Among the men of high intellect who flourished in the age of Pope, George Berkeley is one of the most distinguished. Born in 1685 of poor parents, in a cottage near Dysert Castle, in Kilkenny, he went up to Trinity College, Dublin, in 1700, and there, first as student, and afterwards as tutor, he remained for thirteen years. In the course of them he was ordained, and gained a fellowship. In 1709 he published his _Essay on Vision_, and in the following year the _Principles of Human Knowledge_, works which thus early made him famous as a philosopher, and a puzzle to many who failed to understand his 'new principle' with regard to the existence of matter. In 1712 Berkeley visited England, probably for the first time, and was introduced to the London wits. Already in these youthful days there was in him much of that magic power which some men exercise unconsciously and irresistibly. Swift felt the spell, called Berkeley a great philosopher, and spoke of him to all the Ministers; while Atterbury, upon being asked what he thought of him, exclaimed: 'So much understanding, so much knowledge, so much innocence, and such humility, I did not think had been the portion of any but angels till I saw this gentleman.' An incident occurred, it is conjectured during the course of this visit, which led to memorable results. He dined once with Swift at Mrs. Vanhomrigh's, and met her daughter Hester. Many years later, _Vanessa_ destroyed the will she had made in Swift's favour, and left half of her property to Berkeley. While in London the future bishop was warmly welcomed by Steele, and wrote several essays for him in the _Guardian_ against the Freethinkers, and especially against Anthony Collins (1676-1729), whose arguments in his _Discourse on Freethinking_ (1713) are ridiculed in the _Scriblerus Memoirs_. Collins, it may be observed here, wrote a treatise several years later on the _Grounds of the Christian Religion_ (1724) which called forth thirty-five answers. During this visit Berkeley also published one of his most original works, _Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous_, a book marked by that consummate beauty of style for which he is distinguished.