Note IV.
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Next her, the buffoon Ape, as atheists use,Mimicked all sects, and had his own to chuse;Still, when the Lion looked, his knees he bent,And paid at church a courtier's compliment._--P. 120. The sect of free-thinkers, who professed a disbelief in revealedreligion, was to be found even among the fanatical ranks of the LongParliament. Harvey, Martin, Sidney, and others, were considered as thechiefs of this little party. After the restoration of Charles II.,these loose principles became prevalent among his gay courtiers, andwere supposed to have been privately adopted by the king himself, whowas educated by the sceptic Hobbes. As the free-thinkers taught a totaldisbelief of revelation, and indifference for religious forms, theyleft their disciples at liberty occasionally to conform to whatevercreed, or form of worship, might appear most conducive to theirtemporal interests. Sunderland was supposed to belong to this sect,for he made his change to Popery, without even the form of previousinstruction or conference; evincing to the whole world, that, beingtotally indifferent about all religions, he was ready to embrace anythat would best serve his immediate views. This statesman's character,as a latitudinarian in religion, is mentioned with great bitternessby the Princess Anne, afterwards queen, in her private correspondencewith her sister, the Princess of Orange.--See _Dalrymple's Memoirs_,Vol. II. p. 169. 8vo. edit. Dryden probably intended a sarcasm atSunderland, or some such time-serving courtier, for his occasionalconformity with the royal faith, of which there were several instancesat the time. These persons, as they attended James to mass, werecompared to Naaman, who, on adopting the Jewish religion, craved anindulgence for waiting upon his master to the house of the idol Rimmon.It is hinted in "The Hind and Panther Transversed," that Dryden'ssatire is personal; for he is made to quote the lines, and to add, byway of commentary, "That galls somewhere! Egad, I cannot leave it off,though I were cudgelled every day for it." The church party, among other pamphlets intended to ridicule theDeclaration of Indulgence, and as a parody of the addresses ofthe dissenters on that occasion, published, "To the King's MostExcellent Majesty, the Humble Address of the Atheists, or the Sect ofEpicureans." After congratulating the king on having freed his subjectsfrom the solemn superstition of oaths, they proceed: "Your majesty waspleased to wish, that all your subjects were of your own religion;and perhaps every division wishes you were of theirs; but, for ourparts, we freely declare, that if ever we should be obliged to professany religion, we would prefer the Church of Rome, which does not muchtrouble the world with the affairs of invisible beings, and is verycivil and indulgent to the failings of human nature. That church canease us from the grave fatigues of religion, and, for our monies, allowus proxies, both for piety and penances: We can easily swallow anddigest a wafer deity, and will never cavil at the mass in an unknowntongue, when the sacrifice itself is so unintelligible. We shall neverscruple the adoration of an image, when the chiefest religion is butimagination; and we are willing to allow the Pope an absolute powerto dispense with all penal laws, in this world and in another. Butbefore we return to Rome, the greatest origin of atheism, we wish thePope, and all his vassal princes, would free the world from the fear ofhell and devils, the inquisition and dragoons, and that he would takeoff the chimney-money of purgatory, and custom and excise of pardonsand indulgencies, which are so much inconsistent with the flourishingtrade and grandeur of the nation. As for the engagements of lives andfortunes, the common compliment of addressers, we confess we have amore peculiar tenderness for those most sacred concernments; but yet wewill hazard them in defence of your majesty, with as much constancy andresolution as your majesty will defend your indulgence; that is, so faras the adventure will serve our designs and interest. From the Devil-Tavern, the 5th of }November, 1688. Presented by }Justice Baldock, and was graciously }received." }
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