Nicholas Amhurst

“ To give a just account of the state of the university of Oxford, I must begin where every freshman begins, with admission and matriculation; for it so happens, that the first thing a young man has to do there, is to prostitute his conscience, and enter himself into perjury, at the same time that he enters himself into the university. ”

“ What a pack of conjurers were our forefathers! to disqualify a person to make a plain simple promise to obey his King, until he is sixteen years of age, which a child of six is able to do; and at the same time suppose him capable, at twelve years of age, to subscribe thirty-nine articles of religion, which a man of threescore, with all his experience, learning, and application, finds so hard to understand!--- I wonder they did not command us to teach our children logick and mathematicks, before they have learn'd to read. ”

“ I always thought it the great business of leaning and philosophy to enquire after Truth, and to discover that inestimable jewel (as it used to be called) as far as frail nature will allow us. This is what the greatest med of all ages have profess'd to be their enquiry, and the ultimate end of all their studies: they were so far from believing that Truth was hurful to mankind, that, on the contrary, they thought it the greatest service to their fellow-creatures to pursue it with indefatigable application, and to publish it unreservedly amongst them. ”

“ Our religion, God be praised, is of so excellent and apostolical a constitution, that it needs no craft, nor disguises, to support it; it fears no examination, but demands of all its professors; it is built upon the rock of Truth, and why should the strength and glory of its foundation be kept a secret? ”

“ If it can be proved that I have, in general, misrepresented matters of fact, that my objections have no force, that I have calumniated the university without any reason, and opposed the interest of sound learning, I shall be contented to bear all that load of infamy, which such practices truly deserve. ”

“ And yet how often do we hear men blamed for blabbing the truth? Nay, how often do we hear some men openly maintain, that, in many points, the common people ought to be deluded, and kept in the dark, for the preservation of government and religion? ”

“ How would letters flourish? how would arts revive? how would religion lift up her awful front? and how would the church rejoyce, if such a wholesome check were put upon the press throughout the world?
But Printing is not the only, nor the principal use, for which these stupendous stone-walls were erected; for here is that famous apartment, by idle wits and buffoons nick-named Golgotha, i.e. the place of Sculls or Heads of colleges and halls, where they meet and debate upon all extraordinary affairs, which occur within the precincts of their jurisdiction. ”

“ THERE is not in nature a more senseless piece of imposture, than that common, estabilsh'd maxim, Truth ought not to be spoken at all times. How this hopeful proverb became so current amongst us, or by whom, seems very plain to me; but I will not presume to determine it, lest I should be thought partial in my opinion: but thus much, I suppose, without affronting any body, I may say, that it was first introduced to covet some design, which could not be carried on without concealing the Truth; and I will add, that every design, which cannot otherwise be carried on, is a wicked design ”

“ Having spoken thus much like a child of this world, and frankly acknowledged my self in the wrong, as such; give me leave to declare how far I thing my self in the right, supposing for once, that truth and reason, abstracted from all other considerations, were to be the umpires.
The wordly-wise and the prudent of this generation consider things only as they respect their temporal interest and advantage, without any regard to right or wrong, truth or falshood, any farther than they conduce to their corrupt purposes, and selfish aims. ”

“ We now see the publick business going on, without any of those rubs and impediments, which used to clog the proceedings, and embarrass the designs of men in power. Those persons who, sometimes ago, were loudest upon these occasions, are now convinced of their error, and, by the meer force of Reason, are obliged to alter their conduct, by joining chearfully, with our present Patriots, in all schemes and measures for the publick good. They see the weakness of their former arguments; the reasons of their late discontent are quite vanished, and the subjects of popular clamour are laid aside. ”

“ It is the glory of Those in the present administration, that they have conquer'd all opposition, and subdued the hearts of their enemies by the force of truth and the unblameable conduct of publick affairs, without having recourse to those mean artifices of deserting their Friends, and suborning the nation's known Enemies into their service. ”

