
 and renders us quite callous to the Senfe of 
 Shame, and deaf to every Thing but the 
 importunate Cravings of fenfual Appetite. 
 
 ROB SCAMPER experienced the 
 Truth of thefe Obfervations. In the Day- 
 Time he mounted his Horfe, and robbed 
 on the Highway with the fame Compofure, 
 as any other Man follows his cuftomary 
 Occupation, and at Night he fpent the ill- 
 got Treafure among Whores and Thieves, 
 the Encouragers of his Wickednefs, and 
 the Sharers of his Spoils. 
 
 This was a worthy Member of a So¬ 
 ciety that met to improve themfelves by 
 free and candid Inquiry; but Captain 
 Scamper, as he was in titled, was well 
 received by all. He was a tall handfome 
 ■ Fellow, endued with a Power of Face that 
 difdained a Blufh, and though not wife 
 was witty, though not learned was ingeni¬ 
 ous, and had a Power of impofmg on the 
 4 Underflandings of thofe he converfed with, 
 and making them believe him to be what 
 he was not. He dreffed well, had a free 
 
 and 
 
94 We HISTORY of 
 
 and dcgagee Air, wanted not Words, and 
 addrefled the Paflions of thofe he converfed 
 with, with fuch Skill and Succefs, that 
 you could not help giving him Credit for 
 much more Underftanding than he pof- 
 fefled. 
 
 There are two Kinds of People that 
 are better thought of in mod Companies, 
 than their intrinfic Merit deferves: Thefe 
 are the folemn Prig, and well-drefled Cox¬ 
 comb. The firft, by the Help of a full- 
 trimmed grave Suit, and a large Peruque, 
 a fagacious Look, and a flow Deli¬ 
 very, {hall make you take him for a 
 fecond Solon. The moft unmeaning 
 Speech, the triteft Obfervation, the moft 
 fuperficial Hint, delivered in a dry, yet 
 important, flow but folemn Tone, and 
 enforced by fome {hakes of the Head, 
 fbrugs of the Shoulders, and fignificant 
 Hand-Oratory, fhall be received as the 
 Dictates of Wifdom, and procure the 
 Speaker the Chara&er of the Solomon of 
 the Age. 
 
 The other, aided by his Taylor, Mil- 
 lener, and Barber, tho’ he gives Vent to 
 the Fulnefs of his Soul only by dry Jokes, 
 and inflpid Remarks, is yet liftened to with 
 
 v Atten- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 95 
 
 Attention, and heard with Pleafure. No 
 one will dare to contradict the Aftertions of 
 a Wit, with laced Cloaths, Bag-Wig, and 
 a Sword ; and thus Folly is received for 
 Wifdom, and vivacious Impudence for Ge¬ 
 nius. 
 
 SCAMPER was to be ranked in this 
 fecond Clafs of Orators. He fpoke to eve¬ 
 ry Queftion, and tho’ what he faid had no 
 great Depth or much Meaning in it, yet 
 being delivered from the Mouth of a Man 
 that was extremely well drelTed, and with 
 no bad Accent or ill Grace, it was always 
 well received, and the Speaker was con- 
 fid ered as a very great Genius , and an Or¬ 
 nament to the Society. 
 
 But this Ornament of the Society did 
 not laft above five Years and a Half. He 
 bad committed a Robbery on Hounjlow - 
 Meath , and taken a Booty of no lefs than 
 three Hundred Guineas. The Gentle¬ 
 man he had robbed, happened accidentally 
 to come to the EJfex-Head one Monday 
 Evening, and the Moment he entered the 
 Room, Captain Scamper had got up to 
 fpeak to the Queftion. The Queftion was 
 
 JVhether 
 
$6 The HISTORY of 
 
 Whether the Doctrine of Repentance 
 taught by the Chrijlian Religion , has 
 not a manifejl "Tendency to encourage 
 JVickednefs? Deis tic us. 
 
 SCAMPER, after defiring the Prefi- 
 dent to read tho- Quedion again, fpoke to 
 it in the bed: Manner he could, fie vindi¬ 
 cated Chridianity in general, and demon- 
 drated that all its Dodlrines tended to the 
 Support of Morality, by difcountenancing 
 all Manner of Vice. He Ihewed its fu- 
 perior Excellency over all the Religions 
 that had ever appeared in the World; he 
 proved the Authenticity of the Sacred 
 Writings, and defied the Deids, with all 
 their Ingenuity, to point out any Defedts 
 in them. He obferved of our Saviour’s 
 Sermon on the Mount, that as it compre¬ 
 hended in one concife View, all the Doc¬ 
 trines and Precepts of Chridiany, fo it was 
 the mod ftiblime Sydem of Ethics in the 
 World. He took Notice, that not only 
 the Philofophers and Sages of the Heathen 
 World, confidered abdradfedly, were un¬ 
 able to form a complete Sydem of moral 
 Duties, but that all their Writings put to¬ 
 gether were infufficient to form fuch a 
 Sydem, and that if all their Morality was 
 
 to 
 
the Robinhood Society. 97 
 
 to be extra&ed, that is, all their Excellen¬ 
 cies to be reduced into a Syftem, it would 
 {bill be an imperfect one. He then fpoke 
 more immediately to the Queftion, and deli¬ 
 vered it as his Opinion, that the Doclrine 
 of Repentance, as taught by the eftablifhed 
 Church, of which, he faid, he was not a- 
 fhamed to own himfelf a Member, fo far 
 from encouraging Wickednefs, had the 
 greateft: Tendency imaginable to annihilate 
 it; for he obferved, that the Repentance 
 taught in the Gofpel, is not merely a Sor¬ 
 row for our pad Sins,- but likewife a Reso¬ 
 lution of reforming our Condu£t for the fu¬ 
 ture. As to the Objection that had been 
 brought by a Deift, who obferved, ^ that 
 Repentance was no Atonement, he faid, it 
 was very true, if we fpeak as Deifts, but 
 if we believe as Chriftians, it muft be looked 
 on as an Atonement, fince God, in thofe 
 Books which Chriftians believe were writ¬ 
 ten by his Infpiration, has been gracioufty 
 pleafed to declare, he will receive it as 
 fuch. Our Duty he obferved, without 
 Doubt, it was always incumbent on us to 
 pra&ife ; and after the Commifnon of the 
 greateft: Sins, and our fincere Repentance 
 of them, we perform no more than our 
 Duty, by living a Righteous and a Holy 
 Life: But as the Deity had declared to 
 
 F every 
 
9 S The HISTORY*/ 
 
 every one, even the greateil of Sinners, that 
 though his Crimes were as red as Scarlet, 
 yet by Repentance the Ihould be made as 
 white as Snow ; it is certainly a Do6lrine 
 that encourages the Soul, and fupports it 
 under the Reproaches of Confcicnce, that 
 would otherwife whip us with her Scor¬ 
 pions, and throw us into the Agonies of 
 Defpair and Horror. He concluded, by 
 drawing a Contrail: between the Repen¬ 
 tance of the Proteilant, and the Abfolution 
 of the Roman Catholic Church ; and in¬ 
 filled, that the former tended to our fpi- 
 ritual and temporal Welfare, and the latter 
 to the Dcilru£tion of both. 
 
 During all the Time this great Advo¬ 
 cate for Religion and Morality was fpeak- 
 ing, the Gentleman eyed him attentively, 
 and thought he had feen him fomewhere 
 before. He went up clofe to him, and 
 after a minute examination of his Perfon 
 and Manner, at length recolle£led that it 
 was on Hounjlow-Heath he had the Mif- 
 fortune to have feen him. Without faying 
 any Thing to him, or to the Company, he 
 withdrew, and in about a Quarter of an 
 Hour returned with his Servant, who was 
 prefent at the Robbery, and with a Con- 
 liable, who was to take Care of Scam¬ 
 per, 
 
the Robinhood Society, 99 
 PER, if the Servant agreed with his Mafter 
 in the Identity of the Perfon. 
 
 The Servant had no fooner entered the 
 Room, than, without his Mailer’s pointing 
 the Object out, he fwore that the tall Gen¬ 
 tleman in laced Cloaths, near the Preft- 
 dent, was the Man that r&bbed his Mafter 
 on Hounflow-Heath . This was fufficient. 
 The Conftable went up to him, and tap¬ 
 ping him on the Shoulder, faid, he fhould 
 be glad to fpeak to him. The Captain 
 obeyed, and they withdrew out of the 
 Difputing-Room, attended by the Gentle¬ 
 man and his Servant. They had no fooner 
 reached the Stairs, than Sc am per wanted 
 to know the Gentleman’s Commands- 
 * e Oh, fays the Conftable, there is a 
 
 Coach waiting at the Door, and if 
 €C you’ll enter it, you’ll know prefently.” 
 Scamper declin’d it, but the Conftable 
 was importunate, and being fomewhat 
 irritated at his Obftinacy, told him he 
 muft enter it. The Captain flared, bit his 
 Lips, and was mute. The Gentleman 
 and his Servant now came up, and the 
 latter opening the Coach-Door, waited 
 for his Mafter to enter. But he was too 
 complaifant to go in before the Captain, 
 and bowing to him, afked him to go in 
 
 F 2 fir ft. 
 
100 The HISTORY of 
 
 flrft. The Captain ftill declin’d it, and 
 they infilled on it in a higher Tone, and 
 declar’d that he fhould go whether he 
 would or not. Already was half the 
 Captain’s Sword out of the Scabbard, and 
 he had refolv’d to refill their utmoft Efforts, 
 ■when a Whittle from the Conftable made 
 him flare, and of a Sudden fufpend his 
 Adlion. Immediately three flrapping Fel¬ 
 lows came up, and the Conflable pointing 
 to Scamper, and telling them to do their 
 Duty, they took away his Sword, hurried 
 him into the Coach, the Gentleman, his 
 Servant, and the Conftable following, and 
 drove off to Juftice De Veil’s. 
 
 I shall not multiply Words. The 
 Gentleman and his Servant fwore pofitively 
 that he was the Perfon that robb’d them 
 on Hounjlow Heath . Pie was fearch’d. 
 A Powder Horn, a Pair of Piftols, a 
 Mafk, and fome other Things were found 
 on him. His Mittimus was made, and he 
 was fent to Newgate . 
 
 In a Fortnight, Abundance of People 
 fwore to their being robb’d by him; and 
 by means of fome of his Girls, three of his 
 Confederates were taken, and fent to bear 
 him Company. In due Time, their Trials 
 
 came 
 
the Robinhood Society. 101 
 
 came on at the Old Baily , and they,were 
 found guilty, and fentenced to be hang’d. 
 
 Scamper had very little Hopes of 
 gaining a Reprieve, yet did not prepare 
 for Death in the Manner he ought. His 
 favourite Do&rine, Repentance, he hardly 
 thought of, at leaft he did not pra&ife it. 
 He drank to fuch Excefs, that when the 
 Hour came that he was to fuffer an igno¬ 
 minious Death in the Sight of a nume¬ 
 rous and gaping Populace, he feem’d quite 
 infenfible of his Fate. 
 
 ^ * 
 
 He was put into the Cart with his 
 Companions, and they were driven to 
 Tyburn. The fatal Rope was faften’d round 
 their Necks—the Ordinary told them they 
 were going to another World——the Cart 
 
 was driven away-and they were left 
 
 fufpended in the Air. 
 
 Thus perifh’d Bob Scamper, a Man 
 of no mean Abilities, but who prodituted 
 them to infamous Purpofes, and lived an 
 immoral, vicious Life, though ever ha¬ 
 ranguing in the Society? on the Beauty of 
 Holinefs, and theNeceflity of Repentance. 
 —I wifh this were not a common Cafe in* 
 the World. 
 
 F 3 
 
 Ano- 
 
J02 The HISTORY of 
 
 Another Member of the Society, not 
 lefs worthy than this, was Tom Rake- 
 well. Tom, after having receiv’d an 
 Education, that barely enabled him to read 
 and write, was fent from the Well of 
 England to London , and there bound Ap¬ 
 prentice to a Grocer. Rut Tom’s Genius 
 was not to be confin’d within fo narrow 
 a Channel. Fie foared to higher Things, 
 and was ambitious enough to attempt get¬ 
 ting on the Stage, where all his Delires 
 were placed, and all his Hopes terminated. 
 Fie offer’d himfelf to Fleetwood, the 
 Manager, and was refufed. Not daunted, 
 however, at this Repulfe, he ran away 
 from his Mafter in the third Year of his 
 Apprenticefhip, went to Norwich , where 
 a Company of Strollers were then per¬ 
 forming, made a Tender of his Services, 
 and was accepted. The pitiful Income of 
 a ffrolling Player was too fcanty for our. 
 Hero, and the Debts he had contracted 
 were fo numerous, and his Creditors fo 
 preffing, that Norzvich became quickly too 
 hot to hold him. He, therefore, fet out 
 from that Place for Newcajlle upon Tyne y 
 where there was another Company of 
 Players : But, to enable himfelf to travel 
 with greater Conveniency, he took with 
 
 him 
 
the Robinhood Society. 103 
 
 him as large a Bundle of the Manager’s 
 Cloaths as he could carry, and fet out 
 earlv in the Morning in a Poil-Chaife. 
 
 He quickly converted his EfFedls into 
 ready Money, and reach’d NewcajUe in 
 two Days. But he was foon forced to 
 decamp. The News of his being there* 
 having reached his quondam Companions at 
 Norwich , a Hue and Cry was raifed, and 
 two of the Adfors were fent to NewcajUe 
 to apprehend him. Rakewell, by fome 
 Means, had Intelligence of their Arrival* 
 and gueiTed their Errand ; but declin’d the 
 Honour of their Company, by leaving the 
 Town fo precipitately, that he had not 
 even d ime to pay the Landlord of the Inn 
 he had fet up at, a Score of thirty-feven 
 {hillings. 
 
 From hence he went to Exeter , a£ 
 which Town he was born ; and going to 
 his Father, told him a long Story of his 
 Mailer’s ill Ufage, and of the Impoffibility 
 of his living with him. His Father pro¬ 
 duced a Letter from his Mailer, informing 
 him of his Son’s running away without any 
 Caufe, but of his Readinefs to pardon him 
 if he would return. The Father and Son 
 had now a great Conteil, and the Mailer’s 
 
 F 4 * Letter 
 
xo4 The HISTORY of 
 
 letter had greater Weight with the old 
 Man, than the Son’s AfTertions. He, 
 however, promifed RakeweLL, that he 
 would write to his Matter in his Favour, 
 and that ’till he could receive an Anfwer, 
 he might ftay with him. The Son ac- 
 quiefeed with the Propofal, Teem’d pleafed 
 with it, and the old Man immediately 
 wrote, extenuating his Son’s Guilt, and 
 apologizing for the Mifcondu<5t which the 
 Weaknefs incident to Youth had drawn 
 him into. 
 
 Three Days after, Tom got up at 
 One in the Morning, and opening a Bu¬ 
 reau, found a Purfe with no lefs than 
 hfty-feven Guineas in it, being the poor 
 old Man’s whole Fortune, and which he 
 had been hoarding up ever fince his Son 
 was firft fent to London , out of the fmali 
 Profits that accrued to him from a little 
 Trade he had as a Peruke-maker. This 
 was a Fortune to the over-joyed Youth, 
 and putting it fafe in his Pocket, he took 
 his Stick, and walk’d ’till Seven in the 
 Morning very brifkly, when he had reach’d 
 * * * *. Here he breakfafted, and the 
 Stage-Coach coming by, he agreed with 
 the Driver for his PafTage .to London, 
 
the Robinhood Society. 105 
 
 He had no {boner arriv’d at the Metro¬ 
 polis, than the Scenes he had before been 
 engag’d in, were renew’d, and the fame 
 Pranks play’d over again. While he was 
 in his Apprenticefhip, an indulgent Mailer 
 had permitted him, after the Bufinefs of 
 the Night was over, and Shop was ihut, to 
 fpend his Evenings abroad. A Youth of 
 fuch a Difpofition as Tom had, it may 
 naturally be imagin’d, did not fpend them 
 in very good Company, nor very inno¬ 
 cently. The Houfes he frequented were 
 either Brothels, or Night-Houfes, and 
 the Company confiiled of wild, and 
 thoughtlefs young Apprentices like him- 
 felf, or thorough-paced Rogues, who ini¬ 
 tiated the young ones into all the iniquitous 
 Schemes and Arts they were Mailers of. 
 Tutors of Villainy like thefe, for whom 
 'Tyburn groans, abound in Houfes of this 
 Sort, and young Scholars attend there in 
 great Numbers. 
 
 Tom keeping very bad Hours, was fre¬ 
 quently lock’d out; but after he had the 
 Experience of three Weeks Learning 
 from a Veteran, he knew how to feduce 
 hi? Mailer’s Maid, and to prevail on her . 
 to let him in at any Hour. This Kindnefs 
 went not unrewarded: To difeharge his 
 
 F 5 Obli- 
 
106 The HISTORY of 
 
 Obligations to her, Tom robb’d his Matter 
 of Tea, Sugar, Spices and Snuff. 
 
 This was a pretty Life, which he now 
 not only renew’d, but improv’d. He be¬ 
 came a complete Buck and Blood, Tallied 
 out every Night in Queft of Adventures, 
 beat the Watch, bullied Conttables, de- 
 molifhed Lamps, kicked Waiters, bilked 
 Bawdy-Houfes, and went Home reeling 
 to Bed. 
 
 About the Time he return’d to London 
 from Exeter , he attended the EJfex-Head 
 Society. Their Debates charmed him, 
 and he thought if he could be admitted a 
 Member of To refpedlable and learned a 
 Body, hefhould be quite happy. If Hap- 
 pinefs confifted in being a Member, he 
 was foon in Poffettion of it, for he was 
 chofen Nem. Con . 
 
 RAKE WELL had a great Talent 
 for Difputation. He had a ready Wit, 
 great Volubility of Speech, and wanted 
 not for a confummate Aflurance. Thefe 
 Accomplifhments mutt: have endeared him 
 greatly to the Society, and he was look’d 
 on as a valuable Acquifition. It is true, 
 there was no Solidity of Judgment, no 
 Depth of Knowledge in him, any more 
 
 than 
 
the Robinhood Society. 107 
 
 than in his Friend Scamper ; but he had 
 no lefs Art in exciting the Admiration of 
 the Superficial, and the Ignorant, (a vaffc 
 Body of Men !) and in making his Tinfei 
 Ornaments pafs for real Plate. 
 
 RAKEWELL’s chief Fort was Re¬ 
 ligion. He diftinguifh’d himfelf greatly 
 on Subjects of this Kind, and was thought 
 to be as good an Orthodox Member as any 
 in the Society. He combated the Deifts 
 with the invincible Armour of Revealed 
 Religion, and played off the great Guns 
 of Myfteries againft them with no little 
 Succefs, As the Do£Irine of occult Caujes 
 is the greafeft Friend of Metaphyficians 
 and natural Philofcphers, and ferves as a 
 Retreat for them where no Foes can enter; 
 fo, when preffed by Argument, or urged 
 by Authority, the Deifts would demand 
 Reafons for AfiTertions, and Proofs for 
 Ipfe Dixits , Rake well would prudently 
 retire from the Charge, and tell them that 
 where Faith begins, Reafon ends—that 
 the Natural Man cannot comprehend Spi¬ 
 ritual Subjects—that what is an Object of 
 Faith, cannot be intelligible by Reafon— 
 and that though Revealed Religion may 
 feem above Reafon, yet it is not againft it* 
 Thefe, and many other Anfwers of the 
 like Kind, he gave to the Heterodox 
 
 Gentry, 
 
ioS ibe HISTORY of 
 
 Gentry, and ever fhew’d an inviolable 
 Refolution to defend Religion in general, 
 and the Eftablifh’d Church in particular, 
 againft all the Attacks of their Foes : In 
 Confequence of which, the Society look’d 
 on him as an honourable Member, and a 
 very learned and ingenious Man. After 
 Debates on fuch Subjects, and Holy Ar¬ 
 guments alledged in Favour of his Opi¬ 
 nions, our Orator would leave the Society, 
 and proceed to his ufual Night Entertain¬ 
 ments, of breaking the Lamps, and going 
 Home to his Girls, where he rioted in 
 
 Excefs of Wickednefs. 
 
 0 
 
 By fome Means or other, Rake well 
 had got acquainted w’ith an old Maiden 
 Lady, worth no lefe than Thirteen Hun¬ 
 dred Pounds. After paying his Addrefles 
 to her for fome Time, he gain’d her Heart, 
 and a Day was propofed for Marriage. The 
 antiquated Virgin, not doubting the Ho¬ 
 nour of her Lover, the Day before the 
 intended Marriage, transferr’d over her 
 whole Fortune to him. The Lover was 
 now happy. He fold out the Thirteen 
 Hundred Pounds Old South Sea An¬ 
 nuities, and Three per Cent. Bank An¬ 
 nuities, immediately. With the Money 
 thefe produced, he fet up a Chariot and 
 Pair, took genteel Lodgings in Pall-Mall, 
 
 and 
 
the Robinhood Society. 109 
 
 and appear’d in every Refpedf as a Man of 
 Fortune, quite regardlcfs of the Attempts 
 that might be made on him by the Sons of 
 Law, and hoping to find cut fome other 
 wealthy Dame, with whom he might meet 
 with equal Succefs. 
 
 But though Rakewell was fafe with 
 Refpedl to the Revenge threaten’d him by 
 the Lady he had tricked, and her Friends, 
 yet his high Living and Extravagance foon 
 dilfipated his Subfiance, and he was at a 
 Lofs what to do. Paying ready Money 
 for fome Time, however, induced Tradef- 
 men to give him Credit ; and having run 
 in Tick to the Amount of Three Hundred 
 Pounds, with various People ; and being 
 dunned, and threatened feveral Times by 
 the moft Importunate'of them, he was in¬ 
 duced to fhift his Quarters, to go away 
 from his Lodgings without fettling with Jr is 
 Landlord or his Footman (for he kept one 
 to the laft) and fet out again for Exeter . 
 
 On his Arrival there he told his Father 
 a miferable Story, of his having been rob¬ 
 bed of Five Hundred Guineas, of his ha¬ 
 ving a Combat with the Plighwaymen that 
 had robbed him, and of his having em¬ 
 ploy’d feveral adlive Fellows to go in 
 Search of them. His Father feeing him 
 
 well- 
 
n o The HISTORY of 
 
 well-dreffed, and appear more like a Lord 
 than bis Son, tedified his Joy at his Re¬ 
 turn. Rak ewell then voluntarily men¬ 
 tioned his having robbed him of fifty-feven 
 Guineas; and, putting a Bill in his Hand, 
 drawn on the moft eminent Banker in 
 London, for One Hundred Pounds, told 
 him, he was not to look on that as a Re- 
 compence in full, but as an Earned only 
 of what he fhould receive. He then in¬ 
 formed v him of his having married a Lady 
 worth Twenty Thoufand Pounds but a 
 Fortnight ago ; that he was then going to 
 Penzance to fettle Affairs with her Guar¬ 
 dian, and would return to London in five 
 Days, where his Lady impatiently expect¬ 
 ed him. 
 
 The good old Man was fo overjoy’d at 
 hearing this Account of his Son’s good 
 Fortune, that he fell on his Neck, and 
 killed him, and with Tears in his Eyes 
 told him, that he was glad to hear of his. 
 Succefs in Life ; but that he had no Occa- 
 fion for the Hundred Pounds he had given 
 him, he having, by his Care and Indudry, 
 fince his leaving him lad, faved up Twen- 
 ty-feven Pounds ; and therefore he begged 
 him to take back again his generous Gift 
 of a Hundred Pounds, as, till his Affairs 
 were fettled, he might have Occafion 
 for it. But 
 
the Robinhood Society, in 
 
 But this Rakewell declined, and 
 obferved, that the Trifle he had given 
 him, he could well (pare ; that he infixed 
 on his keeping it; and that in a Fort¬ 
 night he might have the Pleafure of treb¬ 
 ling it to him. The old Man, filled with 
 Joy at feeing fuch a Son, feemed perfectly 
 happy ; went about to his Friends- — - 
 told them of his Son’s good Fortune -— 
 invited them to his Houfe—bought the 
 greateft Dainties he could poflibly procure 
 —and at Eight at Night the Houfe was 
 full -of Guefts, drinking Wine, Punch, 
 and Beer, while roaft Geefe were at the 
 Fire, Fowls in the Pot, and fome other 
 fubftantial Difhes provided, to entertain 
 the Friends on the Prodigal’s Return ; a 
 Prodigal, that had been guilty of fome Er¬ 
 rors, that had been bred in Obfcurity, and 
 was now raifed to great Grandeur. 
 
