that it was a long courſe of raking, drinking, whoring, and gaming, that brought him to that Neceſſity; is he therefore to be pitied? is he therefore to be defended?
Methinks the headſhip of a college, with a good living tack'd to it, (which practice I ſhall hereafter conſider) and two or three other preferments ſhould be enough to make an humble ſucceſſor of the apoſtles, a meek follower of Jeſus Chriſt eaſy in the world, and to keep him decent and ſleek enough to eſcape contempt, without running over head and ears in debt, and plundering publick coffers to keep himſelf out of gaol; eſpecially, if to all theſe we add a large paternal inheritance, which this unfortunate gentleman actually had.
For my part, I could be content to live honeſtly, and ſerve my country, for a quarter of that encouragement.
But I would ask theſe indulgent vindicators of fraud and corruption, whether, ſuppoſing the ſame neceſſities, and the ſame misfortunes, every Head of a college, or every Vice-Chancellor has not an equal right to pay his private debts with the publick money he is intruſted with; and, whether the ſame indulgence, and the ſame compaſſion is not due to one as well as another: and then, if it be ſo, my next queſtion is, whether our Alma Mater be not in a hopeful way of thriving, and her numerous family of children being brought up, under ſuch guardians and truſtees.
It has of late, I confeſs, been very induſtriouſly given out by the friends of this reverend gentleman, that he has made up this matter, and paid the debt; which I very much doubt, and not without very good reaſons: nay, were it publickly declared by academical authority, that they have received full ſatisfaction therein, I ſhould be induc'd to look upon it as a modeſt artifice to conceal from the world