“ Thirdly, to humble the pride and self-sufficiency of mankind, who ought not to be too much elated with an opinioin of their own knowledge and virtue, when they see that so famous a nursery of religion and learning has not been free from very great errors and miscarriages; as, by the difference in their present conduct, they seem themselves to acknowledge. ”

“ Wills, who was strenuously opposed in taking his Degree (which he obtained at last, with much difficulty, by a majority of only three or four) and was by many persons denied the common favour of accumulating, the very same day, by the very same convocation, that the same favour was unanimously granted to the worthy Doctor Wintle. I do not mention this as any accusation against you, who, I am informed, did Dr. Wills all the service in your power; but to shew the partiality of some men, and the spirit, that still reigns in the University ”

“ This has not only a direct tendency to atheism, but is the very essence of atheism itself: it supposes, indeed, that some system of theology is necessary for the good of civil society; but it supposes also that a false one will serve the turn; nay, it supposes farther, and evidently implies, that a false one will serve the turn better than a true one; and why may not one false one, if well contriv'd, do as well as another? ”

“ Whether a person, who has an estate of inheritance in land, or a perpetual pension of above five pounds per annum, as things now stand, may with equity, and a good conscience, take the aforesaid oath; and has determin'd it in the affirmative. But I am persuaded, that that excellent person would think it a very laudable design, as the value of things is so much alter'd since the foundation of most colleges, to have the statutes also alter'd ”

“ Thus have ill-minded priests in all ages wrapt up the amiable truths of religion in a cloud of hard names, and cooked them up, like French ragousts, with so many different ingredients, that no body knows what to make of then ”

“ But let them know, that it was always a rooted persuasion in my mind, that every one, who is not become a slave by his own consent, has a right to speak with the utmost freedom consistent with decency and the publick good, of any men, in whatever rank or station they are placed. ”

“ And we may constantly observe, as Sofia says in my motto, that these communicative men, who cannot keep counsel, but are always divulging the truth, meet with the worst sort of treatment, and are look'd upon as false brethren, and false sons of that church, in which they have the honour to serve: I have before my eyes so many instances of this, especially amongst the wisest and worthiesst of men, that were I to enumerate them, I should be at a loss where to begin. ”

“ Nay, even in this nation, and in this age, whilst we call it sinful and imprudent to speak the truth, how often do we hear it insisted upon from the pulpit, of what an eternal and divine nature Truth is ”

“ I cannot be induced, upon any account, to believe that a person of your great judgement, integrity and candour, would rashly præjudge any book, and condemn it without reading, even upon the strongest sollicitations and most pressing importunities of any man whatsoever; for you cannot be insensible that all things here below are subject to misinterpretations and false lights; and therefore would not fix so publick a brand upon my book upon hearsay, nor censure it in this manner, without giving it the most serious and deliberate purusal. ”

“ I once thought there was a real difference in Parties, and that there was something more in those distinctions, which have so long divided up, than a mere struggle for Power, and a tryal of skill, between a few great men, to determine which of them shall be Greatest. ”

“ WHereas I have frequently declared, according to the full intention of my heart, that I should be always ready to correct any mistakes, which I have inadvertently fallen into, through the course of these papers, I think my self obliged to acknowledge, that I have received intelligence from a gentleman, whose veracity I can never distrust, that I gave too much credit to a letter dated from Wadham college, concerning the publick lecturers at Oxford, there being two or three of those gentlemen, besides those whom I have mentioned, who ought to be excepted out of the general censure. ”

“ I will mention but one thing more upon this head, besides what is farther alledged in the following volumes, which is the treatment that the Consitution-club received from the Magistrates and Rulers, as well as the inferior part of the university; a Club, which deserves immortal honour, and the highest encouragement, for thier zeal and services to the present happy settlement, in the most critical season; for which they were repaid at Oxford with persecution and disgrace, with injuries and hardships, and with the most partial and cruel treatment. ”

“ From such an initiation it is no wonder that we have such proficients, a Race of profligate unprincipled men: insincerity and immorality are the first rudiments of their education; they are train'd up and tutor'd in the arts of deceiving, and of being deceived; they are oblig'd to swear to statutes which they never saw, and to subscribe doctrines which they cannot understand, in order to sear their young consciences against any future impressions ”