 The Evening was fpent in great Jolity, 
 and all but Rakewell were pcrfecfy in¬ 
 toxicated. After all the Company was 
 gone, the old Man, whofe Heart was 
 now quite merry, went to a private Clo- 
 fet, took out a Bottle of excellent Citron 
 Water, and defired his Son to take a Glafs. 
 The Son obeyed him, and the Father fol¬ 
 lowed the Example. One Glafs intro¬ 
 duced 
 
3 12 The .HISTORY*/ 
 
 duced another, another followed, and, in 
 fhort, the Duumvirate emptied the Bottle. 
 The Son was now what they call half-Teas 
 over ; but the old Man was fo intoxicated, 
 he could neither fit or {land. With fome 
 Difficulty Rake well got him to-bed, 
 took the Key out of the Door, locked it, 
 and then —went down Stairs. 
 
 He began now to ranfack the Houfe, 
 immediately feized the old Man’s twenty- 
 feven Pounds, and took every Thing away 
 he could conveniently carry. He then 
 went to the Inn he had put up at on his 
 firft coming to Town, ordered a Poll 
 Chaife, and told the Driver to go on as 
 faft as he could. 
 
 A Change of Chaifes foon brought him 
 to London \ and it happening to be on a 
 Monday Night, he attended at the EJfex - 
 Head Society , and fpoke to the QueftioE, 
 which was; 
 
 Whether , even in this World , a vicious 
 and unmoral Man , is not feverely pu¬ 
 nched ? And if Virtue dijlrejfed , does 
 not feel greater Happinejs than exal¬ 
 ted Vice? Plato. 
 
 Rake- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 113 
 
 Rake well took the Affirmative Side 
 of the Queftion, and proved, beyond alf 
 Manner of Contradiction, that Vice and 
 Immorality met with its Punifhment, by 
 inflicting the Stings of Confcience at pre- 
 fent, and the Dread of future Pain. Not 
 that this DoCtrine, he obferved, tended in 
 the leaft to fet afide that of a future Retri¬ 
 bution of Rewards and Punilhments in 
 another State ; where, as we are taught 
 by the Chriflian Religion, that Suffering 
 Virtue will meet its amole Reward, and 
 Triumphant Vice be fuitably punifhed : 
 But the Commiffion of good Actions, and 
 the Confcioufnefs of our having performed 
 our Duty, gave a placid Serenity to our 
 Minds, and a Compofure to our Thoughts: 
 A Felicity which the Huzzas of applau¬ 
 ding Thoufands could net give, nor the 
 Hiffes of detracting and bitter Enemies 
 take away. Pie took Notice alfo of the 
 Diftreffes and Agonies of Mind a wicked 
 Man always laboured under, through a 
 PVar of being expofed, and his Wicked- 
 nefs revealed to the World , which would 
 confequentially draw on him the fevere 
 Penalties of the Law, and the juft Detef- 
 tation of Mankind. He infilled on it, 
 that the continual Apprehenfions of Difco- 
 very a wicked Man mull be under, and 
 
 the 
 
s 14 The HISTORY of 
 
 die Terrors of an abufed Confidence, muff 
 prevent the Approaches of Happinefs, and 
 dafh the Cup of Pleafure with a great De¬ 
 gree of naufeous and bitter Herbs. He 
 then launched out into the Pleafures of Vir¬ 
 tue and Religion ; and made it appear, 
 that their Votaries reaped greater Satif- 
 faddion, and tafted a more home-felt Plea¬ 
 fure than could poifibly refult from the 
 highefi: Gratifications of fenfual Appetite, 
 or mere Animal Blifs. To prove thefe 
 Aflertions, he quoted a few Authors he 
 had either read or heard of, as Enforcers of 
 his Sentiments, and as Authors of his Doc¬ 
 trine : A great Name frequently proves 
 more than a found Argument; and People, 
 with whom Learning and Reafon have no 
 Sort of Weight, are yet prevailed on to 
 refign their Judgments, and to give up 
 their Opinions to an Antient whom Time 
 has fanddified, or to an illuftrious Ortho¬ 
 dox Writer, whofe Notions and Senti¬ 
 ments have been honoured and embraced 
 by the World. s 
 
 The Speech Rake well delivered was 
 well received, and the Society thought no 
 one could excel him in Propriety of 
 Thought, or Regularity of Ccndudd. Af¬ 
 ter the Debates were over, Rakewell 
 left the Society, and travelled the Streets, 
 
the Robinhood Society. 115 
 
 till he met with a Female he liked, and 
 with whom he went to the moft conveni¬ 
 ent Bagnio. 
 
 Tint this Manner he continued for fomc 
 Time, an unaccountable ^Enigma, which 
 none was able to folve : But being at 
 ength difcovered to have robbed a Gentle¬ 
 man of Eminence in Grofvenor-Square^ 
 he was tried, convicted, and condemned, 
 and executed at Tyburn ,*at the very Time 
 that his Colleague and Companion, the 
 
 facetious Bob Scamper fuffered.- 
 
 Thus was the Society deprived of two of 
 their beft Members,, the moft powerful and 
 ornamental Pillars of their Fabric. 
 
 For fome fhort Time after this the So¬ 
 ciety was obferved to dwindle away, and 
 its ftaunch Advocates and firm Friends be¬ 
 gan to fear that its DifTolution was nigh. 
 Some imputed it to the Abfence of two 
 of their bed: Speakers, and the Defpair 
 the Public in general had of hearing any 
 Thing debated on by able Orators, now 
 the beft were gone : Some imagined, that 
 the melancholy Fate of thofe two Mem¬ 
 bers deterred People from attending a So¬ 
 ciety on which they had once reflected fuch 
 Honour, and which was now difgraced by 
 
 their 
 
no The HISTORY of 
 
 their ignominious Death ; and fome were 
 earneftly wifhing for its Annihilation. 
 
 It was not long, however, before the 
 Fears of the one Party, and the Hopes of 
 the other were turned into Certainty. The 
 Society triumphed, their Friends rejoiced, 
 and their Enemies were difappointed. 
 
 To give a long Detail of every Event 
 that happened in this Society, to particu¬ 
 larize all their Proceedings, and to cha¬ 
 racterize all their Members, would exceed 
 the Bounds I have preferibed myfelf, and 
 would be uncommonly tedious : I (hall 
 therefore only obferve, that from the 
 Time the Society was removed to the 
 Ejjex-Head , it increafed both in Num¬ 
 bers and in Reputation ; and fo well was 
 it known, that Gentlemen who lived in 
 the Country, as well as .Foreigners of all 
 Nations, if in the leaft curious, learned, 
 or ingenious, reforted to it to hear De¬ 
 bates that had fo much attracted the At¬ 
 tention, and extorted the Admiration of 
 the World. 
 
 End of tlie Second Part, 
 
 THE 
 
( ll 7 ) 
 
 
 THE 
 
 history 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Robinhood Society. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 W&'&M N the Year 1747, the Society 
 & j '& was removed to the Robinhood inn 
 M. .. M Butcher-Row , at that Time kenf ' 
 «»«» by Mr. HAiY. The Room 
 here was vaftly more convenient than the 
 other : New Benches were made, in or¬ 
 der that a greater Number of People 
 might be admitted 5 a Branch for eighteen 
 
 Candles 
 
11S The HISTORY of 
 
 Candles was fufpended from the Ceiling ; 
 a large Chair for the Prefident, curiouily 
 gilt, was eredted ; a Box to keep the Book 
 of Queftions, was provided; a Hammer 
 was purchafed for the Prefident; and, in 
 fhort, every Thing that was neceflary to 
 refledt Splendor on the Society, and to 
 accommodate its Vifitants in the bell: 
 Manner, was obtain’d by the induflrious 
 Landlord, who had formed great Hopes of 
 adding a Reputation to hislHoufe, and en¬ 
 riching himfelf, from the vaft Concourfe 
 of People he expedted would alTemble 
 there. 
 
 In order to convey the beft Idea I can 
 of whis famous Society to the Mind of the 
 Reader, I apprehend it is necdTary for me 
 to give'a fuller Account of the Manage¬ 
 ment of it, than I have before done. 
 
 Every Perfon that attended it, was 
 to pay Six-pence ; and that while thefe 
 Difputants were enriching their Minds 
 with the Treafures of Knowledge, they 
 might alfo pradfife the God-like Virtue of 
 Charity, they agreed, that out of every 
 Six-pence the Landlord fhould be paid 
 Four-pence for each Quart of Lemonade 
 and Porter; Three Half-pence fhould be 
 
 fet 
 
the Robinhood Society, ix^ 
 
 fet by, and appropriated to charitable 
 Ufes, to be agreed on by a feledt Com¬ 
 mittee appointed for that Purpofe; and 
 the remaining Half-penny fhould be paid 
 to the Clerk, as a Recompence for the v 
 Trouble he was put to, in receiving each 
 Perfon’s Ticket, and taking Care that 
 the Society in general, and the Difpu- 
 tants in particular, were duly ferv’d with 
 Liquor. 
 
 A perpetual Prefident was alfo ap¬ 
 pointed, whofe Name was JE ACCCKE, 
 who was to add as Moderator, and who 
 had, indeed, given great Satisfadho nin 
 that Charadder at the EJfex - Head , for 
 four Years. His Duty confided in reading 
 whatever Queftions were propofea for 
 Confideration, and offering them feparately 
 to the Choice of the Adembers: Thofe 
 who chofe that a Queftion, fhould be ad¬ 
 mitted, and enter’d in the Book, were to 
 fignify it by holding up their Hands ; and 
 thofe who did not think it a proper Quef- 
 tion, were to fignify their Opinion in the 
 fame Manner; and the Majority carried 
 it. After this Part of his Duty, he was 
 to read the Queftion for the Night’s De¬ 
 bate, and then afk the feveral Members 
 whether they chofe to fpeak to it, begin¬ 
 ning 
 
120 The HISTORY of 
 
 ning with the Perfon who fat next to his 
 left Hand, and proceeding all round the 
 Room ’till he came to the Perfon who fat 
 next his right Hand. When any Perfon 
 got up to fpeak, he was alfo to take Mi¬ 
 nutes of what he conceiv’d to be of par¬ 
 ticular Importance, and by thus cohering 
 the Afferent Sentiments of different People, 
 he was enabled, when it came to his Turn 
 to fpeak, to enforce the Arguments that 
 ftrengthen’d his own Opinion, and invali¬ 
 date thofe that were againft it. If no 
 Perfon thought proper to own a Queftion, 
 or to confefs himfelf the Propofer of it, 
 then the Prefident was the adopted Father, 
 and he open’d the Queftion, by explaining 
 the Terms of it, and concluded the De¬ 
 bates on it, by a Speech of his own ; but 
 if the Author of the Queftion own’d it, 
 then the Perfon next to his left Hand fpoke 
 to it, and it was to go round in due Order, 
 and the Propofer concluded it. The Pre¬ 
 fident was likewife to keep Order and De¬ 
 corum in the Society; to prevent any 
 perfonal Altercations, or mean Invecftives ; 
 to make them ftick to the Point; to bring 
 them back when they went aftray ; to fee 
 likewife with the Clerk, that the Society 
 was well fupplied with Liquor; and, in 
 fhort, to do every Thing that was for 
 * the 
 
the Robinhood Society. 1 21 
 
 the Intereft of the Society, and the Good 
 of the Members prefcnt. 
 
 By this Account of the Dirty of the 
 Prefident, it will appear that his Trouble 
 every Night was not little. It is always 
 difficult to keep a promifcuous Company 
 in good Order ; and a Society, like the 
 Robinhood, where every one is ad¬ 
 mitted for his Six-pence, mull be liable to 
 many Irregularities. But though the Pre- 
 fident’s Trouble was fo Great, yet his 
 Attachment to, and Veneration for, the 
 Society was fuch, that, unlike the inte- 
 relled Condudl of moll other Presidents, 
 he acled Gratis , contenting himfelf only 
 with the Honour of the Office. 
 
 Once a Year a Paper was publifh’d by 
 the Society, containing a Juflihcation of 
 it from the Sneers of Witlings, and the 
 Sarcafms of fome fatirical Authors, and 
 fetting forth its Nature and Tendency \ 
 -and underneath it, was an Account of the 
 Number of People that had attended it ail 
 the Year, ditlinguilhing the particular 
 Number that met each Monday Night. 
 This was thought more likely to vindicate 
 their Condudl, and wipe oil' the Afper- 
 fions that had been thrown on them, than 
 
 G an 
 
122 Tbe HISTORY cf 
 
 an elaborate Defence ; flnce by feeing 
 what a vaft Number of People attended 
 each Night, amounting in a Year's Time 
 to upwards of Five Thoufand, on a mo¬ 
 derate Computation, the Public might 
 perceive that no left than Five Thoufand 
 three Half-pennies were diftributed in Cha¬ 
 rity, amounting to 31/. 5*.-And even 
 
 fuppofing that the Society could not vie in 
 Splendor with the Royal Society, or 
 in Dignity with the Antiquarian, or 
 in Numbers with the Society for the 
 Encouragement of Arts, Manu¬ 
 factures and Commerce, and even 
 granting their Antagonifls AfTertions to be 
 true, that it was a Receptacle for the 
 Illiterate and the Impious, where horrid 
 and blafphemous Notions were defended 
 and propagated, and where Religion and 
 Virtue were trodden under Foot; yet lTU, 
 it may be urged from great Authority, 
 that Charity covers a Multitude of Sins. 
 
 The Society now advancing in its 
 Reputation, and fome of the moft diftin- 
 guifhed Wits and Scholars frequenting it, 
 it greatly excited the public Attention. 
 There was fcarce a public Paper, but in 
 the Courfe o! its Animadverfions, th# 
 Robinhood Society was taken Notice 
 
 of 
 
the Robinhood Society. 123 
 
 of. Do&or Henley vindicated it from 
 his Roftrutn, and comparing it to fome of 
 the famed Afiemblies of Yore, where a 
 Cicero, or a Demosthenes harangued, 
 he affirm’d it to be of the mod eminent 
 Service to Mankind, by mending their 
 Morals, enlarging their Knowledge, and 
 refining their Tafte 1 , that it was infinitely 
 preferable, confider’d as a School of Ora¬ 
 tory, to the Bar, or the Senate; and that 
 it excelFd the Pulpit, both with Refpecf 
 to the Advancement of true Religion, 
 and the fpreading of Human Knowledge. 
 Nay, he affirm’d it to be the Sun of the 
 intellectual and moral World, that with 
 its radiant Beams enlighten’d, cheat’d, and 
 vivified the Spiritual Syftem, as the Fir- 
 mamental Sun doth the Natural.—In fhort, 
 he undertook to vindicate it from his 
 Roftrum in Lincoln's-Inn Fields , from all 
 the Calumnies and Afperfions, that ever 
 had been, or could be raifed againft it, 
 and infifted on its being the mo ft perfeCt 
 human Inftitution that was ever form’d, 
 except-his own Oratory. 
 
 On the other Hand, the Pulpits every 
 where difplay’d its evil Tendency, and 
 refounded with its Infamy. The Clergy 
 were fo much againft it, that, Surgeon- 
 
 G 2 like. 
 
 V- 
 
 ,u 
 
 H *. 
 
 tK 
 
 f’V t* f * t 
 
 C* 1 * 
 
 : oV-f.-v 
 
 fSM Hk 6 ' 
 
 yvk. 
 
 C* 
 
 
 n>+ 
 
124 The HISTORY of 
 
 like, they difTe&ed and cut it up without 
 Mercy. They averr’d, that the Houfe 
 itfdf could not ftand long ; that it was a 
 fecond Pandemonium, or Aflembly of 
 evil Spirits; that though they at prefent 
 triumphed, yet they would fhortly be de¬ 
 feated ; and that every one of the Members 
 that compofcd it, would infallibly be d—d. 
 Nay, one Reverend Gentleman in parti¬ 
 cular,* prophefied, fume Years after the 
 Period I am now defcribing, that as it was 
 abfolutely certain, that the Merchants 
 that were fettling their Books at the Earth¬ 
 quake in Lijbon , in the Year 1749, were 
 fwallow’d up, and immediately confign’d 
 to the Care of the D-—— 1 ; fo the Robin- 
 hood would fhortly meet the like Fate , 
 or be torn from its Foundations, whirled 
 through the Air by the Prince of it, be 
 carried, like our Lady of Loretto , 
 Thoufands of Leagues, and at Length, 
 with its whole Cargo, thrown down to 
 H— 11 . 
 
 The Society, however, in Spight of 
 thefe Denunciations,maintain’d its Ground, 
 
 * That very popular Gentleman, the candid, the 
 Ingenious, and ingenuous Mr. R— m — ne. 
 
 and 
 
the Robinhood Society. 125 
 
 and irtcreafed in Fame. The Names of 
 the Members had been written in their 
 Book of Queilions, and new ones were 
 continually added. The Regulations they 
 were under, were likewife copied out fair; 
 and thcfe, with the Lift of the Queftions 
 that fucceeded them, were open to every 
 one's Perufal. 
 
 The Prefident difcharg’d his Truft with 
 Fidelity and Honour, and the Society in 
 general thought themfelves much oblig'd 
 to him for the Care he had taken of their 
 Intereft, and the good Order and Regula¬ 
 rity he preferv’d. 
 
 To make this Hiftory compleat, and 
 to perform my Promife made in the Title- 
 Page, of giving Memoirs of the moft re¬ 
 markable Members, I (hall, in this third 
 Part, as is moft fit, begin with the Prefi¬ 
 dent, 
 
126 The HI STORY of 
 
 Mr. CALEB JEACOCKE, 
 
 Or, As he is more frequently called. 
 
 The BAKER. 
 
 v 
 
 M Y Intention in giving a few Me¬ 
 moirs of this Gentleman, is not 
 to furprife the Reader, by a Relation of 
 uncommon or interefting Events, but 
 merely to refcue a Character, greatly 
 traduced, and viely mifreprefented, by all 
 the Authors, as far as I have feen, who 
 have employ’d their Pens on this Subject. 
 
 In the Lives of the Generality of Men, 
 there is nothing remarkable enough to 
 fatisfy the Curiofty of Readers, unlefs 
 the Imagination of the Author is exerted, 
 to feign Events that never happen’d, and 
 employ his Hero in Scenes he was never 
 engaged in. This is the Cafe with Mr. 
 Jeacocke. His Life has not been che¬ 
 quer’d with thofe variegated Hues that 
 make fo pleafing an Appearance in the 
 Biographer’s Page, nor did he ever run 
 
 through 
 
the Robinhood Society. 127 
 
 through fuch a Variety of Adventures, as 
 in the Recital excite alternately the diffe¬ 
 rent Padions of the Mind. 
 
 He was born in London , and having 
 receiv’d fuch an Education as enabled him 
 only to read, write, and caff Accompts, 
 he was put Apprentice to a Baker. He 
 behaved extremely well in his Appren¬ 
 tice/hip, and was pointed out as an Exam* 
 pie for others in the fame Station of Life, 
 As foon as his Apprenticefhip was expir’d, 
 by the generous Legacy of a good old 
 Aunt, he was enabled to fet up for him- 
 felf, and pitch’d upon St. Giles ’s for 
 that Purpofe. He was remarkably diligent 
 in his Bufinefs, pun&ual in his Engage¬ 
 ments, and, in every Refpedf, approv’d 
 himfelf a truly honeft Man ; fo that he 
 was valued and efteemed by every one to 
 whom he was known. 
 
 Having a perfe<B Knowledge of Ac* 
 compts, and being blefTed with fuch a 
 clear Judgment, as could almoft intuitively 
 diftinguilh and feparate Truth from Falfe- 
 hood, he was requeued by many Mer¬ 
 chants and Tradefmen, whofe Aceompts 
 were long, embarraffed, and intricate, to 
 adjuft and fettle them: And this he per- 
 
 G 4 form’d 
 
128 The HISTORY of 
 
 form’d with an Expedition and Corre<ft~ 
 fiefs, that few could equal, and none 
 excel; even after fome of the mod emi¬ 
 nent Accomptants in London had defpaired 
 fettling them, and pronounced them im- 
 polfible to be made out clear and evident. 
 
 Providence finiled on his Underta¬ 
 kings, and he got Money apace. His 
 being appointed Prefident of the Robin- 
 hood Society, made him univerfally 
 known, and the Baker has been talk’d 
 of, I believe, in every City and Town in 
 England. Jeacocke was not averfe to 
 Popularity, nor in Love with it for its 
 intrinfic Worth, but for the Benefit that 
 accompanied it, in making him known to 
 fome of the greated Aden in the Kingdom* 
 and fome of the mod refpe&able and 
 wealthy Merchants, whofe Accompts he 
 fettled, and for which he was paid very 
 large Sums. 
 
 In this Situation he continued, increa- 
 fing his Wealth and Fame, ’till the latter 
 End of the Year 1761, when he thought 
 proper to refign his Office of Prefident of 
 the Roeinhood Society, having con¬ 
 tinued in that honourable Station nineteen 
 Years: And in a few Months afterwards, 
 
 he ' 
 
the Roblnhood Society. 129 
 
 he was appointed one of his Majefty’s 
 Juftices of the Peace for the County of 
 Middlefcx , in which Capacity he now a£ts 
 with an Integrity and Honour, with a 
 Clearnefs of Judgment, and a Fervour of 
 Humanity, excell’d by none. He is confi- 
 der’d by the Rational and Judicious, as a 
 tacit Satire on the Practice of fome trading 
 Judices, who fell their Judgment and 
 Mercy , as a Grocer fells his Raifms and 
 Sugar, at fc much per Pound. 
 
 Though Jeacocke has never re¬ 
 ceiv’d, what we term, a liberal Educa¬ 
 tion, yet his Mind is ftored with a greater 
 Stock of real Knowledge, than nineteen 
 Parts out of twenty of thofe who have 
 breathed a College Air for many Years. 
 But though his judgment is clear, and his 
 Knowledge extenfive, yet his unbounded 
 Humanity, his amiable Chearfulnefs, his 
 difereet Complaifance, his incorruptible In¬ 
 tegrity, areftill fuperior. His Philanthropy 
 is fo great, that Mi fery and Di ft refs never 
 applied to him in vain. His Advice and 
 Purfe were ever open to the Indigent ; 
 but his Knowledge of the World teaching 
 him to ddlrnguiih between real and pre¬ 
 tended Diftrefs, between honeft Poverty 
 and artful Villainy, whenever he found 
 
 G 5 Examples 
 
I 3 0 The HISTORY of 
 
 Examples of the latter, he was as rigorous 
 in infh&ing Punifhments, as in the former 
 he was ready to afford Relief. In his De¬ 
 portment he is grave, but not auftere ; 
 ferious, but not melancholy; chearful, 
 but not merry ; referved, but not hypo¬ 
 critical. He poffeffes Judgment without 
 Offentarion ; Humility without Mean- 
 nefs; and Worth without Pride. Ever 
 open to Conviction, in his Office of Prefi- 
 dent, he never obtruded his Opinions on 
 his Auditors for certain Truths, but re¬ 
 tracted them, and own’d his Miftakes, if 
 pointed out. Slave to no Sect, but a 
 Friend and Member of the Church of 
 England, he vindicated her from the rude 
 Affaults of Deiiis and Unbelievers, not by 
 pofitive Dogmas, and mere Ipfe Dixits , 
 but by candid Reafoning, and fair Argu¬ 
 ment. When unacquainted with the Sub¬ 
 jet of Debate, he fought not by retailing 
 the Sentiments of others, to pafs as an in¬ 
 telligent Man, or to take up their 7 'ime 
 by delivering a String of Words without 
 Meaning, but left the Queftion to be 
 debated by thofe whofe Inclination or Si¬ 
 tuation in Life put it in their Power to 
 fpeak to it properly. By thefe Means, 
 and having a retentive Memory, and a 
 fine natural Genius, and being remarkably 
 
 attentive 
 
the Robinhood Society. 131 
 
 attentive to whatever was faid on every 
 Subject, there are few he has not now a 
 general Knowledge of, and a great many 
 he is particularly converfant in. His 
 Reafoning is clofe, but not void of Perf- 
 picuity ; and his Elocution free and na¬ 
 tural, but not rapid and verbofe. He 
 ever drives rather to convince the Mind, 
 than to excite the Puflions, and to deliver 
 wholfomeTruths and ufeful Precepts, than 
 to charm *ie Imagination with Paradoxes, 
 and lead the Soul to Fairy Ground, bv 
 the Pomp of Words, and the Richnefs of 
 Imagery j fo that his Eloquence rather 
 refembles a fmooth and gentle Current 
 that glides foftly along, than the foaming 
 and majeftic Tyber , or the rapid Tagus, 
 that rolls its golden Waves in DifJain of 
 Limits, overbearing and fweeping every 
 Thing before it. 
 
