The preacher is a Christian, dull, but true; But when the hallow'd hour of preaching's o'er, That plan of doctrine's never thought of more; 380 Christ is laid by neglected on the shelf, And the vile priest is gospel to himself. By Cleland[179] tutor'd, and with Blacow[180] bred, (Blacow, whom, by a brave resentment led, Oxford, if Oxford had not sunk in fame, Ere this, had damn'd to everlasting shame) Their steps he follows, and their crimes partakes; To virtue lost, to vice alone he wakes, Most lusciously declaims 'gainst luscious themes, And whilst he rails at blasphemy, blasphemes. 390 Are these the arts which policy supplies? Are these the steps by which grave churchmen rise? Forbid it, Heaven; or, should it turn out so, Let me and mine continue mean and low. Such be their arts whom interest controls; Kidgell[181] and I have free and modest souls: We scorn preferment which is gain'd by sin, And will, though poor without, have peace within. * * * * * Footnotes: [171] 'The Author:' published in 1763. For this poem and 'The Duellist,' Churchill received £450. [172] 'Publius:' Smollett. [173] 'Shebbeare:' Dr John Shebbeare, a physician and notorious jacobitical writer, who, after having been pilloried for a seditious production, was pensioned by George the Third. [174] 'Beardmore:' under sheriff. [175] 'Guthrie:' William Guthrie, a literary hack. See Boswell. He wrote an absurd History of the Peerage. [176] 'Atheist lord:' See note on 'Epistle to William Hogarth.' [177] 'Service of my pen:' he designed, and partly executed, a poem entitled 'The Curate.' [178] 'Francis:' the Rev. Philip Francis, the translator of Horace, and father of Sir Philip Francis. [179] 'Cleland:' John Cleland, an infamous witling of the time. [180] 'Blacow:' an Oxfordian, who informed against some riotous students, who were shouting out drunken Jacobitism. [181] 'Kidgell:' Rector of Horne, the subject of the above sketch, and here ironically praised, had obtained surreptitiously a copy of Wilkes's 'Essay on Woman,' and betrayed it to the secretaries of state. THE CONFERENCE.[182]