the apartments of the late philofopher, Ignatius, of this our enlightened age and northern hemifphere. Adieu.

Ignatius. You have done wifely, and I will keep myself concealed, that they may be ignorant of my being reftored until the matter has been fully debated.

Nurfe. I will not ftir from you until fuch time that you will discover the fecret; for I am well aware, fhould I step out, though upon the moft urgent neceffity, although my lips fhould be fewed together, and the matter should take wind, the old woman, forfooth, like a cackling hen, chirping her news-mongery as she paffes the street, to every idler fhe meets, has founded her trumpet, by which blaft the new philofophers of this our enlightened age and northern hemifphere, have been apprized, which (old woman's ftory, as they are pleased to call it) has fpoiled our project. But be it known to you, that

the old midwives and nurfes are as anxious to detect and pull down a set of unnatural vermin who give their thoughts to unheard-of contrivances, for destroying the republic, in giving her no younklings, to fucceed us old ones; for, fay they, we relish nothing common, novelty is the relish of us bright geniufes of this our new philofophy of this our enlightened age and northern hemifphere. I would be one of the number that would heartily fweat, as a woman at her wash-tub, in toffing a new philofopher in a blanket; aye, that is is poz, or in a duckingftool.

The

The arrival of the Club of philofophers at the door of Ignatius, with a strong rap.

Ignatius. It is the philofophers; I will retire in the next room until you give a fign, when I will appear.

Mofes. Well thought on, the fign fhall be Ignatius.

Club. Rabbi, the Club of this our enlightened age and northern hemisphere have agreed to anfwer your fummons, and prove to you the propriety of having the dead body of the late philofopher of this our enlightened age interred, and the bett affigned to themselves.

Mofes. Wife philofophy compels you to arrogate to yourselves no more than you are entitled by the fupreme authority.

Club. The authority of our new philofophy of this our new enlightened age and northern hemisphere fuperfede all power, fpiritual being void, and temporal being mixt and unfavory.

Mofes. From what fource does your philofophy derive or take your legislative authority?

Club. From the Fountain of wifdom, which, with true propriety and rectitude, fuperabounds and fubjects all things to its will.

Mofes. Are your new philofophy of this our enlightened age and northern hemisphere confirmed by the conftitution and authority of the Republic, and yourselves arbitrators, or rather abfolute judges, to claim, order, and demand, without controul, or appeal, whatever is your will?

Club

Club. Our new philofophy of this our enlightened age and rorthern hemisphere, warrants, claims, and derives her power and authority from herself, being nourished, enlightened, and invigorated by the ftreams of wifdom and truth, therefore expect due fubjection, and chearful obdience to her edicts, or whatever fhe may please to decide, or fet forth.

Mofes. The ftreams of wifdom and truth, from whofe waters you pretend to derive your authority, are no other than folly and prefumption, prompted and nourished by a reprobate fpirit. You will do well to reflect on the deplorable ftate you have placed yourselves, and I dare anfwer it will bring on a neceffary confufion and fhame face.

Club. The new philofophy of this our enlightened age and northern hemifphere find a receptacle in every heart addicted to pleasure, which your long experience knows to be perfons chiefly of rank, who compose the legiflative part of all nations; you, therefore, acting and running counter to our injunctions, rifque and endanger yourfelf of incurring the cenfure of the laws.

Moses. I am far from apprehending the cenfure of the legislative body, whilft i act upon principles of juftice and benevolence. I will hazard a trial.

Club. Your obftinacy will be convinced of the authority and influence of our new philofophy of this our enlightened age and northern hemifphere over all laws and powers; we have obtained a warrant, with proper officers, to

feize the body or corpfe of the late philofopher Ignatius, wherever it can be found, and convey it to its interment. We have ordered them at feven precifely.

Mojes. What the law privileges must be complied with; I also grant, that the principles of the Republic, which are Calviniftical, fet apart, or feparated from the fpirit, are the principles of the new philofophy of this our enlightened age and northern hemifphere. Calvinifm difallowing the reality of fin, granting the body or material part, the full glut of its paffions to the utmost extent, without remorfe, or impeachment to the foul. Your new philofophy, that there is no God, confequently every action is of the fame quality and nature; fo that all restraints, preference, or diftinctions, in any matter whatsoever, oppofite to the will or inclination, proceeds from meanness, bashfulness, low birth, ignorance, and derogating from the amiable, pliant, condefcending, and gratifying tendency, with fweet repofe of the fenfes; the agent that actuates and invigorates the polite circles, and chiefly perfons of rank or high birth, in general, they being obferved to be more fharp-fighted, who form thefe circles, that give grace to the inferior circles or their fpecies in general, who wish to be fashionable; fo that, upon mature reflection, you have every advantage in the legislative power. I therefore Lubmit.

Club. Your remarks are just. Proteftancy was the glimmering dawn and approach of our new philofophy of this our enlightened age and

northern

northern hemifphere, out of the old fpiritual lethargy of chriftian ftupidity and fuperftition, but remained as one efcaped from prifon, who ftill remains with fears and anxiety. In this fi tuation proteftancy remained, after her eícape from the iron rod of popery, with remorse and itings of confcience. The Calvinift, in fome degree, paved the way for our new philofophy, by allowing the fleth her darling defires, glutted and emerged in the whole catalogue of what popery terms fins, without reproof or reflection on the foul, unless, through ignorance, the foul fhould conceit a fin, as fuch, it became a burthen to the foul, which was the great impediment that kept alive certain reftraints on many weak minds, particularly the fair fex, which barred a thoufand fweet odours. But our new reform takes off and changing the face of those fragments that remained unchanged; fo that, upon the whole, it is no more than a new Reformation on the proteftant religion, popery being equally detefted by us, as by the old Reformation. We feed on the proteftant kernel, the banquet of the fenfes, and fet adrift the rags of popery, remorse, or idle notions of immortality.

Nurfe. What tumult or riot, with a clatter at our door; bodekins, I will be with them; oddsbobs, we are attacked by a troop of ruffians. Well, mafter Gingerbread, what bustle or fet-to are you dinging in our ears? behave with refpect or your nofe fhall be brought to the grindftone.

Officers.