 J E A C O C K E being fuch a Perfon as 
 i have defcribed, it is no Wonder that he 
 fhouid be revered by the Society. . He 
 He had a prodigious Influence over them, 
 and kept them in more Awe, than a Pe¬ 
 dagogue doth his Scholars, or even than 
 the Speaker of a great A (Terribly can fre- 
 quentlykeep the Members, as Mr. A—— r 
 
 O — 3— w 
 
&■ 
 
 132 <Thc HISTORY of 
 
 O—5—w himfelf once owned to Mr. 
 JeACOCKE. 
 
 Another Member of the Society at 
 its firft Opening at the Robinhood, was 
 the notorious 
 
 Mr. Orator HENLEY. 
 
 S OME Account of this Phenomenon 
 may not be unacceptable to the Public. 
 But as a better than I can give of him, 
 has been already given in one of the Notes 
 to Mr. Pope’s Dunciad , I fhall extract 
 that Paragraph, and then hazard a few 
 Remarks of my own on this lingular 
 Genius. 
 
 44 J. Henley the Orator; he preach’d 
 44 on the Sundays upon Theological Mat- 
 44 ters, and on the JVednefdays upon all 
 44 other Sciences. Each Auditor paid 
 44 One Shilling. He declaimed fome Years 
 44 againft the greateft Perfons, and occa- 
 44 fionally did our Author that Honour. 
 44 Welsted, in Oratory Tranfa&ions, 
 44 No. I. publifh’d by Henley himfelf, 
 44 gives the following Account of him : 
 
 44 He 
 
 * v ' 
 
 l€ ah r ^ : 
 -j Pe i' 1 7 T3 
 
 § v-VvV' 
 
 \ 
 
the Robinhood Society. 133 
 
 4 4 He was born at Melton Mowbray in 
 44 Lei cejler/hire. From his own Parifh 
 44 School he went to St. John's College in 
 44 Cambridge. He began there to be 
 44 uneafy; fot it /hock'd him to find he 
 4t was commanded to believe againft his 
 44 own Judgment in Points of Religion, 
 4C Philofophy, &c. for his Genius leading 
 44 him freely to difpute all Proportions, 
 44 and call all Points to Account , he was 
 44 impatient under thofe Fetters of th6 
 44 free-born Mind. Being admitted to 
 44 Prieft’s Orders, he found the Examina- 
 44 tion very (hort and fuperficial; and 
 44 that it was not necejfary to conform to 
 44 the Chriftian Religion , in order either 
 44 to Deacon/hip or Priejlhood. Pie came 
 44 to Town, and after having for fome 
 44 Years been a Writer for Bookfellers, 
 44 he had an Ambition to be fo for Mini- 
 44 fters of State. The only Reafon he 
 44 did not rife in the Church, we are 
 44 told, was the Envy of ethers, and a 
 44 Difrelifh entertain’d of him, becaufe he 
 44 was not qualified to be a complete Spaniel. 
 44 However, he offer’d the fervicc of his 
 44 Pen to two great Men, of Opinions 
 44 and Interefls diredlly oppofite ; by both 
 44 of whom being rejected, he fet up a 
 44 new Projcdf, and ftiled himfelf the 
 
 44 Rejiorer 
 
i 3 4 tte HISTORY of 
 
 44 Reft orer of antient Eloquence . IJe’ 
 44 thought it as lawful to take a Licence 
 44 from the King; and Parliament at one 
 44 Place, as another ; at Hicks's Hall , as 
 44 at Doctors Commons; to fet up his 
 “ Oratory in Newport Market , Butcher 
 44 Row. There (fays his Friend) he had 
 46 the AJfurance to form a Plan, which 
 44 no Mortal ever thought of; he had 
 41 Succefs againll all Oppofition ; chul- 
 44 leng’d his Adverfaries to fair Difputa- 
 44 tions, and none would difpute with him-: 
 44 Writ, read, and ffudied twelve Hours 
 44 a Day; compofed three Differtations a 
 44 Week on all Subjects; undertook to 
 44 teach in one Tear , what Schools and 
 44 Univerfities teach in five ; was not 
 44 terrified by Menaces, Infults, or Satires, 
 44 but Till proceeded, matured his bold 
 44 Scheme, and put the Churchy and all 
 44 that in Danger.' 9 
 
 Weslted, Narrative in Orat. 
 
 TranfaT, No. I. 
 
 44 After having flood fome Profecu- 
 44 tions, he turn’d his Rhetoric to Buf- 
 44 foonry upon all public and private oc* 
 44 currences. All this pafs’d in the fame 
 44 Room ; where fometimes he broke 
 44 Jells, and fometimes that Bread which 
 
 “ he 
 
the Robinhood Society. 135 
 
 he call’d the Primitive Euchartjl — ■■ 
 “ This wonderful Perfon (truck Medals, 
 “ which he difpers’d as Tickets to hrs 
 44 Subfcribcrs: The Device, a Star rifing 
 44 to the Meridian, with th?s Motto, 
 44 AD 8UMMA ; and below, INVE- 
 44 NIAM VIAM AUT FACIAM. This 
 44 Man had a Hundred Pounds a Year 
 44 given him for the fecret Service of a 
 44 \Veekly Paper of unintelligible Non- 
 44 fenfe, call’d the Hyp-Doctor.” 
 
 Pope’s Works, Vol. V. 
 
 The Do£tor was indeed a Compofition 
 of Inconfiftencyand Singularity. He wanted 
 not Senfe or Learning, but perverted both 
 to the moft unworthy Purpofes. He un- 
 derftood the Principles of Religion very 
 well ; but his chief Delight was in making 
 it appear ridiculous, by the ludicrous Light 
 in which he view’d it himfelf, and repre- 
 fented it to others. As to any fix’d Prin¬ 
 ciples, with Refpecff to political Notions, 
 he had none, but employ’d all his Talents 
 to laugh at, and make all Government 
 appear a mere Joke. lint though the 
 Do£for underftood Religion tolerably well, 
 and could, when he thought proper, com¬ 
 pare the different Se£fs, and exhibit their 
 various Excellencies in a (hiking and pk> 
 
 turefque 
 
i 3 6 The HISTORY of 
 
 turefque Manner, yet he was more tiif- 
 pofed to cull out their feveral Defers and 
 Imperfections, fo as to make all of them 
 appear mere human Inventions, and the 
 Creatures which interefted Priefls and art¬ 
 ful Knaves had drefled up, to impofe on,, 
 and frighten the Vulgar. His chief Talent 
 lay in Buffoonery, and making the moft 
 amiable Things appear mere Mongers, 
 and hideous Caricatures. Thus Religion 
 was vilified, her Mini hers traduced, Mo¬ 
 rality laugh’d at, Merit treated as a mere 
 Non-Entity, and the grcateft Characters 
 in the Kingdom taken to Pieces and ana- 
 tomifed with all the Licentioufnefs imagi¬ 
 nable, every Sunday , when the Ollio of 
 Scandal and Nonfenfe was ferv’d up to 
 the Public. He was of an over-bearing 
 Temper, infolent to his Inferiors, and 
 unmannerly to his Superiors. His Pride, 
 which was exceflive, taught him to defpife 
 every one with whom he converfed ; and 
 his Self-Love, which was inordinate, and 
 reign’d over him with a defpotic Sway, led 
 him to fuppofe, that every one was inferior 
 to himfelf in Point of Judgment. Hence 
 that ridiculous Vanity which was vifible in 
 his every Action, and prompted him to 
 enforce his own Arguments with the moll: 
 indecent Noife and violent Gefticulations, 
 
 to 
 
the Robinhood Society. 237 
 
 to difregard the Sentiments of others, and 
 to be continually interrupting them in the 
 Courfe of their Rcafoning. As a Com¬ 
 panion, therefore, he was odious; as a 
 Clergyman, indecent ; as an Orator re- 
 prehenfible ; as a Chriftian, culpable \ and 
 as Man, contemptible. 
 
 The Doctor being fuch a Perfon as I 
 have deferib’d him, it may be wonder’d 
 that his Oratory fhould be fo prodigioufly 
 frequented: But, I apprehend, it is no 
 Wonder at all. Novelties will always 
 attradl; Scandal has Charms for many 
 Appetites ; and an unreftrain’d Llcentiouf- 
 nefs of railing againft Religion and Go¬ 
 vernment, will always draw vail Numbers 
 of Infidels and Libertines to hear their 
 Patron and Advocate founding the Trum¬ 
 pet of Sedition. Not but that others of 
 a different Caff attended the Oratory : 
 Some came to laugh with the Orator, 
 and fome to laugh at him : Some, to un¬ 
 bend their Minds, and forget the rigid 
 Rules of Morality they had juft before 
 heard in our Places of public Worfhip; 
 and Come to confirm themfelves in Infide¬ 
 lity and Impiety, and enable themfelves to 
 become Difputants. 
 
 Tim 
 
ij 8 The HISTORY of 
 
 The Orator, with various Succefs, Idil! 
 kept up his Oratory King George’s, 
 or Charles’s Chapel, as he differently 
 term’d it, ’till the Year 1759, when he 
 died. At its firft Eftablilhment it was 
 amazingly crowded, and Money flowed 
 iii upon him apace ; and between whiles, 
 it languithed and drooped : But for fome 
 Years before its Author’s Death, it dwin¬ 
 dled awav fo much, and fell into fuch an 
 heddic State, that the few Friends of it 
 fear’d its Deceafe was very near. The 
 Doctor, indeed, kept it up to the laid, 
 determin’d it fhould live as long as he did, 
 and actually exhibited many Evenings to 
 empty Benches. Finding no one at length 
 would attend, headmitfed the Acquaintances 
 of his Door-Keeper, Runner, Mouth- 
 Piece, and fome others of his Followers, 
 gratis. On the 13th of October, however, 
 the Doddor died, and the Oratory ceafed.; 
 no one having Iniquity cr Impudence fuf- 
 ficient to continue it on ; fince which it is 
 turn’d into a Tradefman’s Warehoufe. 
 
 I shall now give a brief Account of 
 the mold conhderable of the Oratorical 
 Members from its firfd Eftablifhment at 
 the Robinhood, to the prefent Time. 
 
 \ 1 0^ 
 
 si 
 
 
 ,Lt Cel' 
 
 L 
 
the Robinhood Society. 139 
 
 Mr. B^RR^n^N. 
 
 O R M E R LY a Governor of one of 
 our Plantations. He was a Man of 
 
 tolerable good Parts, had been engaged in 
 various Scenes of Life, was a clofe Rea- 
 foner, but very deficient in oratorical Abi- 
 lities ; his Delivery being flow, and ac¬ 
 companied with a Thicknefs of Voice, and 
 an ungraceful Demeanor, which greatly 
 prejudiced the Audience againft him. He 
 was a rank Deift, and, on all Occafions, 
 ridiculed the Cbriftian Syftem, with an 
 Afperity and Acrimony that denoted his 
 extreme Averfion to it j but, it is faid, 
 that on his Death-bed he owned the beau¬ 
 ty and San&ity of that Religion, which 
 alone can enfure an happy Immortality to 
 thofe who fquare their Lives agreeable to 
 its holy Precepts, and, in pathetic Terms, 
 bewailed his own Infelicity, in being depri¬ 
 ved of that Comfort and that Light which 
 can enable the Righteous to triumph over 
 the Grave, and make Death lofe its 
 Sting. 
 
 Mr. 
 
140 The HISTORY of 
 
 Mr. B * D D * * P H. • 
 
 A Very Proteus in Principle and Con¬ 
 duct. This Day of one Opinion ; 
 the next of a different. Pie changed his 
 Sentiments much oftner than he did his 
 Cioaths ; an extravagant Life, and an Itch 
 for Difputing, having reduced him from 
 an honourable Situation in Life, to a very 
 mean one, with one Suit of Cioaths only 
 to his Back. He is descended from noble 
 Anceftors ; has a Baronet for his elder 
 Brother, but is now in the Service of the 
 Eajl-India Company, in the Character of 
 a private Soldier. He is endued with ex¬ 
 cellent Faculties, didinguifhes Things 
 with a Clearnefs and Precifion few can 
 excel him ; has a ready Wit, found 
 Judgment, and an eafy Delivery ; but he 
 has a fqueaking difagreeable Tone, and, 
 on Account of his changing Sides fo often, 
 whatever he fays has little or no Effect on 
 his Auditors. He has diftinguiftied him- 
 felf in the Repulic of Letters by many in¬ 
 genious Productions ; but v/hat made him 
 more particularly remarkable as an Au¬ 
 thor, w r as, the uncommon Pains he took 
 in the A.ffair of Canning and Squires, 
 
 fearching 
 
 \ 
 
the Robinhood Society. 141 
 
 fearching and diving into that myfterious 
 Tranfa< 5 lion, and giving the Rcfult of his 
 Enquiries, and his own Conjedfures, in 
 feveral Pamphlets and Effays he wrote on 
 the Subject. He was promifed to be am¬ 
 ply rewarded for his Trouble, by the Ma- 
 giflrate who employ *d him in the Affair, 
 but who, it is laid, never gave him one 
 Penny on that Account. 
 
 Mr. G * N T * * M * N. 
 
 Very ingenious Gentleman, the Son 
 
 of a Colonel of the Irifh Eftablifh- 
 
 ment, Author of Sejanus, a Tragedy, 
 and many other well-wrote Pieces. He is 
 now a Lieutenant on Half-pay, and lives 
 at IVorceJier , As an O rator he was excel¬ 
 lent ; having an Energy of Expreffion, 
 a Facility of Utterance, and a Reach of 
 Thought few can equal. Fortune, who, 
 in the Diftribution of her Favours, 
 proves herfelf a blind and ignorant Judge 
 of Merit, has been peculiarly fevere to 
 this Gentleman. He was promifed, by a 
 late deceafed worthy Lord, to be provided 
 for ; but nothing has been done for him, 
 and he now lives upon a fcanty Pittance ; 
 a deplorable Infiance that Men of the 
 
 greateft 
 
142 57 * HISTORY of 
 
 greatefl Merit, Learing, and Genius, may 
 lit fighing in Rags and Poverty, while pli¬ 
 ant Knaves, Fools, and Coxcombs, balk 
 in the Sunihine of a Court, and almoft 
 bend beneath the Load of Fortune’s Fa¬ 
 vours. He has not unfrequently wrote in 
 Conjunction with 
 
 Mr. D * R R * * K. 
 
 Man no more fit to iland in Com 
 
 petition with G*nt**m*n, than 
 
 a Pigmy with Hercules. This Gentleman, 
 however, as an Author, and a facetious 
 Companion, is not without fome Merit. 
 His Merit, however, is tin&ured with no 
 fmall Degree of Self-Conceit, and his 
 Converfation with unpardonable Egotifms. 
 He was born in Dublin , and, by his Aunt, 
 put Apprentice to a Linnen-draper; but, 
 iitftead of minding his Bufinefs, he was 
 ever reading Plays, and compofing Mad¬ 
 rigals. In Confequence of this Propenfity, 
 he ran away from his Mailer, came to 
 London , and commenced Author ; in 
 which honourable Vocation he continued, 
 with various Succefs, till about two Years 
 ago, when he was chofen Mailer of the 
 Ceremonies at Bath ; but was lately dis¬ 
 
 charged 
 
the Robinhood Society. 143 
 
 charged from that Office, and Monfieur 
 Caulett chofen in his Room. 
 
 Mr. FOOTE. 
 
 T HIS very ingenious Gentleman is fo 
 well known to the Public, that any 
 Account of him would be needlefs. The 
 fame Thing may alfo be obferved of 
 
 Mr. M A C K L I N, 
 
 W HO is now exhibiting his Abilities, 
 both as an Author and an A&or, 
 at the Theatre in Smock- Alley , Dublin. 
 
 Mr. G R * * * S. 
 
 A Pa INTER by Trade, and a Deift in 
 Principle. He was a ftrenuous 
 Advocate for the Society ; but the very 
 Houfehold Abilities he poflefied, put it .out 
 #f his Power to be eminently ferviceable 
 to it. His Chara&er is drawn with no 
 unfkilful Hand by the Author of The 
 Robinhood Society, a Satire. To 
 which I refer, and {hall therefore fay no 
 more of him here. 
 
 I O H U' 
 
144 2^ HISTORY of 
 
 i 
 
 JOHN H**KE, Efq ; 
 
 A Gentleman of Genius and Judg¬ 
 ment, a firm Friend, and an agree¬ 
 able Companion. He poflefles a Solidity 
 of Thought, and a Vivacity of Imagina¬ 
 tion, that feldom unite in the fame Perfon. 
 He is defeended from a refpedlable Family, 
 had high Expe&ations from a wealthy 
 Uncle, but was greatly difappointed, and 
 barbaroufly treated, by his leaving his For¬ 
 tune from his Nephew, to People he was 
 not allied to. Mr. H**re, however, by 
 the Exertion of his Talents, has gained a 
 . very pretty Fortune, and was lately chofen 
 Member for in EJfex . In this 
 
 Capacity there is no Doubt but he will be¬ 
 have properly ; for he has all the Faculties 
 and Accomplifhments requifite to form the 
 complete Senator; and, in the Editor’s 
 Opinion, poflefles an Integrity of Soul, 
 not any ways inferior to the Judgment of 
 his Head. He is likewife a Member of the 
 Society for the Encouragement of 
 Arts ; but has not for fome Years be¬ 
 longed to the RoBiNHOop. 
 
 Mr. 
 
the Robinhood Society. 145 
 
 Mr. M * R * Y. 
 
 A Taylor by Trade, formerly a Qua¬ 
 ker, now a Deift ; and a very 
 merry Fellow he is. He has no great 
 Abilities, nor very contemptible ones. If 
 an Attempt to entertain is meritorious, 
 this merry Fellow poftefTes a great Share of 
 Merit; for all his Speeches are calculated 
 for that End. 
 
 Mr. WILLIAM C**TY. 
 
 F ORMERLY a Cabinet-maker in the 
 Strand. There was nothing very 
 remarkable in this Perfon, but that his 
 Conceptions of Things were fo dull, and 
 the Succefiion of his Ideas fo rapid, that 
 his Tongue could not give Utterance to 
 them. He was fo fenfible of his Deficiency 
 in this Refpe£I, that in the Courfe of his 
 Speechifying , he was ready to quarrel with 
 himfelf, for not being able to give a Vent 
 to the Thoughts with which he was almoft 
 ready to burfL Whether he was more 
 happy in exprefling his Sentiments in Wri¬ 
 ting, than in extemporaneous Difcourfes, 
 
 H I know 
 
146 The HISTORY of 
 
 I know not, never having feen any of hts 
 Compofitions, though I am told he wrote 
 a good deal. 
 
 GEORGE B * * D G * S. 
 
 Noted Bug-Do&or near Hatton - 
 
 Garden , Author of feveral unintel 
 
 ligible Pamphlets, full of pious Rants, 
 enthufiaftic Jargon, and unmeaning Stuff. 
 He is a Quaker, and has often held 
 forth as a Preacher, in which Character 
 he muft certainly appear to Advantage, 
 as he has a Facility of Utterance, and 
 can harangue for half an Hour together 
 in fuch a Style and Manner it fhall be im- 
 poffible for any Mortal to fathom ’his 
 Meaning. Fine Accomplifhments thefe for 
 a Quaking Preacher! 
 
 Mr. S**ND**3*N. 
 
 A Surgeon of fome Eminence mGreat 
 Queen Street , near Lincoln's Inn 
 Fields . He is of the eftablifh’d Church 
 with Refpe£fc to his Religion, and a ftre- 
 nuous Advocate for it. As a Scholar, he 
 is by no Means contemptible \ as a 
 
 Snr- 
 
the Robinhood Society,. 14.7 
 
 Surgeon, fkilful; as an Orator, middling; 
 and as an Author, indifferent. He is a 
 Man of great Integrity, and is refpe&ed 
 by all who have the Pleafure of his Ac¬ 
 quaintance. He is of an open, chearful 
 Temper, and extr£»ely good-natur’d. He 
 belongs to a Society, not unlike that of 
 the Robinhood, held at the Devil Ta - 
 vern , near Temple-Bar. He is a great 
 Admirer of the Moderns, and thinks they 
 excel the Antients, in the Goodnefs both 
 of their Lives and Writings. Flow far 
 this Opinion of his is juft, it is not our 
 -Bufinefs to enquire into here, though fych 
 an Enquiry would be both pleafant and 
 profitable. 
 
 Mr. R * B * * S * N. 
 
 A Genius truly furprizing: A perfect 
 Phenomenon. He is characterifed 
 in the Satire on the Robinhood Society, 
 under the Name of Bibo ; and, indeed, 
 that Name fuits him very well. It is a 
 common Saying, that 
 
 Psets are born> but Orators are taught. 
 
 
148 ?be HISTORY of 
 
 The Meaning of this mud be, that 
 without a natural Genius, no Man can 
 excel in Verfe; but without any Genius, 
 a Man may be capable of fhining as a 
 Speaker : This, however, is by no Means 
 applicable to Bibo, for he was neither 
 born, nor made an Orator ; and it is really 
 aftonifhing, that without having any 
 Thing to fay, he yet fpeaks his five Mi¬ 
 nutes at the Robinhood without Inter- 
 miflion, after which he fits down, and 
 with a ghaftly Grin finding his own Ap- 
 plaufe, proceeds to his darling Bufinefs of 
 ^uafting Porter. 
 
 Mr. B * * C * * Y. 
 
 T HIS Gentleman is Matter of an 
 Academy at Tottenham High Crofs, 
 and has lately taken Holy Orders. He is 
 a Native of North Britain , and is a Man 
 of Learning and Integrity. Were it not 
 for a ftrong Scotch Accent, he would be 
 a very good Orator, fince his Sentiments 
 are always orthodox and juft, his Di&ion 
 pure and elegant, his Elocution free and 
 graceful, and his A&ion fpirited and eafy. 
 I know of no Perfon to whom I would 
 
 entrutt: 
 
the Robinhood Society. 149 
 
 entruft the Education of a Son, fooner 
 than to him ; for while he takes Care to 
 improve their Heads, he neglects not to 
 mend their Hearts. He was one of the 
 Candidates for the Ledhirefhip of White- 
 chaple Church not long fince ; and if Piety 
 and Virtue, Learning; and Good-Senfe, had 
 been preferr’d, perhaps Mr. B * *c * * Y 
 had been chofen Lecturer: But it is no un¬ 
 common Thing to fee Merit difregarded, 
 and Ignorance exalted.-Intereft now¬ 
 
 adays, is the Emprefs of the World. 
 
 Mr. C * * W F * * D. 
 
 HIS Gentleman is alfo of the fame 
 
 1 Country, and of the fame Profef- 
 fion as the laft mention’d, but not pofTef- 
 fed of equal Abilities. He is, however, 
 a Man of good common Senfe, but has 
 no great Depth of Learning. What his 
 Merit may be as a School-mafter, I pre¬ 
 tend not to fay ; but as an Orator, he is 
 by no Means contemptible. He is rather 
 too diffufe in his Reafoning, and his Ex- 
 prellions are frequently vague and undeter- 
 minate ; but there is a Vein of Piety, and 
 a Zeal for the Interefts of Religion, dif- 
 eoverable in all his Difcourfes. 1 -In 
 
 H 3 
 
 fhort. 
 
x 5 o The HISTORY of 
 
 fhort, he is a Man of Tome Abilities, but 
 they are not fo great as he imagines them 
 to be. 
 
 Mr. WILLIAM W ** Y. 
 
 T HIS Gentleman is a facetious Com¬ 
 panion, and poffeffes a confiderable 
 Share of Learning and good Senfc. He 
 was bred to the Profeffion of the Law, 
 but that dry Study not agreeing with his 
 gay and volatile Difpofition, he frequently 
 indulg’d himfelf in a Correfpondence with 
 the Mufes, and improv’d it to fuch Ad¬ 
 vantage, asfhortly to get them with Child, 
 as Colley Cibber humoroufly exprefTes 
 it. What fort of Offspring he has, ap¬ 
 pears by his Shrubs of Parnassus, his 
 JBlossoms of Helicon, and the Poeti¬ 
 cal Calendar in twelve Volumes, in 
 which lad Worlc he was afilfted by Mr; 
 Fawkes. He is now Steward to a noble 
 Lord, and behaves in that Character with 
 mcorruptible Integrity, and great Judg¬ 
 ment. As an Orator, we pretend not to 
 give our Opinion of him, as he never 
 fpoke at the Society above twice or thricev 
 
 Mr. 
 
the Robinhood Society. 
 