“ Several such indignities as these having been offer'd to the grave fathers of the university, (the reverend the heads and governours of colleges and halls) they winc'd like so many gall'd horses, and said to one another, Gentlemen, these are no jests; if we suffer this, we shall become the sport of freshmen and servitors; let us expel him, for an example to others not to take such freedoms with their superiors. ”

“ On the other side, it was suggested, that it was too great a trust to be reposed in so mean and contemptible a body of men: that it would be of dangerous consequence to let them engross and monopolize all the learning in the kingdom; that it would put it in their power to instil what principles they pleas'd into the minds of youth ”

“ THERE cannot be a plainer proof that any society wants a reformation, than to shew undeniably that it is faulty in its constitution, as well as its morals; that the laws made for its preservation and well-being are, many of them, wicked, unreasonable, ridiculous, or contradictory to ane another ”

“ Thy wise noddle is always finding out mischief where there is none meant; thou art always jealous of plots, and crying out murder before thou art hurt. Who, but you, would ever have dreamt of treason in a Cheshire-cheese? ”

“ But we may carry this evangelical doctrine too far, which obliges us to forgive and rejoice over our Rebellious repenting brethren; but not to reward and confide in them beyond those who need no political repentance; for it cannot surely be interpreted to mean, that a man, who has but just escaped the gallows or scaffold, which he consessedly deserved, has immediately a right to a prime Post, or an overgrown Pension.
Indeed the labourers in the gospel, who came in at the eleventh hour, received every man a penny, as well as those, who had borne the heat and burthen of the day ”

“ To suppose that our friends will always be our friends, however deserted, disregarded, or ill-used, is equally ridiculous with believing that mercenary Proselytes can be safely confided in, when there is real danger. Zeal and Affection to a cause may go a great way in restraining some persons from defection; but men of all parties are equally men, composed of the same flesh and blood, and subject to the same frailties. Nature will sometimes rebel against principle, when it is long and grievously provoked by male-treatment and oppression ”

“ Come, come, be advis'd brother Faustus, thou art a very cunning fellow, we all know; but don't let thy great knowledge and sagacity exert itself upon every petty occasion; don't think thy wise character obliges thee to start difficulties where no creature besides can possibly see any. ”

“ I must, however, beg leave to observe, that whenever such retrograde measures shall be judged expedient by those in power, it will be very unreasonable for them to cry Turn-coat first, and charge their own fickleness upon those, who chuse to abide by their former principles, and will not join with them in their new counsels and Tergiversations.—But it is still more ridiculous for any man to exclaim against Trimming, even supposing the charge to be true, who has been notoriously guilty of that practice himself, whenever his Resentments or Ambition have made it convenient. ”

“ For this reason, both priests and politicians, who under those characters are destroying the religion and liberties of their country, make it their business, as it is their interesst, to siscountenance honest and sincere men, the impartial enquirers after truth, the avowed enemies of falshood and delusion. ”

“ To evade the force of this oath, several persons have made their estates over in trust to a friend, and sometimes to a bed-maker; as a gentleman in Oxford did, who locked her up in his closet, till he had taken the oath, and then dispossess'd the poor old woman of her imaginary estate, and cancell'd the writings. ”

“ In the same manner corrupt statesmen, when they are projecting destructive schemes against their country, conceal their designs under plausible colours and a popular outside; well knowing, that if Truth should come to light, their actions will not stand the test of examination, and that the ruin, which they were plotting againsst the publick, will fall heavy upon themselves. ”

“ A tradesman may, by extortion, take two or three shillings in the pound, or even Cent. per Cent. more than his commodity is worth, of an old miser; or a whore may pick a young spendthrift's pocket, without doing any real mischief to mankind in general: but when large legacies, given for some publick use, are perverted to private luxury and grandeur, the whole world become the sufferers, and lose the advantage which their benefactor design'd them, through the combination or connivance of corrupt executors. ”