Volume 1

The works of George Berkeley, D.D. late Bishop of Cloyne in Ireland. To which is added, an account of his life [by J. Stock] and several of his letters to Thomas Prior, Esq., Dean Gervais, and Mr. Pope, etc / [George Berkeley].

  • Berkeley, George, 1685-1753.
Date:
1784
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works of George Berkeley, D.D. late Bishop of Cloyne in Ireland. To which is added, an account of his life [by J. Stock] and several of his letters to Thomas Prior, Esq., Dean Gervais, and Mr. Pope, etc / [George Berkeley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    he ufed fometimes to make himfelf merry among his friends. Ba- fil Kennett, the author of the Roman Antiquities, was then chap- lain to the Englilh fadory at Leghorn, the only place in Italy where the Englifh fervice is tolerated by the government, which favour had lately been obtained from the Grand Duke at the particular inftance of Queen Anne. This gentleman requefted Mr. Berkeley to preach for him one Sunday, The day following, as Berkeley was fitting in his chamber^ a proceflion of priefts in furplices, and with all other formalities-, entered the room, and without taking the leaft notice of the wondering inhabitant, marched quite round it, muttering certain prayers. His fears immediately fuggefted to him, that this could be na other than a vifit from the Inquifition, who had heard of his officiat- ing before heretics without licence, the day before. As. foon as they were gone, he ventured with much caution to inquire into the caufe of this extraordinary appearance, and was happy to be informed, that this was the feafon appointed by tke Romiffi calendar for folemnly bleffing the houfes of all good catholics from rats and other vermin; a piece of intelligence which changed his terror into mirth. He returned to England with lord Peterborough in Augufl 1^14;. (2) and his hopes of preferment through this channel expiring with the fall of Queen Anne’s miniftry, he fome time after embraced aa (2) In Augujl 1714] Towards the clofe of this year he had a fever, in defcrib- irrg the event of which to his friend Swift, Dr. Arbuthnott cannot forbear indulging a little of that pleafantry on Berkeley’s fyftem, with which it has frequently fince been treated by fuch as could not, or would not, be at the pains to acquire a tho- rough knowledge of it. ‘ October ig, 1714, Poor philofopher Berkeley has now ‘ the iden op health, which was very hard to produce in him ; for he had an idea of a ftrange fever on him fo ftrong, that it was very hard to deftroy it by introducing ‘ a. contrary ons.’’ advantageous