 Mr. RICHARD L***S, 
 
 UTHOR of the Robinhood So¬ 
 
 ciety a Satire , The Adventures 
 
 of Patrick O’Donnell, the Adven¬ 
 tures of Charles Careless, and a 
 Multitude of other Works. This Gentle¬ 
 man, as well as his Friend Mr. W* * y, 
 was bred to the Law, but, like him, in- 
 ftead of ftudying Coke upon Lyttle- 
 ton, or Viner’s Abridgment , was ever 
 reading Shakespear and Pope, and 
 compofing Madrigals. As an Author, we 
 decline giving our Opinion: His Works 
 muft fpeak for him. As an Orator, he 
 muft be ranked in the third Oafs, having 
 a weak Voice, a harfh and untuneable 
 Accent, and an ungraceful A&ion. He 
 has not fpoke in the Society for many 
 Years ; and, indeed, if he had never 
 fpoken there at all, it would have been 
 no Matter ; for as during the Time he 
 belong’d to the Society, he was no Orna¬ 
 ment to it, fo now he has withdrawn him- 
 felf from it, he is not mifs’d. 
 
 Mr, 
 
i 5 2 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 Mr. PETER A * N * T. 
 
 r I 'A HIS Gentleman has made himfelf 
 I very notorious. He has been pillo¬ 
 ried, fined, and imprifoned, feveral Times, 
 for his ardent Zeal in inculcating the true 
 Religion , and his laudable Endeavours to 
 prove Moses a Bl—h—d, and the 
 Chriflian Religion a mere Ch—t, in¬ 
 tended to affront the common Senfe of 
 Mankind. Strange ! that fo zealous a 
 Reformer fhould be punifh’d, inflead of 
 being rewarded ! and that Mankind are 
 Rill blinded by Prejudice, which this Gen¬ 
 tleman would remove, and Rill hamper’d 
 by the Shackles of Religion, which he 
 would knock off! He was formerly a 
 School-mafler, after that Clerk to a Mer¬ 
 chant ; then, he had feme Employment 
 in a public Office, and for thefe twelve 
 Months laft paff, he has enjoy’d a Place 
 in Bridewell . What he intends to do 
 
 now, I know not. He was for fome Years 
 a main Pillar of the Robinhood So¬ 
 ciety, and ufed to read his Productions 
 to the Members, inflead of fpeaking ex¬ 
 tempore. As an Orator, he is to the lafl 
 Degree contemptible, having a tame and 
 
 lifekfs 
 
the Robinhood Society. 153 
 
 Jifelefs Pronunciation, and a mean and in- 
 fipid Adtion. His Abilities are, however, 
 far from indifferent, but it is a Pity that 
 Age and Experience fhould not have taught 
 him Difcretion enough—to refrain from 
 infulting the Religion of his Country. 
 
 Mr. WILLIAM R*D*R, 
 
 T HIS Gentleman enter’d into Holy 
 Orders about five Years ago, fince 
 which he has not frequented the Robin- 
 Hood Society. Before that, he ufed 
 to be a conftani Member, and fpoke to» 
 every Queftioti that was debated, with an 
 Extent of Knowledge, and a Clearnefs 
 of Precifion, that evinced, there were few 
 Subjects he was unacquainted with. But 
 if his Judgment is very great, his Integrity 
 is flill greater. He is a faithful Hufband,. 
 an affedfionate Father, a good Chriftian, 
 a firm Friend, a chearful Companion. 
 His Expofition of the Bible, is a {land¬ 
 ing Proof of his Piety and Learning \ his 
 Dictionary, a noble Monument of 
 critical Accuracy ; and his History of 
 England , an undeniable Evidence of his 
 Candor and Judgment. As a Preacher, 
 he is defervedly admir’d. His Compoli- 
 
 H 5 tions^ 
 
i 5 4 The HISTORY of 
 
 tions, abftra&ed from the Charms of his 
 Delivery, will bear the {lri<£teft Scrutiny ; 
 but when heighten’d and enforc’d by the 
 Beauty of Pronunciation, and Energy of 
 Action, it is no Wonder they fhould ex¬ 
 tort the Admiration, and fecurc theEfteem 
 of the enraptured Congregation. As a 
 Scholar, he is greatly celebrated, being 
 thoroughly converfant with both the learned 
 and modern Languages, and which all his 
 Works in general, but his Bible and 
 Dictionary in particular, irrefragably 
 prove. The laft contains a Fund of 
 Knowledge beyond any other I know of; 
 and I dare pronounce it to be the bed and 
 moft ufeful of any we have in this Dic¬ 
 tionary-making Age. 
 
 Mr. R * B L * S. 
 
 Jew, a Deift, a Stock-broker, and 
 
 Li an Author, united in one Perfon. 
 What an Hachis / What a ftrange Mix¬ 
 ture !—He wrote a Pamphlet fome Time 
 fince, intituled, Superstition worse 
 than Atheism, which he had the 
 Difcretion to vend privately, for Fear of 
 the Cenfure of the Civil Magiftrate. His 
 Notions of Religion exa&ly corfefpond 
 
 with 
 
the Robinhood Society . 155 
 
 with thofe of Mr. Peter A*n*t, and 
 his Oratory is not unlike his; he has a 
 thick, mumbling, limping Voice, a Hefi- 
 tation of Speech, confufed Ideas, and an 
 ungraceful Delivery. It is not a little to 
 the Honour of the Chriftian Religion, 
 that it has for its Enemies fuch contemp¬ 
 tible Beings. 
 
 Mr. S * * * * * S. 
 
 A Very ingenious Gentleman, a good 
 - Writer, and a fine Speaker. He 
 was fome 7 'ime Amanuenfis to Mr. John¬ 
 son, and wrote many fugitive Pieces on 
 temporary Subjects, that are now for* 
 gotten, as well as fome that are now juftljr 
 effeem’d. 
 
 Mr. RICHARD AC***D, 
 
 H E kept a Lottery-Office not many: 
 
 Years ago, after which he was De¬ 
 puty Commiflary at BellciJJe . He is now- 
 a Gentleman at large, and keeps Com¬ 
 pany with Bucks and Choice Spirits. He 
 is of a dry, faturnine, farcaftic Difpolition, 
 but wants not Senfe, though polfefied of 
 
 little 
 
1 56 The HISTORY of 
 
 little fcholaffic Knowledge, or oratorical 
 Abilities. He takes great Delight in making 
 perfonal Infirmities Objects of Ridicule, 
 and of viewing the mod: ferious Subjects 
 with an Eye of Levity. However effeem’d 
 thefe Qualifications and Difpofition may 
 be by his Companions, they are not re¬ 
 garded by Difputants ; and therefore, we 
 apprehend, Mr. Ac***d is much better 
 formed to fhine in a modern no&urnal 
 Meeting of Bloods, than in a Society of 
 Philofophers. 
 
 Mr. THOMAS M**T*M*R. - 
 
 T HIS Gentleman was formerly a Lin- 
 nen-Draper, but meeting with Mif- 
 fortunes, to which every Man in Trade i& 
 liable, was oblig’d to compound with his. 
 Creditors; after which he turned Stock¬ 
 broker, being induced thereto, as himfelf 
 tells us, by the Reprefentations and Per- 
 fuafions of a Set of Men, who endea¬ 
 vour’d to make him believe that he might 
 acquire a large Fortune in a fhort Space 
 of Time. He found himfelf, however,, 
 miferably miftaken, being egregioufly du¬ 
 ped by thofe Vultures, who preyed upon 
 his Subftance, ’till he had loft his All. He 
 
 then 
 
the Robinhood Society. 157 
 
 then fet up a Lottery-Office in Conjunc¬ 
 tion with the laft-mention’d' Gentleman, 
 but met with no great Succefs. However,, 
 he hath fince that Time repaired his For¬ 
 tune, and is now 7 his Majefly’s Vice- 
 Conful for the Aujlrian Netherlands. He 
 is a Perfon of excellent Senfe, and great 
 good Nature. As an Orator, indeed, he 
 never {hone much, a Heavineis of Afpedl, 
 and a Thicknefs of Utterance, {fill ac¬ 
 companying him. What he faid was al¬ 
 ways worth hearing, but how he faid it, 
 was not worthy Imitation. His Piece, 
 intituled, Every Man his own Broker, 
 difcovers him to be well verfed in that 
 myfterious Bufinefs, and to underftand the 
 Genius of our Language very well. He 
 is now compiling a Hiftory of England. 
 
 Mr. THOMAS FL**D. 
 
 HIS Gentleman is a fine Scholar, an 
 
 A able Orator, a judicious Writer, and 
 a good Chriilian. Not long fince he took 
 on him the facred Fundlion, and behaves 
 with that amiable Dignity, and chearful 
 Gravity, as refledls an Honour on the 
 Cloth, and {hews how worthy he is to 
 wear it. Were the Number of fuch 
 
 Clergymen 
 
i jS The HISTORY of 
 
 Clergymen greater, it would not be fo; 
 common as it now is, to hear Chriftianity 
 ridiculed, and its Miniflers treated with 
 Contempt. He has not for fome Years 
 frequented the Society ; but formerly was 
 very often there, and was an Ornament to 
 it. The Speech which the Author of the 
 Robinhood Society, a Satire, has put 
 in the Mouth of this Gentleman, whom 
 he calls Ot.ho, on the Excellency of the 
 Chriftian Religion, is fo good, that I can¬ 
 not refrain tranfcribing it. 
 
 HAIL, nob\z P,r efe s ! Guide of Reas’ners, hail! 
 "With thee my Speech begins, with thee Ihall end : 
 For Reafon gave that Sceptre to thy Hand, 
 
 And eke her facied I^aws, that thou might’ll hill 
 The Voice of Infidelity, and check her Friends, 
 *Tis thine to fpeak the Dictates of thy Soul : 
 
 9 Tis thine to lend an Ear when Jufiice bids 
 Another fpeak, and to enforce his Thoughts. 
 Thy Smile is Truth, and Error js thy Frown ; 
 Yet will I fpeak what right my Soul efiecms. 
 Fix’d is the Thought, and rivited by Time • 
 
 By Time, which gives to Truth increasing 
 Charms, 
 
 And heals from Error all her borrow’d Flumes, 
 
 Religion, hail !• thou Guardian of our 
 Lives * 
 
 Foundrefs of States; of Law, Protedlrefs fair; 
 Virtue’s hrong Rock, and Reafon’s noblefi Guide J * 
 
 Without, 
 
, # 
 
 the Robinhood Society. 159 
 
 * 
 
 Without thy Aid each focial Tie is loft: 
 Without thy Aid the Laws would threat in vain : 
 Without thy Aid this World were drown’d in 
 Blood. 
 
 Freed from the Fear of Hell, or Hope of Heav’n, 
 Life were a Load, and Being were a Curfe. 
 When Mifery, with Hope-deftroying Stake, 
 Impales the Wretch, and Horror wings the Soul, 
 Thy Balm affords Relief, allays the Pain, 
 
 And bids the harmlefs Weapon quit the.* Wound. 
 When Fortune and when Plenty load the Board^ 
 Thou on rhe Altar of the human Heart 
 Doft light a Flame, that, tow’ring to the Clouds-, 
 Exhales an Incenfe grateful to the Skies. 
 
 If Foes increafe, thou bidd’ft their Rancour end : 
 If Dangers prefs, Faith lends her ample Shield, 
 Defies their Threats, and frowns them into Blifs. 
 E’en Death, that plucks the Planets from the 
 Skies, 
 
 Owns, thy fuperior Might, foregoes his Sting, 
 And the proud Grave, victorious o’er our Clay, 
 At thy Command his laurell’d Chaplet quits. 
 Returns the Shrowd, and, growling, leaves his 
 Prey. 
 
 SAY, mighty Reas’ners, Infidels baptiz’d. 
 Who drefs in Folly’s Garb, yet idly dream 
 ThatWifdom’s Robe upon your Shoulders fhines j 
 Say, when tempeftuous Paffions rear the Sou), 
 Cloud Reafon’s Beam, and put out Wifdona’s 
 Light ; 
 
 Can the thin Cobweb, fpun by fubtle Brains, 
 Out-live the Storm, and dare the Tempeft’s Rage ? 
 
 Yet 
 
i 6 q Hoe HISTORY of 
 
 Yet, when to Reafon’s Aid Religion joins, 
 
 And in her Left Hand gives the redd’ning Bolt, 
 Or in her Right eternal JBJifs coniigns, 
 
 Nor Life nor Death can move the (table Soul; 
 Nor Life nor Death impart, or Hope or Fear j, 
 Unmov’d, we pafs as IfraeP s Patriarch erlt, 
 
 And make this World a Ladder to the Skies. 
 
 WORSHIP, whatever purblind Deifts deem,. 
 Worfhip’s the noblelt Converge of the Soul j 
 It opens Heav’h’s irradiating Doors, 
 
 Admits us to the Audience of the GOD, 
 
 Makes him our Friend, and makes us truly 
 great. 
 
 Is it an Honour for the ruftic Swain 
 To (it in Council with the fceptred Chief? 
 
 How great the Honour then to talk with him. 
 Who is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! 
 
 Religion (hovtens Sorrow’s thorny Road, 
 Plucks from the Heart the Arrow of Defpair j 
 Matures the Seeds of Virtue in the Soul; 
 
 Gives Reafon Wings, and bids herfcale the Skies, 
 
 More would I fpeak, but who, alas !' cam 
 found 
 
 This vaft Abyfs, or half its Stores exhauft ?' 
 
 Yet, in Obedience to thy fceptred Nod,, 
 
 I (lop the flowing Current of my Speech, 
 
 And glory in the Thoughts I have not fpoke,. 
 
 Mr*. 
 
the Robinhood Society. i 6 t 
 
 Mr. JOSEPH C*L***R. 
 
 T HIS Gentleman is pofTefTed of great 
 good Senfe, and many amiable Qua¬ 
 lities. Fortune has not been very kind to 
 him, but has reduced him to the mortify¬ 
 ing Necefhty of writing for Bookfeilers. 
 Were there any other Mec ib. nas’s to be 
 met with, it is probable that fo much Me¬ 
 rit would not go unnoticed and unrewar¬ 
 ded. He is not very eminent as an Ora¬ 
 tor, an invincible Timidity frill hanging 
 on him, and preventing a Difplay of thofe 
 Abilities, and that good Senfe he is Mailer 
 of. One would naturally imagine, that 
 Knowledge fliould infpire a becoming Af- 
 furance ; and a Confcioufnefs of our being 
 thorough Mailers of a particular Subje<51, 
 fhould make us fpeak to it, with an intre¬ 
 pid Spirit: But we often fee the Reverfe, 
 and that Ignorance bolts forth its Di&ates 
 with a free and unconfirmed Air, while 
 Learning and Wifdom are fhackled by the 
 Fetters which awkward Balhfulnefs puts 
 on them. A4r. C*l***r has not belonged 
 to the Society for fome Years ; but after 
 having attended it often enough to difcern 
 its Nature and Tendency, he thought he 
 
 could 
 
,62 Toe HISTORY of 
 
 could neither be inftru&ed or entertained*, 
 by going to it any more. 
 
 Mr. S * * T T. 
 
 T HIS Gentleman is a Phyfician of no 
 (mail Eminence. He is a Man of 
 great Erudition, a nervous Writer, and a 
 fine Speaker ; though, in the Pronunci¬ 
 ation of many Words, he deviates from 
 the eftablifhed Cuftom fo much, as has 
 fubjecled him to the Cenfures of many 
 Critics, particularly the ingenious Authors 
 of the ConnoiJJeur , and the Gray's-Inn 
 ‘Journal ; the former by Bonnel Thorn¬ 
 ton, Efq; and the latter by Arthur 
 Murphy, Efq; As a Specimen of his 
 Oratory, and Turn of Thinking, we fhall 
 give a Speech he made fome Years fince* 
 on the following Queftion. 
 
 How are we to be certain of the Incor¬ 
 ruptibility and Freedo?n of a Parlia¬ 
 ment P Sign’d, 
 
 Aristarchus. 
 
 “ This Queflion is undoubtedly, Mr. 
 * c President, of no fmall Importance ; 
 though whether it can be properly de~ 
 
 66 bated: 
 
the Robinhood Society* 103 
 
 bated in a Society like this, I much 
 doubt. I don’t infinuate bv this Obfer- 
 
 J 
 
 vation, that fuch Gentlemen of Genius 
 and Ju dgment as honour us with their 
 Company, are incapable of determining 
 this Queftion, and afeert aining the 
 Marks whereby we may judge and di- 
 ftinguifh a free and incorrupt Parlia¬ 
 ment from a venal and corrupt one ; 
 but am afraid, very much afraid, that 
 thofe Marks are not fo eafy to be point¬ 
 ed out in any extempore Speech. To 
 fpeak to a Queftion of this Nature pro¬ 
 perly, requires a previous Confideration 
 of the Subjedf, and a deliberate Thought 
 of what we are to utter, left a hafty 
 Judgment, or crude Conjedfures, might 
 miflead inftead of informing a candid 
 Searcher after Truth. I (hall, however, 
 attempt to point out fome Criterions to 
 judge of a free and incorrupt Parlia¬ 
 ment, which, I apprehend, may be 
 looked on as infallible ; though I mufi 
 necelTarily omit others, perhaps not lefs 
 important, which the Brevity of Time 
 allowed me, will not permit my men¬ 
 tioning. 
 
 v<: A free and incorrupt Parliament the 
 People will ever repofc the utmoft Con- 
 
 fid enqq 
 
164 The HISTORY of 
 
 <£ fidence in, and though their Decifions 
 “ may be fometimes erroneous, they wi 1 i 
 “ never be unjuft. When this is the Cafe, 
 “ it will appear evidently by the following 
 cc Marks, viz. 
 
 Ci When the Members of Parliament 
 tc adf with a vifible Independency, and will 
 46 not fuffer any one Man to lead them by 
 t£ the Nofe, or brow-beat them into Com* 
 <c pliance with his Schemes, and thereby 
 <c deftroythat Equality which is efTentially 
 requillte to preferve the Liberty of thefe 
 “ Aflemblies. 
 
 “ When all the Adis and Refolutiony 
 <c of Parliament are manifeftly calculated 
 for the public Good, and not to ferve 
 “ any dark and private Purpofes. 
 
 <c When the Condudf of Gentlemen 
 <c in Employment makes it evident, that 
 they are under no Reftraint in the 
 cc Houfe, but are left at full Liberty to- 
 give their Votes, upon all Oceafions, 
 according to their Confciences and Opi- 
 C( nions. 
 
 cc This is,indeed, theftrongeft Mark of 
 a* free Parliament, and we may certain- 
 
 “ ly 
 
 i 
 
the Robihnood Society. 165 
 
 44 ly conclude it to be the Cafe, when the 
 44 Members, who are in Office, do not 
 44 conftantly run in Herds, and flaviflily 
 44 follow a Minifter in all his Propofals ; 
 44 but when it is obferved, on the con- 
 44 trary, that they frequently divide againft, 
 44 what is called, the Court Party, and are 
 44 not turned out of their Places, at the 
 44 End of a Seffion, without any vifible 
 44 Reafon, but giving a Vote, perhaps, 
 44 againft foine favourite Queftion, or to 
 44 make Room for others, whofe only 
 44 Merit is a fordid, pliant, and proftitute 
 44 Complifance. 
 
 44 In fhort, Gentlemen, a Parliament 
 “ cannot be truly denominated free, which 
 * 4 lies under any Reftraint or Difcourage- 
 44 ments whatfoever ; nor will their Re- 
 44 folutions have any other Weight than 
 44 what Force gives them ; for I will ven- 
 44 ture to affert, that the moft inconfider- 
 44 able Minority, or even one honeft: 
 44 Man, of the meaneft Underflanding, 
 44 is a better Judge of political Affairs than 
 44 the largeft Majority, which is packed 
 4 4 together, and bribed to ferve the Pur- 
 44 pofes of a bad Minifter. 
 
r66 Vhe HISTORY of 
 
 44 By viewing our own Parliament, and 
 44 having an Eye to the Marks and To- 
 44 kens I have pointed out, we may be 
 enabled to judge whether it is fuch a 
 44 one as mentioned in the Queftion. I 
 44 hope, I truft it is, and that it is quite 
 44 oppofite to one I well remember, a few 
 44 Years ago, when the grand Corrupter 
 44 prefided at the Helm. Under his Ad- 
 44 miniftration Bribery and Corruption 
 44 were reduced to a Sufetem , Ele&ion- 
 44 Jobbing was carried on as openly as 
 44 any other Trade, all Virtue and Mo- 
 44 rality were laughed out of Countenance, 
 “ the interefts of Religion were difregard- 
 44 ed, and its facred Foundations under- 
 44 minded, and Tapped by Vice and Vena- 
 44 lity. Nay, the great Engine of Cor- 
 44 ruption had fo defpicable an Opinion of 
 44 hooman Nature* that he laid it down as 
 44 an inconteftible Truth, that no Man 
 44 could, in the true Senfe of the Word, 
 44 deferve the Appellation of Patriot, for 
 V every Man had his Price. I fhall clofe 
 44 thefe Remarks with a beautiful Pafiage 
 44 from our great Poet, defcribmg the Si- 
 44 tuation of Things at this Jun&ure, re- 
 44 marking, by the Way, that every 
 44 Thing was fubfervient to the Caufe of 
 
 44 Vena- 
 
the Robinhood Society. iGy 
 
 <c Venality, and contra&ed, like the ..vari- 
 <c ous Rays of the Sun, into one Focus , 
 to feed this dark and infamous Paflion. 
 
 VIRTUE may choofe the high or low Degree, 
 ’Tis juft alike to Virtue and to mej 
 Dwell in a Monk, or light upon a King, 
 
 She’s ftill the fame belov’d, contented Thing. 
 Vice is undone if (he forgets her Birth, 
 
 And hoops from Angels to the Dregs of Earth. 
 Bur 'tis the Fall degrades her to a Whore • 
 
 Let Greatnefs own her, and {he’s mean no more. 
 Her Birth, herBeauty,Crowds andCourts confefs» 
 Chafte Matrons praife her,andgraveBiihops blefs. 
 In golden Chains the willing World {he draws. 
 And hers the Gofpel is, and hers the Laws ; 
 Mounts the Tribunal, lifts her fcarlet Head, 
 And fees pale Virtue carted in her ftead. 
 
 Lo! at the Wheels of her triumphal Car, 
 
 Old England's Genius, rough with many a Scar, 
 Dragg’d in the Duft ! his Arms hang idly round i 
 His Flag inverted trails along the Ground ! 
 
 Our Youth, all liv’ry’d o’er with foreign Gold, 
 Before her dance : behind her crawl the Old! 
 See thronging Millions to the Pagod run. 
 
 And offer Country, Parent, Wife, or Son! 
 Hear her blackTrtimpet thro’ the Land proclaim. 
 That NOT TO BE CORRUPTED IS THE 
 
 Shame! 
 
 In Soldier, Churchman, Patriot, Man in PowV, 
 *Tis Avarice all. Ambition is no more. 
 
 See all her Nobles begging to be Slaves ! 
 
 See all her Fools afpiring to be Knaves! 
 
 The 
 
i 63 The H I STORY of 
 
 The Wit of Cheats, the Courage of a Whore, 
 Are what ten thoufand envy and adore : 
 
 All, all look up, with reverential Awe, 
 
 At Crimes that Tcape, or triumph o’er the Law : 
 While Truth, Worth,Wifdom, daily they decry— 
 Nothing 13 sacred now but Vil¬ 
 lainy. 
 
 Yet fhall this Verfe, if fucli a Verfe remain, 
 ghew there was one who held it in Lifdain, 
 
 Mr. W * * T E. 
 
 Scotch Schoolmafter, that has the 
 Brogue on him as ftrong as an 
 Highlander juft arrived from the bleak 
 Mountains of the North. He lives in 
 
 ۥ - 1-Street in the Strand , and adver- 
 
 tifes to each a juft and graceful Pronunci¬ 
 ation ; for which he is indifputably well 
 
 qualified" . --we mean, of his nati ve Erfe 9 
 
 but not of the Englijh , which he cannot 
 himfelf pronounce fo well as a Teague in 
 the County of Tipperary. He is, however, 
 a Man of good Senfe, and pofleftes no fmall 
 Share of Learning ; but as an Orator, he 
 may be compared with the Scotch one men¬ 
 tioned by Mr. Foote, in his laft Farce; 
 and, indeed, it is not improbable, but that 
 in expofing the Abfurdity of a Schoolmafter, 
 with a braod Scotch Accent* teaching an 
 
the Robinhood Society. 169 
 
 elegant and graceful Pronunciation of Eng - 
 lijh, the ingenious Satirift had Mr. 
 
 W**te in his Eye.-It has frequently 
 
 been obferved, with furprife, that, in ge¬ 
 neral, Schoolmafters are extremely fubjedt 
 to Vanity and Self conceit. But, I think, 
 it is no great Wonder. They affume fuch 
 a fupercilious and haughty Air in their 
 Schools, where, without Doubt, it is, in 
 a great Meafure, neceffary, and contradf 
 fuch an Opiniatetry and Conceit of them- 
 felves, and their own Importance, as are 
 not eafily to be fhaken off when they leave 
 their native Dominions. The Force of 
 Habit is very ftrong, and, without great 
 Difficulty, cannot be conquered : But 
 furely a Schoolmafter, when lie leaves his 
 School,ought to leave his ftiff-ftarched Airs, 
 and imaginary Confequence behind him, 
 and come into Company with the Eafe and 
 Deportment of a Gentleman.- - 1 men¬ 
 
 tion thefe Things becaufe the Perfon, 
 whofe Charadler I am now attempting, is 
 a profeffed Votary to Self-Conceit ; and 
 imagines he is intitled to the fame Refpedf 
 and Homage without the Pale of his School, 
 that he has an undoubted Right to exadt 
 within—But this, as I have before obfer¬ 
 ved, is the Cafe with all of the Profeffion. 
 
 I 
 
 Mr. 
 
tyo History®/ 
 
 Mr. H * * H * M. 
 
 A UTHOR of Genuine and authentic 
 Memoirs of the Robinhood So¬ 
 ciety, and an Oration in Praife of the 
 Law, pronounced there a few Years ago, 
 by one Pittard, a drolling A&or. He 
 is a Perfon of fome Senfe, but not half lb 
 much as he thinks he has. He has not at¬ 
 tended the Society for fome Years, nor, 
 indeed, is the Lofs of him very great; for, 
 as he is to be ranked in the middling Clafs 
 as an Author ; fo, as an Orator, he is a 
 very mean one, unfurnilhed with Ideas, 
 and defiitute of a graceful Delivery, 
 
 End of the Third Part. 
 
 
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 /***. *V\ #*>> r°\ /o\ /G\ /c\ /cry 
 
 T H E 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Rob in hood Society. 
 
 <^oo$do$oc$oc$oc$o C^C^C3^C^C^0^C^0^C^C^S 
 
 P A R T - IV. 
 
 #3WBKE have thus brought dawn our 
 J3^ w ^ Hiftory of the Robinhood 
 *$% ^ Society, from its firft Efta- 
 
 ✓$(3l blifliment, to the Time of the 
 Death or Seceffion of feveral 
 of its chief Members: To render it there¬ 
 fore entirely complete, we fhall now give 
 Memoirs and Characters of its principal 
 fpeaking Members for the Year 1764 . 
 
 1 2 The 
 
 
172 "The HISTORY of 
 
 The Reader muft confider, that wc 
 are now arrived at a very tender and deli¬ 
 cate Part of this Hiftory : Living Charac¬ 
 ters are to be exhibited, and muft there¬ 
 fore be drawn with fo much Caution, that 
 while the Reader is enabled to diftinguifli 
 to whom the Features belong, the Perfons 
 themfelves may have no juft Caufe to 
 complain of our Severity. If, however, 
 in fome of our Portraits, the Features are 
 homely, and in others very deformed, let 
 it not be imputed to us as our Fault: 
 We create not Features, or Chara&ers, 
 but paint them as we find them. 
 
 We fhall begin with 
 
 Mr. p * T T. 
 
 T HIS Perfon is confider’d of fo much 
 Importance in the Society, that he 
 has frequently a&ed as Prefident, in which 
 Chara&er he has appeared in a very fingft-( 
 - lar Light. To draw a Comparifon be¬ 
 tween J**c**ke and him, might appear 
 invidious, and is certainly unnecefTary; 
 fince every one that has feen each of them 
 in the Chair but once, muft have perceiv'd 
 
 the 
 
the Robin-hood Society. 173 
 
 the Difference. He is by Trade a Cabinet 
 Maker, and lives in L—g A — e. He 
 was born at Falmouth in Devonjhire ; and 
 tho’ he has been fettled in London fome 
 Years, he retains much of his Country 
 Dialed. Whether he fcorns the ignoble 
 Path of Imitation, or whether having no 
 Senfe of what is proper and improper in 
 the Condudl of others, he is an Original 
 without Defign, we are not enough ac¬ 
 quainted with his Principles of A&ion to 
 determine: Hut his Manner of opening 
 and condu&ing the Debates of the Night, 
 is, in all Refpecfts, different from that 
 of every other Prefident of every Dilpu- 
 ting-Club that we have either heard of, 
 read of, or feen. 
 
 His firft Movement is a verv fingular 
 Manoeuvre , or rather Doit OEuvre: It 
 is a deliberate Extenfion of the Fore-finger 
 and Thumb of his Right-hand to that Part 
 of the Candle which is inflam’d, and whicfi 
 he fuddenly compreffes between his laid 
 Fore-finger and Thumb, giving it a cer¬ 
 tain Pull, call’d by the Romans , Vellkatio „* 
 and by this Doit-0Euvre^ he fevers the 
 faid inflamed Part of the Candle exadlly 
 in the Middle, juft as a School-boy fevers 
 a Half-penny Cake, for a Moiety of which 
 
 I 3 he 
 
174 The HISTORY of 
 
 lie has received a Farthing from one of his 
 School-fellows; or, as a facetious old 
 Gentleman divkles and fub-divides the 
 Fragments of a Tobacco-Pipe, while with 
 circumftantial Exadfnefs he relates fome 
 amorous Adventure of his youthful Days. 
 After the ufelefs Excrefcence of the Can¬ 
 dle is thus nicely vellicated, the worthy 
 Prefident cafts it on the Floor, with a , 
 Grace fimilar to that, which one Poet 
 fays another exhibits with his Dung; and 
 then, while Mirth fits on every Face, and 
 fparkles in every Eye, wiping his aforefaiid 
 Fore-finger and Thumb upon his Leathern 
 Breeches, or Black Everlafting Waificoat, 
 he cries out, tc Will you be pleafed, 
 
 4< Gentlemen, to order 
 
 The fecond Part of his great Work is, 
 to open the Book of Queftions, and ac¬ 
 quaint the Society, that th z firji Queftion 
 on the Book is the next Queffion they are 
 to fpeak to for their Evening’s Entertain¬ 
 ment. As a Specimen of his Oratory on 
 this important Occafion, we have inferted 
 the following Speech, which he made in 
 February 1764. 
 
 <( 
 
 Gen- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 175 
 
 44 Gentlemen, 
 
 44 r T' HE next Q“ eftion on die Book 
 1 for our Evening’s Debate, is a 
 44 Thing of Importance ; and it is this : 
 44 Whether a Lawyer or a Saltier is the 
 44 tnoji reputabiejl Perfon ?-——Pray, Gen- 
 44 tlemen, don’t laugh ; it is worded fo 
 44 in the Queftion: Whether a. Lawyer, 
 44 or a Sollier-~~— Gentlemen, you may 
 44 laugh, if you pleafe, hut it is fo here 
 44 (pointing to the Book )——Whether a 
 44 Lawyer or a S oilier is the moji reput a - 
 44 hlejl Perfon ? There is no Occafion for 
 44 my explaining the Terms of the Que- 
 44 flion, for it is eafy of themfehtes. The 
 44 Queflion, Gentlemen, is fign’d Bri- 
 
 44 tannius. -Pray, Gentlemen, don’t 
 
 44 laugh-It is again (I Order—— Bri~ 
 
 44 tannicus! Well; that’s the fameThing. 
 44 Is Mr. Britamius here ? If he is nbf, the 
 44 Queftion is to go from me as if Uwere 
 44 mine. Pray, Gentlemen, is Mr. Bri- 
 
 46 tannius here. Gentlemen?-Pray, 
 
 44 Gentlemen, to Order! This is againft 
 44 Rule, Gentlemen, for Gentlemen to 
 46 laugh, and to {hew their Mirth here. 
 
 I 4 a Pray* 
 
176 lie HISTORY of 
 
 44 Pray, Gentlemen, will you be pleafed 
 44 to Order —Well, Gentlemen, as Mr. 
 44 Britannius is not here, it oft for to go 
 44 from me ; and tire Terms of it are 
 €( very eafy, Gentlemen : You all know, 
 44 Gentlemen, What is meant by the 
 “ Queflion, which is, to know, which 
 44 is the more reput abler Profeffion, that 
 “ of the Lawyer, or the Soilier. Now, 
 44 as to a Lawyer, Gentlemen, I think, 
 44 the Term needs no Explanation, and 
 44 therefore I fha’n’t trefpafs on your Time 
 44 to tell you what it is : And as to a 
 44 Soilier, it is as eafy to underhand as 
 44 the other ; and therefore the Queflion 
 44 may be thoft to be an Enquiry only, 
 44 which is th t prefer abler, a Lawyer, or 
 44 a Soilier. Now, there is no Doubt 
 44 but fome Gentlemen will think the 
 44 Lawyer is the eminenter Man, and 
 44 others will think the Sollier is fo ; but 
 44 that will appear by the Debates. Now, 
 44 Gentlemen, I muff needs fay, that 
 44 for my own Part, I think a Sollier is 
 44 the mod cruellejl Man ; becaufe as 
 44 why ; he carries Deflru&ion and Ruin - 
 44 aiion with his Sword, when he is or- 
 c4 der’d by the General: But fo you may 
 44 fay, the Lawyer does likewife. It’s 
 
 “ true; 
 
the Robinhood Society. 177 
 
 44 true ; but then People may avoid going 
 44 to Law, but not to War: And there- 
 44 fore, I include , the Sollier is the mod 
 “ cruellejl , and his Profeflion froft with 
 44 the greateft Mifchief in general. A 
 “ Sollier is poflefled with Enthujiam ■■ 
 
 44 I fay, Enthufiam -— Pray, Gentle- 
 
 44 men, don’t laugh.-1 fay, a Sollier 
 
 44 is toft the Dilates of Enthufiam , and 
 44 he is a worfer Character than a Lawyer, 
 44 though fome People may fay, that bad’s 
 44 the beft. The mod commonejl Thing 
 “ in the World is to hear both thefe 
 44 Characters traducified —Pray, Gentle- 
 44 men, don’t laugh. Gentlemen, pray, 
 
 44 to Older -You are guilty of great 
 
 44 Irregulation —Gentlemen, if you don’t 
 44 behave better, I fhall defire your Com-, 
 44 pany out of the Room—Well: Does 
 44 any Gentlemen here choofe to fpeak 
 44 to the Queffion? Do you choofe to 
 44 fpeak to it. Sir ? Does any Gentleman 
 44 on this Side of the Way choofe to give 
 44 us his Sentiments? What No-body 
 44 fpeak to it, Gentlemen! Why, Gen- 
 44 tiemen, it’s not a difficulter Queftion 
 44 than we ufually have for our Difcuffa - 
 44 tion —Pray, Gentlemen, to Order —I 
 44 fay, it’s not a more dfficulter Queftion 
 
 I 5 4 * than. 
 
i 7 8 The HISTORY of 
 
 “ than many are that are propofed for 
 4C our Difcujfation —Why, Gentlemen, 
 ct you fhould n’t laugh; you know what 
 “ I mean ; befides, I am a Falmouth 
 fcC Man ; from Falmouth , Gentlemen, in 
 * c Devonjhire ; and you muft not expe£l 
 <c my Pronunfntion to be the moll per- 
 c< f'efteft,, for they all talk there as I do 
 “ here—Pray, Gentlemen, don’t laugh ! 
 
 -Does any one chufe to fpeak to 
 
 “ the Queftion ? Oh, a Gentleman is 
 ** up —Pray, Gentlemen, be filenced.” 
 
 We (hall next give a Charader of a 
 Gentleman very well known in the So¬ 
 ciety, by the Name of 
 
 Mr. S * * T H. 
 
 T HIS Gentleman is by Trade a Dyer, 
 and in Religion a red-hot Antimonian . 
 When he bellows forth his peculiar No¬ 
 tions, his Eyes are inflamed, and his whole 
 Body feems to be the Manfion of fome 
 turbulent Spirit. He is no tame Orator, 
 nor wants for Choice of Words, but is 
 fo unhappy in the Application of them, 
 that he conveys a quite different Meaning 
 
 to 
 
the Robinhood Society. 179 
 
 to the Minds of the Audtors from what 
 he himfeif underftands : Let the Queftion 
 be what it will, he lugs in Religion by 
 the Head and Shoulders, and the moft 
 carnal Propofition is fpiritualized into the 
 moft divine Meaning: Thus, the fecret 
 Parts of Religion are all peeped into and 
 expofed, and Difcourfes in the Style of 
 the Canticles, propofed as proper for Imi¬ 
 tation. S**th is a great, Admirer of 
 Whitfield, and thinks him one of 
 the greateft Men in Europe . If Regard 
 is extorted, and Efteem rivetted, by a 
 mutual Sympathy of Minds, and a fimil^r 
 Turn of Thinking, it is no Wonder our 
 Orator fhould have conceived an high 
 Opinion of his Brother Orator: And, 
 indeed, their Oratory is not much unlike, 
 for Orator S**th is as ranting, as unin¬ 
 telligible, and as enthufiaftie, as Orator 
 W 
 
 As to the Abilities of this, curious 
 Gentleman, they may be eafily guefled at 
 from what we have faid, and to dwell 
 longer on fucb a Character, would be to 
 intimate he was of more Importance than 
 fee really is. However, we Ihould ill dif- 
 eharge our Duty of giving competent 
 
 * Ideas* 
 
i8o Ike HISTORY of 
 
 Ideas of our Orators, did we not draw 
 their leading Features ; though we pretend 
 not to be fo particular as to paint all of 
 them. 
 
 Mr. B * * K * R. 
 
 HIS Gentleman is a Phyfician, and 
 
 • lately lived at Trowbridge in JVilts , 
 but now refides in London . He is a Man 
 of extenfive Knowledge, and ftrift Pro¬ 
 bity, arid is almoft the only Orator in the 
 Robinhood Society that fpeaks to a 
 Queftion ; the Imagination of the major 
 Part of thofe Gentlemen being either fo 
 exalted, as t-o carry them into the Clouds, 
 or fo groveling, as to put them on a Level 
 with Coblers and Tinkers : The Queftion 
 itfelf is feldom adverted to ; and the End 
 of their fpeaking during the fix Minutes 
 allow’d them, feems to be merely to fhew 
 that they are endued with one Faculty, 
 which other Animals do not pofTefs, 
 
 Mr* 
 
the Robinhood Society, i8i 
 M r. RICHARD M*C**L*Y, 
 
 A Professed Deift, and an Orator 
 without Ideas, and with a very 
 affe&ed and vicious Pronunciation. His 
 Notions of Religion are intirely borrowed 
 from Collins, Hobbes, and Tyndall, 
 and his Oratory from Billingfgate. He 
 was formerly a Tobacconift, but is now 
 Clerk to a Linnen-Draper. 
 
 Mr. C * * D * * L. 
 
 A Brazier in Bufinefs, and a Deift in 
 Principle ; illiterate to the laft De¬ 
 gree, and as void of good Manners as of 
 good Senfe. His Voice refembles a Sow- 
 gelder’s Horn, or a Crier of wild Beads 
 at a Country Fair. Need I fay more of 
 fuch a worthy Member of fo worthy a 
 Society ? 
 
 Mr, 
 
j82 The HIST ORT of 
 
 I 
 
 Mr. V * N * B * * S. 
 
 A N Attorney, or an Attorney’s Clerk-, 
 that pours out Vollies of Nonfenfe, 
 as fad as a London Militia Platoon fire their 
 Mufkets. He is a profefTed Advocate for 
 all minifterial Meafures, and endeavours 
 to prove, by Logic and Noife, that Mini- 
 fters, like Kings, can do no Wrong. If 
 his Opponents infift, that if they can do no 
 Wrong, they muff be infallible, and In¬ 
 fallibility only is the Attribute of God j 
 he anfwers, they are infallible, and are ap¬ 
 pointed by God j fo that the divine inde- 
 feafible Right of Kings, with all its con- 
 eommitant Circuinftances of Non - Refi¬ 
 nance and Paffive Obedience, are flrongly 
 enforced by this ingenious Quill-driver in 
 every Political Debate. If it is obje&ed 
 to him, that the Jure DIvina is a Dodlrine 
 that ftrikes at the Vitals of our prefent 
 Conftitution, by tacitly declaring the glori¬ 
 ous Revolution to be an Ufurpation, and 
 the prefent illuftrious Houfe of Hanover , 
 to be mere p**t**d**s to the Throne, 
 he will not difpute the Inference, but 
 maintain his Pofition. — So much for his 
 Political Notions. As to his religious ones. 
 
the Robinhood Society. 183 
 
 he is not lefs drenuous. He thinks the 
 Church, edablidied by Law in this King¬ 
 dom, not only the bed vifible Church 
 on Earth, but that it is abfoluteiy without 
 Spot or Blemilh ; and he would have as 
 implicit a Regard paid to all human Ordi¬ 
 nances and Ceremonies as to the mod divine 
 Precepts; and in confequence of thefe ve¬ 
 ry orthodox and very charitable Opinions, 
 he thinks all who dident from* the edablidied 
 Church, Jhould immediately quit England, 
 and refide elfewhere: But to what Place 
 they are to retire he does not inform us. 
 As to the Deids, he ladies them without 
 Mercy, and pronounces it impoffible for 
 them to be ufeful Subjects, or honed Men ; 
 and therefore, as they cannot be lerviceable 
 in a State, they fhould be baniflied from 
 it, or broke upon the Wheel, or, at lead, 
 be kept in Prifon to hard Labour, till 
 their Minds are open to Convidhon, and 
 prepared to believe the glorious Truths of 
 the Gofpel. 
 
 It is with no finall Difficulty we have 
 fathomed thefe Sentiments of our Man of 
 Law ; who brings together fuch a Cioud 
 of unmeaning Words, that it requires a 
 very penetrating Eye to fee through the 
 Obfcurity : That Eye we think we pof- 
 fefs. * As 
 
184 The HISTORY af 
 
 As an Orator, he is extremely con¬ 
 temptible : His A&ion is forced, violent, 
 and unnatural, and his Pronunciation, 
 which is very vicious, is made more difa- 
 greeable by his Hammering. His Mind 
 feems ftored with very few Ideas, and thofe 
 few, very wrong ones. His mental Op¬ 
 tics are extremely defe&ive , and he views 
 Things by fbch broken and refracted Rays, 
 as render them fcarcely vifible. It is no 
 Wonder, therefore, that he fhould not be 
 able to make his Auditors fully perceive 
 what he does not clearly behold himfelf. 
 In a Word, his Character is well expref- 
 fed in Mr. Pope’s Parody of a Paflage in 
 Denham’s Cooper’s-Hill , describing the 
 River Thames : 
 
 Flow, Welfted.. flow ! like thine Infpirer, Beer, 
 Tho* dale, not ripe, tho’ thin, yet never clear j 
 So Aveetly mawkifh, and fo fmoothly dull : 
 Heady, not ftrong ; overflowing, tho* not full. 
 
 A Specimen of his Oratory is given in the 
 following little Speech which he made on 
 this Queflioo 9 
 
 IVht- 
 
the Robinhood Society. i$$ 
 
 lVh ether the Robinhood Society has not a 
 vifble Tendency to improve cur Morals , 
 and refine our Tajle ! 
 
 Brit annicus. 
 
 44 Mr. President ! 
 
 44 I really mu ft be of the affirmative 
 4 Side of this Queftion, though—aw—aw 
 4 —the Gentleman yonder in the Cut 
 4 Wig has—aw—aw'—declared himfelf— 
 4 aw—aw—of a contrray Opinion. A 
 4 contrary Opinion, I fay, Mr. Prefident. 
 4 Mr. Prefident, — aw — aw — 1 really 
 4 think—aw—aw—that this Society—aw 
 4 •—aw—this Society I fay,—aw — aw 
 4 —does tend—aw—to refine our Mo- 
 4 n\Is, and—aw—aw—to improve our 
 4 Tafte. To improv e our Tafte—aw—* 
 4 aw—is a noble Work, and—aw—aw 
 4 —-ufeful to Society. Society is benefit- 
 4 ed by it ; that is, Mr. Prefident. But 
 4 aw—aw—there is another Advantage 
 4 —aw—aw—our Society has, and that 
 4 is, that we acquire Eloquence, and 
 
 4 with that-aw—aw—get Wives; be- 
 
 4 caufe we—aw—aw—charm them with 
 4 the Mufic of—aw—aw—our Tongues, 
 4 and they cannot—aw—aw—refift us.” 
 
 We 
 
186 The HISTORY of 
 
 We mull inform the Reader, that tho ? 
 the Speaker of this Speech has attended the 
 Society feveral Years, his Eloquence has 
 not yet procured him a Wife. We can 
 alfo allure him, that the Speech itfelf is 
 genuine, having taken it down verbatim, 
 in Short-hand, at the Time of its Deli¬ 
 very. 
 
 We (hall dwell no longer on this Gentle¬ 
 man than juft to obferve, that he is ex¬ 
 tremely culpable in fpeaking out of Turn, 
 entering into perfonal Altercations, and 
 anfwering every Obfervation that glances 
 on himfejf, which greatly obflrudfs fche 
 Debates, throws the Society into Difor- 
 der, and only manifeils the Author’s Petu¬ 
 lance of Temper. 
 
 Mr. A. M. E. C * * K E. 
 
 S OME Readers will wonder what My- 
 
 _ fiery is couched under the Letters 
 
 A. M. E. and fame will fuppofe that they 
 are no more than the Initials of Mr. 
 C**'ke’s Chriftian Names—His Chriftian 
 N ume is Thomas ; but Since a certain 
 Operation he perform’d on himfelf, he 
 
 has* 
 
the Robinhood Society* 187 
 
 has, in his numerous Writings, intitled 
 himfelf A. M. E. C**ke ; Letters, 
 which though unintelligible to the Public, 
 are yet full of Meaning to us, who have 
 a great Intimacy with this Gentleman ; 
 and they fignify Adam, Moses, Ema¬ 
 nuel. —So much for his adopted Name. 
 
 He was born in Northumberland, re¬ 
 ceiv’d a liberal Education there, and from 
 thence was fent to Oxford: In due Time 
 he enter’d into Orders, return’d to his 
 native County, and was foon after pre- 
 fented with a pretty good Living. A 
 Turn for Myfteries led him to a Perufal of 
 fomeof our myllic Writers, and he caught 
 the fame enthu Gallic Flame which warm’d 
 them. A reclufe and fedentary Life greatly 
 cherifh’d his Notions, and it was not long 
 before Parfon C**ke was look’d on by 
 all the Country as a fecond J a c c b 
 Behmeist. But he had fome Notions 
 peculiar to himfelf. He maintain’d in his 
 Sermons, and in his private Convention, 
 that the JewiJh Ceremonies were not ab¬ 
 rogated by the Chriftian Difpenfation, but 
 tvere ftill of univerfal Obligation. In par¬ 
 ticular, he infilled on the Ncceffity of 
 Circumcifion, and fupported his Doclrine 
 hv his own Practice. Such novel Notions, 
 
 and 
 
*83 The HISTORY of 
 
 and fuch extravagant Behaviour in a Pro- 
 tettant Clergyman, foon reached the Ears 
 of the Bifiiop of the Diocefe, and he was 
 deprived, and his Living given to another. 
 Our Jeivifn Chriilian then came to London , 
 and commenced Author; but his unintelli¬ 
 gible Jargon not felling, he was reduced 
 to great Dittrefs. In this Dilemma he 
 knew not what to do ; bur, at laid, put 
 in Practice another odd Notion, that the 
 Goods of Fortune ought to be ihared in 
 common by all God's Creatures.. 
 
 Among various Expedients for fatisfying 
 his Hunger formed upon this Plan, one 
 was, to refort to fome well-frequented 
 Coffee-houfe, and placing himfelf at a 
 Table, to appropriate to his own Ufe the 
 firft buttered Muffin and Pot of Coffee 
 that was brought to it. This he would 
 often be permitted to do, without any In¬ 
 terruption from the Gentlemen that fat 
 near him, fome of whom were diverted, 
 and fome attonifhed, to fee a Clergyman 
 thus familiarly regale himfelf with a Break- 
 fail: that was not provided for him. As 
 foon as it was finifhed, however, he would 
 rife from the Table, fay a fhort Grace, 
 and very unconcernedly make towards the 
 Door 5 and, when queftioned by the 
 
 Matter 
 
the Robihnood Society. 189 
 
 Matter of the Coffee-houfe, about the 
 Impropriety of ufing that which he did not 
 order, and the Injuftice of not paying for 
 it when he had done, he would prove by 
 Mode and Figure, that the good Things 
 of this World ought to be in common. 
 The Bucks and Bloods enjoyed the Joke, 
 and a Ring was ufually formed for the two 
 Difputants, the Parfon and the Coffee- 
 man ; but the Coffee-man being unable to 
 invalidate the Teftimonies brought out of 
 the Talmud ., and many learned Writings, 
 which were quoted in Hebrew , Greek and 
 Latin , the Parfon always came off vic¬ 
 torious. 
 
 Another Pra&ice by which this 
 Gentleman fignalized nimfelf, was Street- 
 Preaching ; and having for fome Time 
 before let his Beard grow, he was gene¬ 
 rally known by the Name of The Bearded 
 Prieji, In this extravagant Manner he 
 went on for fome Time, ’till fome 
 Clergymen made Intereft for him to be 
 fent to Bedlam , where he was confined 
 for about two or three Years. As foon 
 as he was releafed, he took a Refolution 
 of going to Scotland , and a&ually travel¬ 
 led over that Country on Foot, with not 
 a fingle Farthing in his Pocket, fubfifting. 
 
190 The HISTORY of 
 
 as himfelf informs us in one of his Pamph¬ 
 lets, by the Contributions of the well- 
 difpofed. From thence he went to Ireland , 
 and travelled over a great Part of that 
 Kingdom; and on his Arrival at Dublin , 
 in 1760, was entertained by fome Gen¬ 
 tlemen in Trinity College , who, compaf- 
 fionating the melancholy Cafe of a Clergy¬ 
 man in Diftrefs, gave him his Board and 
 Lodging gratis. After he had {laid here 
 a few Months, and publilhed fome ve¬ 
 ry original Pieces, which no one could 
 underhand but himfelf, he return’d to 
 England, vifited Oxford , and then came 
 again to London , where he now refides, 
 but intends going to America , as foon as 
 his Finances will enable him. 
 
 Mr. ST*** T. 
 
 A YoutfG Surgeon, that pofTefles 
 much Knowledge, and fpeaks with 
 uncommon Propriety and Corre&nefs. 
 He has not long frequented the Society, 
 and comes there, apparently, more with 
 a View of being diverted, than the Hopes 
 •f being edified. 
 
 Mr. 
 
the Robinhood Society. 191 
 
 'Mr. W**L**GS. 
 
 A Judicious, humane, and honefl 
 Man. He is a Druggift by Pro- 
 feflion, and lives in the Poultry. As an 
 Orator, he is neither excellent, nor con¬ 
 temptible. His Reafoning is clofe, ner¬ 
 vous, and always to the Point. His Sen¬ 
 timents are judicious, orthodox, and pure, 
 and breathe the true Spirit of Chriftianity, 
 which infpires an'unreftrained Benevolence 
 towards the whole human and animal 
 Species, and is not angry with thofe who 
 differ in fpeculative Opinions, that little 
 intereft the moral Conduit of Mankind. 
 This Gentleman, however, feldom comes 
 to the Robinhood, but is a conftant At¬ 
 tendant at the Queens Arms Society in 
 Newgate Street , a Society formed on much 
 the fame Plan, but conducted with infi- 
 nitely greater Decorum. He is alfo a 
 Prefident of that Society, and fills the 
 Chair with Honour. 
 
 Mr, 
 
i 9 2 Tke HISTORY of 
 Mr. W**H***LL. 
 
 OM MONLY called the good-natured 
 
 \^4 Calvinift. Why he is called fo, I 
 own, is to me a My fiery ; as his pious 
 Fury is breathed forth with an unextin- 
 guifhable Spirit againft thofe who differ 
 horn him in Opinion ; particularly the 
 Roman Catholics and the Deifts. I need 
 not fey more of him, than that with Ref- 
 pe£f to his Oratory, and many of his Sen¬ 
 timents, he is a fecond Edition of Mr. 
 S**th, the Antinoman . He is an Ex¬ 
 ciseman by Profeflion. 
 
 Mr. B R * * M * N, 
 
 A RED-hot Papiff, with little Judg¬ 
 ment, and lefs Charity, whofe York¬ 
 shire Wife perverted him to the Roman 
 Catholic Religion. Furious, perfecting, 
 and revengeful, he is himfelf an Epitome 
 ©f his Church, and exhibits a true Pi&ure 
 of a rigid Roman Catholic. By Profeflion 
 he is a School-matter, and lives in Little 
 
 Ruffel Street , near i?- y S -; but 
 
 if the Pedagogue does not excel the 
 
 Orator, 
 
the Robinhood Society. 103 
 
 Orator, he is contemptible to the Iaft 
 Degree. 
 
 Mr. G**D***T H. 
 
 A Man of Learning and Judgment, 
 Author of An Inquiry into the ?nodern 
 State of Literature in Eur.ope, and many- 
 other ingenious Works; a good Orator, 
 and a candid Difputant, with a clear Head, 
 and an honeft Heart. He comes but fel~ 
 dom to the Society. 
 
 Mr. W * L K * R. 
 
 Comedian belonging to the Theatre 
 
 jTjL in Covent Garden , a Man of extreme 
 good Senfe, Erudition, and Candor. He 
 greatly excels as an Orator, having a full, 
 round, and ftrong Voice, a Facility of 
 Utterance, a graceful Pronunciation, and 
 a beautiful Action. If Wit, as it has 
 been defined by a great Poet, confifts in a 
 quick Conception, and an eafy Delivery, 
 Mr. W*lk*r has a great Share of it. 
 We have been much furprifed at the low 
 Eftimation this Gentleman is held in here, 
 as an A&or. We have feen him perform 
 
 K 
 
 very 
 
i 9 4 7 ^ HISTORY of 
 
 very capital Characters at the Theatre- 
 Royal in Crow-Street, t)ubUn , with great 
 Judgment and Execution, and with uni- 
 verfal Applaufe ; and rauft own we are 
 at a Lofs to what to impute his being 
 placed on Covert-Garden Stage in a diffe¬ 
 rent and inferior Walk. 
 
 Mr. WILLIAM H****S. 
 
 0 
 
 T HE Clerk of the Society, who takes 
 Care that the Difputants are duly 
 fupplied with Porter and Lemonade, to 
 refrefh their Spirits, and enable them to 
 fpeak with Clearnefs and Energy. He 
 lives in Barbican , keeps a Chandler’s Shop 
 there, is a Porter alfo at the India Ware- 
 houfe, is a very honeft Man, and is pof- 
 feffed of good natural Abilities. 
 
 Mr. B**D**GT* N. 
 
 A Deist with Refpe& to his irreligious 
 Notions, of tolerable good Senfe, 
 and full of Words ; fo that though he 
 cannot be faid to be a deep Philofopher, 
 he may be confidered as a flafhy Robin- 
 hood Orator. 
 
 Mr. 
 
the Robinhood Society. 195 
 
 Mr. P * * E. 
 
 Man that, by his Oddity of Afpecf, 
 
 JHL and Peculiarity of Expreflion, has 
 attra&ed the public attention in a confi- 
 derable Degree ; for he has been frequent¬ 
 ly honoured by being made the Subject of 
 fome EfTays in our daily Papers. 
 
 He was born at Exeter about fifty- 
 eight Years ago, of poor, but, as it is 
 faid, honeld Parents, who fent him to 
 School, where he learnt both to read and 
 write. At the Age of thirteen he was 
 apprenticed there to a Shoemaker, and 
 during his Apprentieefhip, took great De¬ 
 light in reading the delecdable Poems of 
 Withers, Quarles, Herbert, 
 Cleveland, and other very great Au¬ 
 thors, and read them fo frequently, that 
 he got many of them by Heart. At the 
 Expiration of his Apprentieefhip, he came 
 to London , and having received fome fmall 
 Pittance from his Friends, fet up for him- 
 felf in the Strand , took unto him a Wife, 
 and had four or five Children by her. So 
 far we fee the bright View of his Life's 
 Hidory. But theWoild foon frowned 
 
 K 2 
 
 on 
 
■i 9 6 ft HISTORY of 
 
 on him ; and though he was continually 
 <c fupplying his Knowledge-Box with 
 Furniture,” as himfelf elegantly ex- 
 prefles it, by reading the before*mentioned 
 Authors, and attending condantly at Mr. 
 Grator Henley’s Chapel, to whom he 
 was Mouth-Piece, running on his Errands, 
 praifing his Oratory, and doing him other 
 Services, yet his Stock in Trade, his 
 Houfnold Goods, his Cudomers, and his 
 Reputation, were decreafing daily. Altho’ 
 Poverty now not only dared our Orator 
 in the Face, but was his conflant Compa¬ 
 nion, yet was he indefatigable in the Im¬ 
 provement of his Mind, and bore his 
 Mifery with great Patience. But his Rib 
 podefled not the fame Fortitude. She 
 lamented her Infelicity in very pathetic 
 Terms, and Tears ran from her Eyes in 
 copious Streams. P*** beheld her Didrefs 
 with the Apathy of a Stoic; he anfwered 
 her Complaints and Remondrances with 
 dome Verfes of Quarles, and her Tears 
 he endeavoured to dry up with dome Sen¬ 
 timents from Herbert or Cleveland : 
 hut all would not avail; her Tongue 
 dill ran on, and her Tears dill flowed. 
 She wanted more fubdantial Food, than 
 dull Lines of Jingle; and had rather fee 
 dome Bread and Cheefe, and fmall Beer 
 
 on 
 
the Robinhood Society. 197 
 
 on the Table, for herfelf and Children, 
 than hear the belt Arguments in theWorld, 
 to prove that whatever is, is right. Up- 
 braidings and fevere Reproaches followed, 
 and the Wife infilled, that the Hibbard 
 was an idle Fellow, who neglected his 
 Rufinefs, and the mod important Con¬ 
 cerns, merely to prate about Things he 
 did not underftanu, and to attend the 
 A t he id: i cal Orator, whole Difcourfes he 
 could never be benefitted by. After living 
 fome Years in this uncomfortable State, 
 the Wife and Children left the Hufband to 
 his Fate, and purfued their own. The 
 Wife took decent Lodgings, fought out 
 for Buhnefs ih'Wafhing and Plain-Work, 
 and fucceeded fo well, that fhe bred up her 
 Children properly, wanted for nothing, 
 and lived happily. As to our Son of 
 Crispin, he took a paltry Lodging, and 
 went on in the fame idle Manner as be¬ 
 fore, getting what Work he could, and 
 putting it out to be performed. In this 
 Manner he has continued for fome Years. 
 
 As to the Oratory of this Poetical 
 Cobler , as he is ufually called, it is. 
 
 •- Rudis , indigejlaque moles , 
 
 Non bene jundtarum difcordia femina rerum, 
 
 K 3 His 
 
j 9 8 The HISTORY of 
 
 His Speeches do not confift of his own 
 Sentiments on the Queftion, but only of 
 an Application of the Sentiments -Of thofe 
 polite Authors he is mod converfant with. 
 He is, indeed, a mere Retailer of other 
 Men’s Opinions, and his Orations are 
 like kn Harlequin 's patched Coat; and yet 
 he has Vanity enough to think himfelf a 
 Man of great Knowledge ; and takes the 
 Laugh of Contempt, which he frequently 
 hears at the Society, for a Proof of their 
 Approbation. 
 
 His Speech on this Queftion, 
 
 Whether Eloquence is of Ufe to Society ? 
 
 Cicero. 
 
 exhibits a very ample and ftriking Speci¬ 
 men of his Oratory. 
 
 “ Mr. President ! 
 
 fe THAT there Gentleman, on this 
 “ Side of the Way, feems to want a 
 <c Light to be (truck into his Knowledge- 
 “ Box : If he had opened the Trap-Ejoors 
 44 of his Mind, it mi^ht have entered in. 
 44 But I find it has not 3 and therefore., 
 
 44 his 
 
the Robinhood Society. 199 
 
 t< his Underdanding wants fluffing. He 
 “ has really (poke like a Crabb-Lantern, 
 and a Snap-Jack ; To I have done with 
 “ him. Howfumdever , I (hail now take 
 Notice of the other rum Gentleman, 
 “ who thought I was a Man of Fortune, 
 46 in his fpeaking to the lad rum Queflion, 
 in fo rum a Manner. 
 
 But thd > I in this Scarlet Coat appear , 
 
 I am not worth a Jingle Groat a Tear. 
 
 “ So much for him—As to the Quedion, 
 4C Mr. Prefident, I think it is no Quedion 
 “ at all ; for every one that has not De- 
 <c tra<£fion in the Head, and Prejudice In 
 4C the Heart, mud own and confefs, 
 
 That Words alone can Harmony impart , 
 
 To charm th 9 Attention,and command the Heart 
 
 * c And that is Eloquence, Mr. Prefident, 
 “ and fuch as mud be admitted by all who 
 ‘‘ do not feek the Indulgence of their vo- 
 <# racious Appetites: And 
 
 IVhich Heads refin'd alone by Reafon know. 
 Where Senfe and judgment do together flow* 
 
 4t Reafon, Mr. Prefident, is King Na- 
 
 K 4 ture’s 
 
200 The HISTORY of 
 
 “ ture’s Privy Counfellor \ and Eloquence 
 <c is to teach us 
 
 it. „ , yfv' . f 
 
 ST reafon down the Fever of the Blood , 
 
 ,/fW footb with Words the Tumult of the 
 Soul. 
 
 “ I wifh the Gentleman in his own Hair, 
 “ yonder, who is now picking his Teeth, 
 <c and who looks with three Eyes at me, 
 <c had mar (hailed up his Thoughts, har- 
 monized his Underftanding, regulated 
 cc his Ideas, and informed his Judgment * 
 then he might. 
 
 Blow atiuay, and J peak at large , 
 
 And with a holy Violence ram down the Charge • 
 
 <c Inftead of which he has taken hold of the 
 <c Muzzle inftead of the But-End of the 
 Ci Doctrine, and hurried a half-formed 
 <c Production on the Public. 
 
 He has launch'd forth quite into wild Ex¬ 
 tremes, 
 
 Offenfelefs No if e, and undifinguiftdd Themes. 
 
 cc Howfttmdever , Mr. 'Prefident, I for- 
 cc give him for his Eun-Dawft on me ; 
 64 efpecially, as his Thoughts is ftagnated, 
 
 t6 and 
 
the Roblnhood Society. 201 
 
 4< and an Embargo laid on his Under- 
 44 {landing : For, 
 
 Forgivenefs to the Injur'd does belong ; 
 
 \They never pardon that have done the Wrong* 
 
 44 Eloquence, Mr. Prefident, may be de- 
 44 fined to be, as it were, as when a Man 
 44 is eloquent; and to be fo, he ought to 
 44 do as I do ; that is, drink a good deal 
 44 of Gin, and avoid eating Onions. A 
 gt great Poet fays ; 
 
 Immortal Gin ! fence I have fung thy Praife 3 
 Crown me with 'Juniper infeead of Bays , 
 
 44 And that is Eloquence itfelf, Mr. Pre* 
 &c fident ; and no one will difpute it that 
 cc has poifed their Underflanding, and not 
 44 violated the Dignity of human Nature. 
 4,4 Thofe who difpute it, like my Wife’s 
 44 Relations, 
 
 May the Curfe of G — then light on one and 
 a //, ^ 
 
 To d — their Bodies , but preferve their Soul. 
 
 M As to that Gentleman that faid Elo— 
 44 quence is hurtful to Society, becaufe 
 ** Poets are eloquent, and, in confequence 
 
 K 5> 44 of 
 
202 The HISTORY of 
 
 <c of it, poor, it by no Means follows ; 
 
 Ct howfumdever , 
 
 If Tlsought alone the appetite can cloy , 
 
 Could Poets live , Camdion-like , on Air ; 
 If neither Thirjl or Hunger could annoy , 
 
 The poorejl Poet never need defpair. 
 
 “ So that this Gentleman’s Speech was a 
 “ falfe Motion, Mr. Prefident, and the 
 Queftion topped his Undemanding ; 
 “ howfumdever , he chofe to fpeak to it, 
 left he fhould over-gorge himfelf, and 
 “ burft at the Touch-hole. Another 
 “ Gentleman, who faid as how EIo- 
 ** quenee was pernicious, feems to have 
 contra&ed all his Senfes into his Bow- 
 fprit, to have loaded his Head with Ar- 
 s< gument, and then to have primed, cock- 
 <c ed, and fired away ; howfumdever , I 
 “ excufe him, becaufe I find he is one of 
 (c the crofs-legged Knights of the Steel- 
 <c Bar, and a Wit. But Mr. Pope fays* 
 
 A Wit's a Feather , and a Chief's a Rod ; 
 An honejl Man's the noble ft Work of God. 
 
 “ Eloquence, Mr. Prefident, is the Gift 
 of the Supreme ; and we oft not to 
 4 ‘ defpife any of his Gifts : Now, if I had 
 
 “ the 
 
the Robinhood Society. 203 
 
 <c the Wifdom of Ulysses, the Arms of 
 “ Achilles, the Riches of Croesus* 
 “ and the Wifdom of Solomon, 
 
 the Univerfe from Folly an 
 
 And ?nake this World a fecond Paradife, 
 
 “ But I fear it’s impoflible for me to 
 “ do this, though, with Eloquence, one 
 44 might almoft do any Thing, even if 
 44 one were attacked both in Front andi 
 44 Flank, and knocked down in the Rear, 
 44 But I think that thofe fhould, 
 
 Who Jlrive to difeompofe th‘ exalted Mind y 
 Be to eternal Banijhment confi'ti'd, 
 
 44 And fome of thefe there are in this So- 
 44 ciety, who are for interrupting me iri 
 44 my Difcourfe very often ; but they had 
 44 better open the Cafements of their Bo- 
 44 dies to let in Light to their Minds, as I 
 44 do ; for I always 
 
 Do much defire and long to know , 
 
 The Wit that from Choice Spirits flovj, 
 
 44 Mr. Prefident ! I fee your all-filencing 
 44 Hammer is lifted up to knock me 
 
 * 4 down 
 
 Pd fcower 
 Vice , 
 
204 HISTORY*/ 
 
 <c clown j but I fhall jufl defire to relate a 
 66 Fa&, which I know to be true, of the 
 cc public Crier at Topjham in Devonjhire , 
 4{ which I confider as a very good Piece of 
 <c Eloquence. He had no lets than ten 
 <c Children ; and they becoming charge- 
 able to the Parifh, he was required by 
 cc the Church-wardens to get no more, 
 <c and ufed barbaroufly for thofe he had ; 
 “ whereupon he went into the Market- 
 “ place, took his Bell in his.Harid, rung 
 tc it, and then Paid, O Yes !-—0 Yes !~0 
 * c Yes /—This is to give Notice , 
 
 That when Breeches and Petticoats do come 
 near , 
 
 Flejh and Blood cannot forbear. 
 
 This was wielding the facred Weapon, 
 <c and making the Mufe to flow, and I 
 <c think he a£fed right in all Refpedls $ 
 <c for Mr. Pope fays. 
 
 The Goods of Fortune varicufy are giv’n ; 
 
 A Wife is the peculiar Gift of Heav n. 
 
 “ He doesn’t fay two, Mr. Prefident. 
 But I fee the uplifted, all - filencing 
 Hammer again fills your Hand, and 
 <c threatens my Head $ and therefore I 
 
 <c muft 
 
the Robinhood Society. 20? 
 
 cc muft conclude. But, Mr. Prefident, 
 5< give me Leave to mention a bad Cuf- 
 c ‘ tom in this Society, which is to fhew 
 cc Marks of their Approbation or Dif- 
 ct approbation: Now, Mr. Prefident, I 
 “ never dap the Speakers, for fear of 
 <c p* x *-#g their Underftandings ; and yet, 
 <c I’ll work, walk, or talk, as much for 
 cc a Shilling, as any Lawyer or Parfon in 
 
 England will for a Guinea.” 
 
 With this Chara&er we (hall clofe our 
 Account of the principal Speakers of the 
 Robinhood Society ; an Account, that 
 though written without Embelliihment, is 
 not deftitute of Fidelity and Candour.. Un¬ 
 influenced by any private Views, we have 
 neither indulged Refentment by wanton 
 Cenfure, nor, for the Sake of perfonal At¬ 
 tachments, proftituted Praife. 
 
 Of the general Chara&er of the Socie¬ 
 ty, and its Influence on the Minds of 
 young Perfons, little has been faid : And 
 while we were lately ruminating on the 
 Manner in which we fhould conclude this 
 great Work, a Friend, who had perufed 
 our Manufcript, came in ; and, after 
 knowing the Subject of our Meditations, 
 thus warmly expoftulated upon it. 
 
 iC There 
 
20 6 The HISTORY of 
 
 44 There can be no Doubt in what 
 44 Light the Society muft appear to every 
 44 Mind, whofe Judgment is not determi- 
 44 ned by Fancy and Paflion, but by the 
 44 Nature and Tendency of Principles and 
 44 Adfions demonftrated by Fadfs. From 
 44 the Hiilory you have given of the Socie- 
 44 tv, it is evident, that it maintained its 
 44 Ufefulnefs and Honour no longer, than. 
 44 wh'le it faithfully adhered to that fun- 
 44 damental Law of its Inftitution,by which 
 44 all religious Queftions were excluded 
 44 from the Subjedfs of Debate. 
 
 44 When., for the DifFufion of ufeful. 
 44 Knowledge, it was thought expedient 
 44 to admit every Perfon that chofe to 
 41 come, and, for that F'urpofe, to aflem- 
 44 ble at a Public-Houfe ; if two or three 
 44 Hours had been fet apart for the Bufi- 
 44 nefs of the Night, and no eating drink- 
 46 mg. or fmoaking had been permitted in. 
 * 4 that Interval; and, if the Subje&s of 
 44 Debate had been confined to the Trade 
 44 and Manufadfures of Great Britain , to 
 44 Natural Hiftory, the Mathematics, and 
 44 the Liberal Arts ; how poorly would 
 * 4 the Meetings of the Society have been. 
 44 attended ! Though its Credit might 
 
 44 have 
 
the Robinhood Society. 207 
 
 44 have remained, its Number would not 
 44 have been much increafed. But, as Toon 
 44 as it was known, that the Drunkard 
 44 and the Glutton might regale them- 
 44 felves at the Expence of the Temperate, 
 44 and that every illiterate Prater might 
 44 difplay his Oratory, and fignalize him- 
 44 felf as the Champion of Deifm or Chri- 
 44 ftianity ; the Society was immediately 
 44 crowded with noify Butchers, Tinkers, 
 44 and Coblers ; with felf-conceited and 
 44 frontlefs Infidels ; with thofe not lefs 
 44 profane, though more inconfiffent, Ari- 
 44 ans and Sochians ; and with the moft 
 44 contentious, and yet the word Dif- 
 44 puters about Chriftianity, Cahiriifts and 
 44 Antinomians. The firfl Principles of 
 44 Religion, and the effential Dodtrines of 
 44 the Gofpel, were called in Queftion 
 44 every Night in the Prefence of young 
 44 People, who unhappily deviating in their 
 41 Search after Truth and Goodnefs, were 
 44 here betrayed into Error, and fhut up 
 44 from the Sight of That, by which alone 
 44 Sin can be deftroyed and Holinefs re- 
 44 ftored, 
 
 4 4 The Book of ^ uefions , as you have 
 44 reprefented it, is itfelf a fufficient 
 44 Proof of the licentious and even wan- 
 
 44 ton 
 
208 m HISTORY ef 
 
 44 ton Levity, with which the moft facred 
 t4 Doctrines and Charadfers have been 
 44 treated: In the Specimen of Religious 
 44 Quefrions which, you fay, you have 
 44 feiedted from thatABook, there were 
 “ two, which I was compelled to ftrike 
 44 out, to fave myfelf from being a Par- 
 44 taker in the Guilt of the moll horrid 
 44 Blafphemy. And he, who, by his 
 44 Prefence, has contributed to fupport a 
 44 Society, in w T hich fuch Queftions are 
 44 fuffered to be propofed, regifiered, and 
 44 debated, has fo for contributed to the 
 44 Support of Profanenefs and Impiety.. 
 44 From this Charge I exempt not even 
 44 The Baker himfelf, who is intitled 
 44 to no higher Honour from his long 
 44 Prefidentfhip, than that of keeping a 
 44 rude Multitude in Lome external Order, 
 44 and preferving the Regularity of an 
 44 Infidel-Deputation. 
 
 44 Many Things, indeed, are called f 
 * * Religion that do not belong to it; but 
 44 that which is effential in Religion, is 
 44 private and perfonal, fubfifting not in 
 44 difputable Motions and refined Ar- 
 44 guments, but in the Senfibilities and 
 44 Perceptions of the Heart: For who, 
 44 in his Senfes* can difpute a Moment 
 
 64 whether 
 
the Robinhood Society. 209 
 
 tc whether he is a Sinner? and who, that 
 “ feels himfelf a Sinner, can difpute a 
 cc Moment whether he fhould receive or 
 ‘ ‘ reject the Pardon that is offered him ? 
 <£ and who can depend upon the Pardon 
 “ of Sin, any further than he feels in his 
 <c Heart a Principle difapprovmg, dif- 
 ec owning, refilling and fubduing the 
 Power of Sin ? And yet what is more 
 prevalent in all our Societies for Free 
 “ Debate and Inquiry , than the Folly and 
 Madnefs of attempting to dedroy thefe 
 Senfibilities, to Hide thefe Convictions, 
 <c and to prove, by Logical Deputation, 
 <c that Man is now as he was originally 
 <c made ; that he is, therefore, no Sin- 
 ner ; and that, confequently, he need- 
 (t eth no Redeemer. But he, who 
 abandons that penitential and humbling 
 4t Senfe of Sin, and that eridearing Senfe 
 <c of pardoning Mercy, which the Chri- 
 6£ Ilian Redemption awakens in every 
 cc Heart; and endeavours to perfuade 
 <c himfelf, that he can be fet free from 
 ts his Evil and Mifery, and made good 
 and happy, by Definitions, or Axioms, 
 <c or Forms, or Syltems, or any Thing 
 <c lefs than the Renovation of a Divine 
 64 Life;, abandons that for which the 
 
 4 6 whole 
 
210 The HISTORY vf 
 
 44 whole Creation cannot yield him a 
 44 Recompence. 
 
 44 Of the Nature ancTTendency of all 
 4 ( thcfe Societies for free Debate and In - 
 44 quiry , the Writer of The w Adven- 
 44 tureh has expreffed his Sentiments 
 44 with juft Indignation. 
 
 44 Nothing (fays he) has offended 
 44 me more,, than the Manner in which Sub- 
 44 jects of eternal Moment are often treat- 
 44 ed. To difpute on Moral and Theological 
 44 Topics, is become a Fafhion; and it 
 44 is ufual with Perfons, of whom it is 
 44 no Reproach to fay they are ignorant, 
 44 becaufe their Opportunities of gaining 
 44 Knowledge have been few, to deter- 
 44 mine with the utmoft confidence upon 
 44 Queftions to which no human Intellect 
 44 is equal. In almoft every Tavern and 
 44 every Alehoufe, illiterate Petulance 
 44 prates of Fitnefs and Virtue, of Free- 
 44 dom and Fate ; and it is common to 
 44 hear Difputes concerning everlafting 
 44 Happinefs and Mifery, the Myfteries 
 44 of Religion and the Attributes of God, 
 44 intermingled with Lewdnefs and BJaf- 
 44 phemy, or at leaft treated with wanton 
 44 Negligence and abfurd Merriment. 
 
 44 Fob. 
 
the Robirihood Society. 
 
 21 I 
 
 44 For Lewdnefs and Blafphemy, it is 
 44 hoped no Apology will ferioufly be of- 
 44 fered : And it is probable, that if the 
 44 Queftion in Debate was, which of the 
 44 Difputants fhould be hanged on the 
 44 Morrow, it would be conduced with 
 1,4 Decency and Gravity, as a Matter of 
 44 fome Importance: That vifible good 
 44 Humour, and that noble Freedom, of 
 44 which they appear to be fo fond, would 
 44 be thought not well to agree with their 
 4£ Subject ; nor would either of the Gen- 
 44 tlemen be much delighted, if an Argu- 
 44 ment intended to demonftrate that he 
 44 would, within a few Hours, be fuf- 
 44 pended on a Gibbet, fhould be embel- 
 44 lifhed with a witty Alluficn. to a Button 
 44 and Loop, or a jocular Remark, that 
 44 it would effectually fecure him from 
 44 future Accidents, either by Land or 
 44 Water : And yet the Juftice and Mercy 
 44 of Omnipotence, the Life and Death 
 44 of the Soul, are treated with Ridicule 
 44 and Sport j and it is contended, that 
 44 with Ridicule and Sport, they ought 
 44 always to be treated. 
 
 44 But the EffeCt, as well as theMan- 
 44 ner of thofe fafhionable Difputes, is 
 
 44 always. 
 
2i2 The HISTORY of 
 
 c< always ill: They tend to ettablifh what 
 “ is called Natural Religion, upon the 
 £<r Ruinsof Christianity; and a Man 
 Cfc has no fooner ttiled himfelf a Moral 
 ct Philofopher, than he finds that his Duty 
 tc both to God and Man, is contracted 
 Cc into a very fmall Cornpafs, and may 
 <c be pradbrfed with the greatett Facility. 
 
 Yet, as this EfFedf is not always appa- 
 cc rent, the Unwary are frequently delu- 
 ded into fatal Error, and imagine they 
 <c are attaining the bigbeffi Degree of 
 (6 Moral Excellence, while they are irr- 
 £e fenfibly Ioting the Principles upon which 
 ie alone Temptation can be refitted, and 
 £c a Ready Perfeverance in well-doing, 
 66 fee ured. 
 
 cc Among other favourite and unfuf- 
 4C pedfed Topics, is the Excellency 
 <c of Virtue. Virtue is faid necettarily 
 Ci to produce its own Happinefs, and to 
 C{ be conftantly and adequately its own 
 “ Reward; as Vice, on the contrary, 
 <c never fails to produce Mifery, and in- 
 sc flidf upon itfel-f the Punittiment it de- 
 ferves; Proportions, of which every 
 6C one is ready to affirm, that they may 
 “ be admitted without Scruple, and be- 
 lieved without Danger, But from hence 
 
 “ its. 
 
the Robin hood Society. 213 
 
 44 it is inferred, that future Rewards and 
 44 Punifhments are not neceflary, either 
 44 to furnifti adequate Motives to the 
 44 Practice of Virtue, or to juflify the 
 44 Ways of God : In Confequence of 
 44 their being not neceflary, they become 
 44 doubtful; the Deity is lefs and lefs 
 44 the Obje£f of Fear and Hope ; and as 
 44 Virtue is laid to be that which produces 
 44 ultimate Good below, whatever is fup- 
 44 pofed to produce ultimate Good below, 
 
 44 is faid to be Virtue : Right and wrong 
 44 are confounded, becaufe remote Con- 
 44 fequences cannot perfedtly be known ; 7 
 44 the principal Barrier by which Appe- 
 44 tite and Paflion are reflrained, is broken 
 44 down. The Remonftrances of Con- 
 44 fcience are overborne by Sophiftry; 
 
 44 and the acquired and habitual Shame of 
 44 Vice is fubdued by the perpetual Efforts 
 44 of vigorous Refiflance.” 
 
 44 The Paper which contains this Paf- 
 44 fage, feems to have been written as an 
 44 Introdu&ion to the Story of poor Dick 
 44 Freeman, related by himfelf under 
 44 the aflumed Name of Opsinous. And 
 44 as that Story is a forcible Inftance of 
 44 the unhappy Influence of Difputing- 
 f 4 Clubs 9 and may ftrike thofe whom 
 
 Perfuaflon 
 
214 HISTORY of 
 
 “ Perfuafion will not reach, I think you 
 ci cannot do better than print it as a Con- 
 “ ciufion to your Hiftory of the Robin* 
 “ hood Society.” 
 
 Thus ended my Friend, whofe Opi¬ 
 nion upon this Matter J have made pub¬ 
 lic, as the beft Reafon for my taking 
 his Advice. The Story he recommends, 
 is as follows. 
 
 To the ADVENTURER. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 O F all the Expedients that have been 
 found out to alleviate the Miferies 
 of Life, none is left to defpair but Com¬ 
 plaint: And though Complaint, without 
 Hope of Relief, may be thought rather to 
 increafe than mitigate Anguifh, as it re- 
 colle£fs every Circumftance of Diflrefs, 
 and imbitters the Memory of paft Suffer¬ 
 ings by the Anticipation of future; yet, 
 like weeping, it is an Indulgence of that 
 which it is Pain to fupprefs, and fooths 
 with the Hope of Pity the Wretch who 
 defpairs of Comfort. Of this Number is 
 he who now addrefTes you : Yet the Solace 
 of Complaint and the Hope of Pity, are 
 not the only Motives that have induced 
 
 me 
 
the Robinhood Society. 215 
 
 me to communicate the Series of Events, 
 by which I have been led on in an infenfi- 
 ble Deviation from Felicity, and at laft 
 plunged in irremediable Calamity : I wifh 
 that others may efcape Perdition $ and am, 
 therefore, felicitous to warn them of the 
 Path, that leads to the Precipice from 
 which 1 have fallen. 
 
 I am the only Child of a wealthy 
 Farmer, who, as he was himfelf illiterate, 
 was the more zealous to make his Son a 
 Scholar, imagining, that there was in the 
 Knowledge of Greek and Latin, fome fe- 
 cret Charm of perpetual Influence, which, 
 as I pafled through Life, would fmooth 
 the Way before me, eftablifh the Happi- 
 nefs of Succefs, and fupply new' Refources 
 to Difappointment. But not being able 
 to deny himfelf the Pleafure he found in 
 having me about him, inflead of fending 
 me out to a Boarding-School, he offered 
 the Curate of the Parifh ten Pounds a 
 Year and his Board, to become my Tutor. 
 
 This Gentleman, who was in Years, 
 and had lately buried his Wife, accepted 
 the Employment, but refufed the Salary : 
 The Work of Education, he faid, would 
 agreeably fill his Intervals of Leifure, and 
 
 happily 
 
216 ft HISTORY of 
 
 happily coincide with the Duties of his 
 Fusion : But he obferved that his Cu¬ 
 racy, which was thirty Pounds a Year, 
 and had long fubfified him when he had a 
 Family, would make him wealthy now he 
 was a Tingle Man ; and therefore he infifted 
 to pay for his Board : To this mv Father, 
 with whatever Reluctance, was obliged to 
 confent. At the Age of fix Years I began 
 to read my Accidence under my Precep¬ 
 tor, and at fifteen had gone through the 
 Latin and Greek Claflics. But the Lan¬ 
 guages were not all that I learned of this 
 Gentleman ; befides other Science of lefs 
 Importance, he taught me the Theory of 
 Christianity by his Precepts, and the 
 PraClice by his Example. 
 
 As his Temper was calm and fteady, 
 the Influence which he had acquired over 
 me, was unlimited : He was never capri- 
 cioufly fevere ; fo that I regarded his Dif- 
 pleafure not as an Effect of his Infirmity, 
 but of my own Fault: He difcovered fo 
 much AfFeClion in the Pleafure with which 
 he commended, and in the tender concern 
 with which he reproved me, that I loved 
 him as a Father ; and his Devotion, tho* 
 rational and manly, was yet fo habitual 
 and fervent, that I reverenced him as a 
 
 Saint. 
 
the Robinhood Society. 217 
 
 Saint. I found even my Patfions con- 
 trouled by an Awe which his Prefence 
 impreffed ; and, by a conftant Attention 
 to his DoSfrine and Lif$, I acquired fuch 
 a Senfe of my Connexion with the invifi- 
 ble World, and fuch a Convi&ion of 
 the Confcioufnefs of Deity to all my 
 Thoughts, that every inordinate Wifli 
 was fecretly fupprefled, and my Conduct 
 regulated by the moll: fcrupulous circum- 
 fpe£fion. 
 
 My Father thought he had now taken 
 fufficient Care of my Education, and 
 therefore b:gan to expert that I fhould 
 affift in overlooking his Servants, and ma¬ 
 naging his Farm, in which he intended I 
 fhould fucceed him : But my Preceptor, 
 whofe principal View was not my tem¬ 
 poral Advantage, told him, that, as a 
 Farmer, great Part of my Learning would 
 be totally ufelefs ; and that the only Way 
 to make me ferviccable to Mankind, in. 
 Proportion to the Knowledge I had ac¬ 
 quired, would be to fend me to the Uni- 
 verfity, that at a proper Time I might 
 take Orders. But my Father, befides 
 that he was ftill unwilling to part with me, 
 had probably many Reafons again# my 
 entering the World in a CafTock: Such, 
 
 L however. 
 
218 The HISTORY of 
 
 however, was the Deference which he 
 paid to my Tutor, that he had almoft im¬ 
 plicitly fubmitted to his Determination ; 
 when a Relation of my Mother’s, who 
 Was an Attorney of great Pradfice in the 
 1 Temple , came to fpend part of the long 
 Vacation at our Houfe, in confequence of 
 Invitations wnich had been often repeated 
 during an Abfence of many Years. 
 
 My Father thought that an Opportuni¬ 
 ty of confulting how to difpofe of me with 
 a man fo well acquainted with Life, was 
 not to be loft ; and perhaps he fecretly 
 hoped, that my Preceptor would give up 
 his Opinion as indefenfible, if a Perfon of 
 the Lawyer’s Experience fhould declare 
 againft it. My Coufin was accordingly 
 made Umpire in the Debate; and after he 
 had heard the Arguments on both Sides, he 
 declared againft my becoming a Farmer: 
 He Laid it would be an A<ft of Injuftice to 
 bury my Parts and Learning in the Ob¬ 
 scurity of Rural Life ; becaufe, if produ¬ 
 ced to the World, they would probably be 
 rewarded with Wealth and Diftindfion. 
 My Preceptor imagined the Queftion was 
 now finally determined in his Favour; 
 and being obliged to vifit one of his Pari- 
 £hioners that was lick, he gave me a Look 
 
 Of 
 
the Robinhood Society. 219 
 
 ©f Congratulation as he went out, and [ 
 perceived his Cheek glow with a Flufh of 
 Triumph, and his Eye fparkle with Tears 
 of Delight. 
 
 But he had no fooner left the Room, 
 than my Coufin gave the.Converfatiott 
 another Turn : He told my Father, that 
 though he had oppofed his making me a 
 Farmer, he was not an Advocate for my 
 becoming: a Parfon ; for that, to make a 
 young Fellow a Parfon, without being able 
 to procure him a Living, was to make 
 him a Beggar. He then made fame witty 
 Reflections on the old Gentleman who was 
 juft gone out : 44 Nobody (he [aid) 
 
 44 could queftion his having been put to a 
 44 bad Trade, who confidered his Circum- 
 44 ftances now he had followed it forty 
 44 Years.” And after forne other fprightly 
 Sallies, which, though they made my Fa¬ 
 ther laugh, made me tremble, he clapped 
 him upon the Shoulder, 44 If you have a 
 44 Mind your Boy fhould make a Figure 
 44 in Life, old Gentleman, (Jays he) put 
 44 him Clerk to me : My Lord Chancellor 
 44 King was no better than the Son of a 
 44 Country Shop keeper ; and my Mafter 
 44 gave a Perfon of much greater Eminence 
 44 many a Half-crown, when he was an 
 
 L 2 44 At- 
 
220 ^HISTORY of 
 
 ce Attorney’s Clerk in the next Chambers 
 <c to mine. What fay you ? Shall I take 
 4 4 him up with me or no ? ” My Father, 
 who had litened to this Propofal with great 
 Eagernefs, as foon as my Coufin had done 
 fpeaking, cried, <c A Match ; ” and im¬ 
 mediately gave him his Hand in Token of 
 his Confent. Thus the Bargain was 
 truck, and my Fate determined before my 
 Tutor came back. 
 
 It was in vain that he afterwards ob¬ 
 jected to the Character of my new Ma¬ 
 iler, and exprefled the mod dreadful 
 Apprehenfions at my becoming an Attor¬ 
 ney’s Clerk, and entering into the Society 
 of Wretches who had been reprefented to 
 him, and perhaps not unjutly, as the mod 
 Profligate upon Earth: They do not, in¬ 
 deed, become worfe than others, merely 
 as Ckrks ; but as Pcrfons who, with more 
 Money to fpend in the Gratification of Ap¬ 
 petite, are fooner than others abandoned to 
 their own Conduct : For, though they 
 are taken from under the Protection of a 
 Parent, yet, being fcarce confidered as in 
 a State of Servitude, they are not fuffici- 
 ently retrained by the Authority of a 
 Mater. 
 
 My 
 
the Robinhood Society. 
 
 22 1 
 
 My Father had conceived of my Coufin 
 as the beft natured Man in the World, 
 and, probably, was intoxicated with the 
 Romantic Hope of living to fee me* upon 
 the Bench in tVeJiminJler-Hall , or of meet¬ 
 ing me upon the Circuit, lolling in my 
 own Coach, and attended by a Crowd of 
 the inferior Inftruments of Juftice. He 
 was not therefore to be moved, either by 
 Expoftulation or Intreaty ; and I fet out 
 with my Coufin on Horfeback, to meet 
 the Stage at a Town within a few Miles, 
 after having taken Leave of my Father, 
 with a Xendernefs that melted us both ; 
 and received from the hoary Saint his laft 
 Inftru&ions and Benedi&ion, and at length 
 the parting Embrace, which was given with 
 the filent Ardour of unutterable Whiles, 
 and repeated with Tears that could no lon¬ 
 ger be fuppreffed or concealed. 
 
 W t hen we were feated in the Coach, 
 my Coufin began to make himfelf merry 
 with the Regret and Difcontent that he 
 perceived in my Cotmtenance, at leaving 
 a Cow-houfe, a Hog-ftye, and two old 
 Grey-pates, who were contending whether 
 I fhould be buried in a Farm or a College. 
 I, who had never heard either my Father 
 
 L 3 or 
 
222 The HISTORY of 
 
 or myTutor treated with Irreverence, could 
 not conceal my Difpleafure and my Refent- 
 ment : But he ftill continued to rally my 
 Country Simplicity with many Allufions, 
 which I did not then underhand, but which 
 greatly delighted the reft of the Company. 
 The fourth Day brought us to our Jour¬ 
 ney’s End ; and my Mafter, as foon as we 
 reached his Chambers, (hook me by the 
 Hand, and bid me welcome to the Temple . 
 
 He had been fome Years a Widower, 
 and his only Child, a Daughter, being ftill 
 at a Boarding-fchool, his Family confifted 
 only of a Man and Maid Servant, and my- 
 felf; for, though he had two hired Clerks, 
 vet they lodged and boarded themfelves. 
 The horrid Lewdnefs and Profanenefs of 
 thefe Fellows terrified and difgufted me ; 
 nor could I believe that my Mafter’s Pro¬ 
 perty and Intereft could be fafely intruded 
 with Men who, in every Refpedf, appear¬ 
 ed to be fo deftitute of Virtue and Reli¬ 
 gion : I therefore thought it my Duty to 
 apprife him of his Danger ; and accor¬ 
 dingly one Day, when we were at Din¬ 
 ner, I communicated my Sufpicion, and 
 the Reafoji upon which it was founded. 
 The formal Solemnity with which I intro¬ 
 duced this Converfation, and the Air of 
 
 impor- 
 
the Robinhood Society. 223 
 
 importance which I gave to my Difcovery, 
 threw him into a violent Fit of Laughter, 
 which /truck me dumb with Confufion and 
 Aftor.i/hment. As foon as he recovered 
 himfelf, he told me, that though ills 
 Clerks might ufe fome Expreftions that I 
 had not been accu/tomed to hear, yet hs 
 believed them to be very hone/t ; and that 
 he placed more Confidence in them, than 
 he would in a formal Prig, of whom he 
 knew nothing but that he went every 
 Morning- and Evening; to Pravers, and 
 Laid Grace before and after Meat ; that, 
 as to fwearing, they meant no Harm; 
 and, as he did not doubt but that every 
 young Fellow liked a Girl, it was better 
 they (hould joke about it than be hypocri¬ 
 tical and fiy : not that he would be thought 
 to fufpe<£l my Integrity, or to blame me 
 for Practices which he knew to be merely 
 EfFedls of the Bigotry and Superllition, in 
 which I had been educated, and not the 
 Difguifes of Cunning, or the Subterfuges 
 of Guilt. 
 
 I was greatly mortified at my Coufin’s 
 Behaviour on this Occafion, and wondered 
 from what Caufe it could proceed, and 
 why he /hould fo lightly pals over thofe 
 
 L 4 Vices 
 
224 72 * HISTORY of 
 
 Vices in others, from which he abftained 
 himfelf ; for I had never heard him fwear; 
 and as his Expreflions were not obfcene, I 
 imagined his Converfation was chafte ; in 
 which, however, my Ignorance deceived 
 me, and it was not long before I had 
 Reafon to change my Opinion of his 
 Chara&er. 
 
 There came one Morning to enquire 
 for him at his Chambers, a Lady, who 
 had fomething in her Manner which caught 
 my. Attention, and excited my Curiofity : 
 Her Cloaths were fine, but the Manner 
 in which they were put on, was rather 
 fiaunting than elegant ; her Addrefs was 
 not eafy nor polite, but Teemed to be a 
 flrange Mixture of affedfed State and li¬ 
 centious Familiarity: She looked in the 
 Glafs while (he was fpeaking to me, and 
 without any Confufion adjufted herTucker; 
 {he feenied rather pleafed than difconcerted, 
 at being regarded with Earnednefs ; and 
 being told, that my Coufin was abroad, 
 {he afked fome trifling Queflions, and 
 then making a light Curtfey, took up the 
 Side of her Hoop with a Jerk, that difco- 
 vered at lead half her Leg, and hurried 
 down Stairs. 
 
 I COULD 
 
the Robinhoo'd Society. 225 
 
 I could not help enquiring of the 
 Clerks, if they knew this Lady ; and was 
 greatly confounded when they told me, 
 with an Air of Secrecy, that fhe was my 
 Coufin’s Miftrefs, whom he had kept al- 
 moft two Years in Lodgings near Covent- 
 Garden. At hr ft I fufpe&ed this Infor¬ 
 mation ; but it was foon confirmed by fo 
 many Circumftances, that I could no longer 
 doubt of its Truth. 
 
 As my Principles were yet untainted, 
 and the Influence of my Education was 
 ftill ftrong, I regarded my Coufm’s Senti¬ 
 ments as impious and deteftable; and his 
 Example rather ftruck me with Horror, 
 than feduced me to Imitation. I flattered 
 myfelf with Hopes of effecting his Refor¬ 
 mation, and took every Opportunity to 
 hint the Wickednefs of allowed Inconti¬ 
 nence ; for which I was always rallied 
 when he was difpofed to be merry, and 
 anfwered with the contemptuous Sneer of 
 Self-fufficiency, when he was fullen. 
 
 Near four Years of my Clerkfliip were 
 now expired, and I had never yet entered 
 the Lifts as a Difputant with my Coufin: 
 For tho’ I conceived myfelf to be much 
 
 L 5 n his 
 
226 The HISTORY of 
 
 bis Superior in Mora! and Theological 
 Learning ; and though he often admitted 
 me to familiar Converfation, yet I {till 
 regarded the Subordination of a Servant to 
 a Mafler, as one of the Duties of my 
 Station, and preferved it with fuch exacf- 
 nefs, that I never exceeded a Queftion or 
 a Hint, when we were alone, and was 
 always filent when he had Company ; tho* 
 I frequently heard fuch Profitions ad¬ 
 vanced, as made me wonder that no tre¬ 
 mendous Token of the Divine Difpleafure 
 immediately followed : But coming ' one 
 Night from the Tavern, warm with 
 Wine, and, as I imagined, fiuflied with 
 Polemic Succefs, he infifted upon my ta¬ 
 king one Glafs with him before he went 
 to Bed ; and almoft as foon as we were 
 feated, he gave me a formal Challenge, 
 by denying all Divine Revelation., 
 and defying me to prove it. 
 
 I now confidered every Diftincfion as 
 thrown down, and flood forth as the 
 Champion of Religion, with that Elation 
 of Mind which the Hero always feels at 
 the Approach of Danger. I thought my- 
 felf fecure of Vi&ory j and rejoicing that 
 he had now compelled me to do what I had 
 often wilhed he would permit, I obliged 
 
 him 
 
the Robinhood Society. 227 
 
 him to declare that he would difpute upon’ 
 equal Terms, and we began the Debate. 
 But it was not long before 1 was aftonifhed 
 to find myfelf confounded by a Man, whom 
 I faw half drunk, and whofe Learning and 
 Abilities I defpifed when he was fober; for 
 as I had but very lately difcovered, that 
 any of the Principles of Religion, from 
 the Immortality of the Soul to the deepefl 
 Myftery, had been fo much as queftioned, 
 all his Obje&ions were new. I was af- 
 iaulted where I had made no Preparation 
 for Defence; and having not been fo much 
 accuftomed to Deputation, as to confider, 
 that in the prefent Weaknefs of Human 
 Intelle&s, it is much eafier to object than 
 to anfwer, and that in every Difquifition, 
 Difficulties are found which cannot be re- 
 folved, Lwas overborne by the fudden 
 Onfet, and in. the Tumult of my Search 
 after Anfwers to his Cavils, forgot to prefs 
 the pofitive Arguments on which Religion 
 is eifablifhed : He took Advantage of my 
 Confufion, proclaimed his own Triumph., 
 and, becaufe 1 was depreffied, treated me 
 as. vanqnifhed. 
 
 As the Event which had thus mortified 
 my Pride, was perpetually revolved in my 
 Mind, the fame Miftake flill continued t 
 
 I eu^ 
 
228 The HISTORY of 
 
 1 enquired for Solutions inftead of Proofs, 
 and found myfelf more and more en¬ 
 tangled in the Snares of Sophiftry. In 
 forne other Converfations which my Coufin 
 was nove eager to begin, new Difficulties 
 were ftarted, the Labyrinth of Doubt grew 
 more intricate, and as the Quell ion was 
 of infinite Moment, my Mind w T as brought 
 into the moil: diftrefsful Anxiety. I ru¬ 
 minated ince/Iantly on the Subjects bf our 
 Debate, fometimes chiding myfelf for my 
 Doubts, and fometimes applauding the 
 Courage and Freedom of my Enquiry. 
 
 While my Mind was in this State, I 
 heard by Accident that there was a Club 
 at an Alehoufe in the Neighbourhood, 
 where fuch Subjects were freely debated, 
 to which every Body was admitted with¬ 
 out Scruple or Formality : To this Club 
 in an evil Hour I refolved to go, that I 
 might learn how knotty Points w T ere to be 
 difcufTed, and Truth diftinguifhed from 
 Error. 
 
 Accordingly, on the next Club- 
 Night, I mingled with the Multitude that 
 was aflembled in this School of Folly and 
 Infidelity: I was at firft difgufted at the 
 grofs Ignorance of fome, and fhocked at 
 
 the 
 
the Robinhood Society. 229 
 
 the horrid Blafphemy of others; but Cu- 
 riofity prevailed, and my Senfibility by 
 Degrees wore off. I found that almort 
 every Speaker had a different Opinion, 
 which fome of them fupported by Argu¬ 
 ments, that to me, who was utterly un¬ 
 acquainted with Deputation, appeared to 
 hold oppofite Probabilities in exa<£l Equi- 
 poife ; fo that, inftead of being confirmed 
 in any Principle, I was diverted of all; 
 the Perplexity of my Mind was increafed, 
 and I contracted fuch a Habit of quertion- 
 ing whatever offered to my Imagination, 
 that I almoft doubted of my own Exiftence. 
 
 In Proportion as I was lefs affured in 
 my Principles, I was lefs circumfpecR in 
 my Conduct: But fuch was ftill the Force 
 of Education, that any grofs Violence 
 offered to that which I had held facred, 
 and every Acff which I had been ufed to 
 regard as incurring the Forfeiture of the 
 Divine Favour, ftung me with Re- 
 morfe. I was, indeed, rtill reftrained 
 from flagitious Immorality, by the Power 
 of Habit: But this Power grew weaker 
 and weaker, and the natural Propenfity to 
 Ill gradually took Place, as the Motion 
 that is communicated to a Ball which is 
 {truck up into the Air, becomes every 
 
 Moment 
 
230 The HISTORY of 
 
 Moment lefs and lefs, ’till at Length it 
 recoils by its. own Weight- 
 
 Fear and Hope, the great Springs of 
 Human A< 5 fion, had now loft their princi¬ 
 pal Objects, as I doubted whether the 
 Enjoyment of the prefent Moment was 
 not all that I could fecure ; mv Power to 
 refill Temptation diminifhed with my De- 
 pendance upon the Grace of God, and 
 Regard to the Sanction of his Law ; and 
 I was firlt feduced by a Proftitute, in 
 my Return from a Declamation on the 
 Beauty of Virtue, and the Strength of 
 the Moral Sense. 
 
 I began now to give myfelf up intirely 
 to Senfuality, and the Gratification of Ap¬ 
 petite terminated my Profpedfs of Felicity. 
 That Peace of Mind, which is the Sun- 
 fhine of the Soul, was exchanged for the 
 Gloom of Doubt, and the Storm of Paf- 
 fion j and my Confidence in God, and 
 Hope of everlafling Joy, for fudden Ter¬ 
 rors and vain Withes, the Loathings of 
 Satiety, and the Anguifh. of Diiappoint*- 
 raent. 
 
 I was, indeed, impatient under this 
 Fluctuation of Opinion, and therefore I 
 
 applied 
 
the Robinhood Society. 231 
 
 applied to a Gentleman, who was a prin¬ 
 cipal Speaker at the Club, and deemed a 
 profound Philofopher, to affift the Labours 
 of my own Mind in the Invedigation of 
 Truth, and relieve me from Didradtion 
 by removing my Doubts: But this Gen¬ 
 tleman, indead of adminidring Relief, la¬ 
 mented the Prejudice of Education, which 
 he faid hindered me from yielding without 
 Referve to the Force of Truth, and might 
 perhaps always keep my mind anxious, 
 though mv Judgment fhould be convinced. 
 But as the mod effe&ual Remedy for this 
 deplorable Evil, he recommended to me 
 the Works of Chubb, Morgan, and 
 many others, which I procured and read 
 with great Eagernefs ; and though I was 
 not at lad: a found Deid, yet I perceived 
 with fome Pleafure, that my Stock of 
 Polemic Knowledge was greatly increafed ; 
 fo that, indead of being an Auditor, I 
 commenced a Speaker at the Club : And 
 though to ftand up and babble to a Crowd 
 at an Alehoufe, ’till Silence is commanded 
 by the Stroke of a Hammer, rs as low an 
 Ambition as can taint the human Mind ; 
 yet I was much elevated by my new Di- 
 ffin&ion, and pleafed with the Deference 
 that was paid to my Judgment. I fome- 
 times, indeed, reflected, that I was pro¬ 
 pagating 
 
232 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 pagating Opinions, by which I had myfelf 
 become vicious and wretched : But it im¬ 
 mediately occurred, that though my Con- 
 duel was changed, it could not be proved 
 that my Virtue was lefs, becaufe many 
 Things which I avoided as vicious upon 
 my old Principles, were innocent upon 
 my new. I therefore went on in my Ca¬ 
 reer, and was perpetually racking my In¬ 
 vention for new Topics and Illuftrations; 
 and among other Expedients, as well to 
 advance my reputation, as to quiet my 
 Confcience, and deliver me from the 
 Torment of Remorfe, I thought of the 
 following. 
 
 Having learned that all Error is inno¬ 
 cent, becaufe it is involuntary, I concluded 
 that nothing more was neceflary to quiet 
 the Mind, than to prove that all Vice 
 was Error: I therefore formed the follow¬ 
 ing Argument: 44 No Man becomes vi- 
 4 4 cious, but from a Belief that Vice will 
 44 confer Hrppinefs: He may, indeed, 
 44 have been told the contrary ; but im- 
 <c plicit Faith is not required of reafonable 
 44 Beings: l herefore, as every Man ought 
 cc to feek Happinefs, every Man may law- 
 44 fully make the Experiment: If he is 
 41 difappointed, it is plain that he did not 
 
 44 intend 
 
the Robinhood Society. 233 
 
 iC intend that which has happened; fo 
 that every Vice is an Error, and there- 
 tc fore no Vice will be puniflied.” 
 
 I communicated this ingenious Con¬ 
 trivance to my Friend the Philofopher, 
 who, inftead of detecting the Difference 
 between Ignorance and Perverfenefs, or 
 Hating the Limitations within which we 
 are bound to feek our own Happinefs, 
 applauded the Acutenefs of my Penetra¬ 
 tion, and the Force of my Reafoning. I 
 was impatient to difplay fo novel and im¬ 
 portant a Difcovery to the Club, and the 
 Attention that it drew upon me, gratified 
 my Ambition to the utmoft of my Ex¬ 
 pectation. I had, indeed, fome Oppo¬ 
 nents; but they were fo little fkilled in 
 Argumentation, and fo ignorant of the 
 Subject, that it only rendered my Conqueft 
 more fignal and important; for the Chair¬ 
 man fummed up the Arguments on both 
 Sides, with fo exa6t and fcrupulous an 
 Impartiality, that as I appeared not to 
 have been confuted, thofe who could not 
 difcover the Weaknefs of my Antagonifts, 
 thought that to confute me was impoilible ; 
 my Sophiftry was taken for Demonffration, 
 and the Number of Profelytes was incredi¬ 
 ble. The AfTembly confided chiefly of 
 
 Clerks 
 
■2 3 4 ’the HISTORY of 
 
 Clerks and Apprentices, young Perfons 
 who had received a religious, though not 
 a liberal Education ; for thofe who were 
 totally ignorant, or wholly abandoned, 
 troubled not themfelves with fuch Depu¬ 
 tations as were carried on at our Club : 
 And thefe unhappy Boys, the Impetuosity 
 of whofe Paffions was reff rained chiefly by 
 Fear, as Virtue had not yet become a 
 Habit, were glad to have the Shackles 
 ftruck off, which they were told Prieftcraft 
 had put on. 
 
 But however I might fatisfy others, I 
 was not yet fatisffed myfelf; my Torment 
 returned, and new Opiates became necef- 
 fary : They were not, indeed, eafily to 
 be found ; but fuch was my good Fortune, 
 that an illiterate Mechanic afforded me a 
 moll: feafonable Relief, “ by difcufiing the 
 44 important Queftion, and demonffrating 
 4 4 that the Soul was not, nor could be 
 “ immortal.** I was, indeed, difpofed 
 to believe without the fevereft Scrutiny, 
 what I now began fecretly to wifh ; for 
 fuch was the State of my Mind, that I 
 was willing to give up the Hope of ever- 
 laffing Happinefs, to be delivered from the 
 Dread of perpetual Mifery; and as I 
 thought of dying as a remote Event, the 
 
 Appre- 
 
the Robinhood Society. -235 
 
 Apprehention of loPing my Exigence with 
 my Life, did not much interrupt the Plea'* 
 fures of the Bagnio and the Tavern. 
 
 They were, however, interrupted by 
 another Caufe ; for I contracted a Diftem- 
 per, which alarmed and terrified me, in 
 Proportion as its Progrefs was fwift, and 
 its Confequences were dreadful. Jn this 
 Diftrefs, I applied to a young Surgeon, 
 who was a Speaker at the Club, and 
 gained a genteel Subftftence by keeping it 
 in Repair : He treated my Complaint as a 
 Trifle; and to prevent any ferious Re¬ 
 flexions in this Interval of Pain and Soli¬ 
 tude, he rallied the deplorable Length of 
 my Countenance, and exhorted me to 
 behave like a Man. 
 
 My Pride, rather than my Fear, made 
 me very folicitous to conceal this Diforder 
 from my Coufin ; but he foon difeovered 
 it rather with Pleafure than Anger, as ft 
 compleated his Triumph, and afforded 
 him a new SubjeX of Raillery and Merri¬ 
 ment. By the Spiritual and Corporeal 
 Ajiiftance of my Surgeon, I was at Length; 
 reftored to my Health, with the fame- 
 diflolute Morals, and a Refolution to pur- 
 
 fu$ 
 
236 The HISTORY of 
 
 fue my pleafures with more Caution : In- 
 ffead, therefore, of hiring a Proftitute, I 
 now endeavoured to feduce the Virgin, 
 and corrupt the Wife. 
 
 In thefe Attempts my new Principles 
 afforded me great Alfiftance: For I found 
 that thofe whom I could convert, I could 
 eafily debauch ; and that to convert many, 
 nothing more was neceflary than to advance 
 my Principles, and allege fomething in 
 Defence of them, by which I appeared to 
 be convinced myfelf; for not being able to 
 difpute, they thought that the Argument 
 which had convinced me, would, if they 
 could underfland it, convince them : So 
 that, by yielding an implicit Aflent, they 
 at once paid a Compliment to their own 
 Judgment, and fmoothed the Way to the 
 Indulgence of Appetite. 
 
 While I was thus gratifying every in¬ 
 ordinate Defire, and palling from one De¬ 
 gree of Guilt to another, my Coufm de¬ 
 termined to take his Daughter, who was 
 now in her nineteenth Year, from School; 
 and as he intended to make her Miflrefs of 
 his Family, he quitted his Chambers, and 
 took a Houfe. 
 
 This 
 
the Robinhood Society. 237 
 
 This young Lady I had frequently feen, 
 and always admired ; fhe was therefore no 
 fooner come home, than I endeavoured to 
 recommend mylelf by a thoufand Afiidui- 
 ties, and rejoiced in the many Opportuni¬ 
 ties that were afforded me to entertain 
 her alone, and perceived that fhe was not 
 difpleafed with my Company, nor infenfi- 
 ble to my Complaifance. 
 
 0 
 
 My Coufin, though he had feen the 
 Effects of his Documents of Infidelity in 
 the Corruption of my Morals, yet could 
 not forbear to fneer at Religion in the 
 Prefence of his Daughter; a Practice in 
 which I now always concurred, as it faci¬ 
 litated the Execution of a Defign that I 
 had formed of rendering her fubfervient to 
 my Pleafures. I might, indeed, have 
 married her, and, perhaps, my Coufin 
 fecretly intended that I fhould: But I 
 knew Women too well to think that 
 Marriage would confine my Willies to a 
 fingle Objedf; and I was utterly averfe to 
 a State in which the Pleafure of Variety 
 muft be facrificed to domeftic Quiet, or 
 domefiic Quiet to the Pleafure of Variety; 
 for I neither imagined that I could long in¬ 
 dulge myfelf in an unlawful Familiarity 
 
 with 
 
238 The HISTORY of 
 
 with many Women, before it would by 
 fome Accident bedifcovered to my Wife ; 
 nor that (he would be fo very courteous or 
 philofophical, as to fuffer this Indulgence 
 without Expoflulation and Clamour ; and 
 befides, I had no Liking to a Brood of 
 Children, whofe Wants would foon be¬ 
 come importunate, and whofe Claim to 
 my Indufirv and Frugality, would be uni- 
 verfally acknowledged ; though the Off- 
 fpring of a Miftrefs might be abandoned 
 to Beggary, without Breach of the Law, 
 or Offence to Society. 
 
 The young Lady, on the contrary, as 
 fhe perceived that my Addreffes exceeded 
 common Civilities, did not queftion but 
 that my View was to obtain her for a Wife; 
 and I could difcern that fhe often expected 
 fuch a Declaration, and feemed difappoin- 
 ted that I had not yet propofed an Appli¬ 
 cation to her Father: But imagining, I 
 fuppofe, that thefe Circumdances were 
 only delayed 'till the fitted Opportunity, 
 fhe did not fcruple to admit all the Free¬ 
 doms that were confident with Modefty $ 
 and I drew every Day nearer to the Ac- 
 complifhment of my Defign by infenfible 
 Approaches, without alarming her Fear, 
 ©r confirming her Hopes. 
 
 I knew 
 
the Robinhood Society. 239 
 
 I knew that only two Things were 
 necefTary ; her PaAions were to be inflam’d, 
 and the Motived from which they were 
 to be fupprefled, removed.;. I was there¬ 
 fore perpetually infinuating, that nothing 
 which was natural, could be ill ; I com¬ 
 plained of the Impofitions and Reflraints 
 of PrieAcraft and SuperAition ; and, as if 
 thefe Hints were cafual and accidental, I 
 would immediately afterwards fing a ten¬ 
 der Song, repeat fome fedueng Verfes, or 
 read a Novel. 
 
 But, henceforward, let never infulted 
 Beauty admit a fecond Time into her Pre- 
 fence the Wretch, who has once attemp¬ 
 ted to ridicule Religion, and fubAiiute 
 other Aids to human Frailty, for that 
 Love of God which is better than 
 4< Life,” and that Fear “ which is the ' 
 “ B ginning of Wifdom For whoever 
 makes fuch an Attempt, intends to betray ; 
 the contrary Conduct being without Que- 
 flion the IntereA of every one whofe Inten¬ 
 tions are good, becaufe even thofe who 
 profanely deny Religion to be of Divine 
 
 ! Origin, do yet acknowledge that it is a 
 Political Inflitution, well calculated to 
 ftrengthen the Band of Society, and to 
 
 keep 
 
240 The HISTORY of 
 
 keep out the Ravager, by intrenching In¬ 
 nocence and arming Virtue. To oppofe 
 thefe Corrupters by Argument rather than 
 Contempt, is to parley with a Murderer, 
 who may be excluded by fhutting a Door. 
 
 My Coufin’s Daughter ufed frequently 
 to difpute with me, and thefe Difputes 
 always favoured the Execution of my Pro¬ 
 ject : Though, left I fhould alarm her too 
 much, I often afFedled to appear half in 
 Jeft; and when I ventured to take any 
 Liberty, by which the Bounds of Mo- 
 defty were fomewhat invaded, I fuddenly 
 defifted with an Air of eafy Negligence ; 
 and as the Attempt was not purfued, and 
 nothing farther feemed to be intended than 
 was done, it was regarded but as Wag¬ 
 gery, and punifhed only with a Slap or a 
 Frown- Thus fhe became familiar with 
 Infidelity and Indecency by Degrees. 
 
 I once fubtily engaged her in a Debate* 
 whether the Gratification of natural Ap¬ 
 petites was in itfelf innocent, and whether, 
 if fo, the Want of external Ceremony 
 could in any Cafe render it criminal. I 
 infifted that Virtue and Vice were not 
 influenced by external Ceremonies, nor 
 founded upon human Laws, which were 
 
 arbitrary, 
 
the Robinhood Society.. 241 
 
 arbitrary, temporary, and local: And 
 that as a young Lady’s (hutting herfelf up 
 in a Nunnery, was (fill evil, though en¬ 
 joined by fuch Laws ; fo the tranfmitting 
 her Beauty to Pofterity was Rill good, 
 though under certain Circumflances it had 
 by fuch Laws been forbidden. This (he 
 affedfed utterly to deny, and I propofed 
 that the Queflion fhould be referred to her 
 Papa, without informing him of our De¬ 
 bate, and that it fhould be determined by 
 his Opinion ; a Propofal to which fhe 
 readily agreed. I immediately adverted to 
 other Subjects, as if I had no Intereft in 
 the IfTue of the Debate ; but I could per¬ 
 ceive that it funk deeply into her Mind, 
 and that fhe continued more thoughtful 
 than ufual. 
 
 I did not fail, however, to introduce 
 a fuitable Topic of Difcourfe the next 
 Time my Coulln was prefent, and having 
 (fated the Queftion in general Terms, he 
 gave it in my Favour, without fufpedfing 
 that he was Judge in his own Caufe ; 
 and the next Time I was alone with his 
 Daughter, without mentioning his Deci- 
 fion, I renewed my Familiarity ; I found 
 her Refinance lets refolute, purfued my 
 Advantage, and compleated her Ruin. 
 
 M Within: 
 
242 ?be HISTORY of 
 
 Within a few Months (he perceived 
 that fhe was with Child ; a Circumftance 
 that fhe communicated to me with Expref- 
 fions of the moft piercing Diftrefs: But 
 inftead of confenting to marry her, to 
 which fhe had often urged me with all the 
 little Arts of Perfuafion that fhe could 
 practice, I made Light of the Affair, chid 
 her for being fo much alarmed for fo trivial 
 an Accident, and propofed a Medicine 
 which I told her would effectually prevent 
 the Difcovery of our Intercourfe, by de- 
 ffroying the EffeCt erf it before it could 
 appear. At this Proportion fhe fainted, 
 and when fhe recovered, oppofed it with 
 Terror and Regret, with Tears, Trem¬ 
 bling and Intreaty : But I continued in¬ 
 flexible, and at Length either removed or 
 over-ruled her Scruples, by the fame Argu¬ 
 ments that had firft feduced her to Guilt. 
 
 The long Vacation was now commea- 
 ced, and my Clerkfhip was juft expired : 
 I therefore propofed to my Coufin, that 
 we ftiould all make a Vifit to my Father, 
 hoping that the Fatigue of the Journey 
 would favour my Purpofe, by increafing 
 the Effecft of the Medicine, and account¬ 
 ing for an Indifpofition which it might be 
 fuppofed to caufe, The 
 
the Robinhood Society. 243 
 
 The Plan being thus concerted, and 
 my Coufin’s Concurrence being obtained, 
 it was immediately put in Execution. I 
 applied to my old Friend the Club Surgeon, 
 to whom I made no Secret of fuch Affairs, 
 and he immediately furnifhed me with 
 Medicaments, which he allured me would 
 anfwer my Purpofe; but either by a Mi- 
 ffake in the Preparation, or in the Quan¬ 
 tity, they produced a Diforder, which, 
 foon after the dear injured unhappy Girl 
 arrived at her Journey’s End, terminated 
 in her Death. 
 
 My Confuiion and Remorfe at this 
 Event, are not to be exprelTed : but Con- 
 fufion and Remorfe were fuddenly changed 
 into Aftonifhment and Terror; for fhe 
 was fcarce dead before I was taken into 
 Cuftody, upon Sufpicion of Murder. Her 
 Father had depofed, that juft before fhe 
 died, fhe defired to fpeak with him in pri¬ 
 vate ; and that then, taking his Hand, 
 and intreating his Forgivenefs, fhe told 
 him that fhe was with Child by me, and 
 that I had poifoned her, under Pretence 
 of preferving her Reputation. 
 
 M 2 
 
 Whether 
 
244 ^HISTORY of 
 
 Whether {he made this Declaration, 
 or only confefTed the Truth, and her Fa¬ 
 ther, to revenge the Injury, had forged 
 the reft, cannot now be known ; but the 
 Coroner having been fummoned, the Body 
 viewed, and found to have been pregnant, 
 with many Marks of a violent and un¬ 
 common Diforder, a Verdi£f of Wilful 
 Murder was brought in againft me, and I 
 was committed to the County Gaol. 
 
 As the Judges were then upon the 
 Circuit, I was within lefs than a Fort¬ 
 night convi&ed and condemned by the 
 Zeal of the Jury, whofe Paffions had been 
 fo greatly inflamed by the Enormity of the 
 Crime with which I had been charged, that 
 they were rather willing that I fhould fufter 
 being innocent, than that I fhould efcape 
 being guilty; but it appearing to the 
 Judge, in the Courfe of the Trial, that 
 Murder was not intended, he reprieved 
 me before he left the Town. 
 
 I might now have redeemed the Time, 
 and, awakened to a Senfe of my Folly and 
 my Guilt, might have made fome Repara¬ 
 tion to Mankind for the Injury which I had 
 
 done 
 
the Robinhood Society. 245 
 
 done to Society ; and endeavoured to re¬ 
 kindle Tome Spark of Hope in my own 
 Bread:, by Repentance and Devotion. 
 But, alas! in the firft Tranfports of my 
 Mind, upon fo fflddcn and unexpected a 
 Calamity, the Fear of Death yielded to 
 the Fear of Infamy, and I fwallowed 
 Poifon : The Excefs of my Defperation 
 hindered its immediate Effect; for, as I 
 took too much, great Part of it was 
 thrown up, and only fuch a Quantity re¬ 
 mained behind, as was fufficient to infure 
 my Deftru&ion, and yet leave me Time 
 to contemplate the Horrors of the Gulph 
 into which I am finking. 
 
 In this deplorable Situation I have been 
 vifited by the Surgeon, who was the im¬ 
 mediate Indrument of my Misfortune, 
 andothe Philofopher who directed my Stu¬ 
 dies; But thefe are Friends who only 
 rouze me to keener Senfibility, and inflict 
 upon me more exquifite Torment. They 
 reproach me with Folly, and upbraid me 
 with Cowardice; they tell me too, that 
 the Fear of Death has made me regret 
 the Errors of Superdition; but what would 
 I now give for thofe erroneous Hopes, and 
 that credulous Simplicity, which, though 
 I have been taught to defpife them, would 
 
 fudain 
 
Lately pub lift? &c. 
 
 4. New Tables of Interest : De« 
 finned to anfwer, in the eafiefl and mod 
 expeditious Manner, the common Purpo- 
 fes of Buftnefs, particularly the Bufinefs of 
 the Public Funds. By the Author of 
 the above Tracls. 
 
 5. A new Edition of The Tatler : 
 or, Lucubrations of Ifaac BickerJlaff y 
 Efq; with a Frontifpiece to each Volume ; 
 defigned by Hay man ^ and engrav’d by 
 Grignion . 
 
 k. M jh 
 kjn! 
 
BOSTON COII pc r 
 
 3 9031 01155559 
 
 «66 7 SSo 
 
 HS HISTORY... 
 
 2865 
 
 •L7 
 
 R62 
 
 Bapst Library 
 
 Boston College 
 
 Chestnut Hill 67, Mass.