AN

ESSAY

ON

HONOUR,

IN

SEVERAL LETTERS,

Published in the

WEEKLY MISCELLANY.

By Mr. TIMOTHY HOOKER.

With a PREFACE, by R. HOOKER, Efq;.

PREFACE.

A

S the Improvement and Gratification of my Fellow Creatures, by useful Inftruction, or innocent Entertainment, is my conftant Study, my greatest Pleafure, and my higheft Ambition, I have reprinted the following Letters in this Form, hoping and believing, that it may be the Means of Spreading the Knowledge, and Increafing the Influence, of them. An Efay on Honour cannot fail of raising the Curiofity of fome of the Wealthy, the Noble, and the Ambitious, who are the forwardest to lay claim to the Character of a Man of Honour; in an Age fo full of bafe, fordid, abject, mean Paffions and Defigns, no Subject could be more feasonable, nor any thing more likely, to make an Impreffion than this Essay, written with so much Strength, both of Sentiment and Expreffion, with Politeness and Elegancy, Wit and Fancy. I am not acquainted with any Author, who is more happy in the Power of fixing the Attention, captivating the Admiration, and commanding the Paffions, of his Readers. A most agreeable Ingenuity runs through the Whole, and all the Way pleases; fometimes Flashes of Imagination dart out with a glaring Light, at other times a pleasant Vein of

Humour,

Humour, or a lively apt Story entertains; whilst every Stroke of Fancy, every Point of Satire carries Argument and Conviction, and gives Light, as well as Warmth, to the Subject. He writes with fuch a continual Fire, one would be apt to think that he ftruck out every thing at a Heat ; and that bis Conception was able to keep Pace with the swifteft Pen; but, from the Solidity and Propriety of bis Senfe, we should judge that, with Labour and Pains, he dug deep for it as for hid Treasure. I shall fay no more, though it is difficult to say too much, in Praise of this Compofition, but proceed to fay fomething of the Author, who, like a confummate Beauty, that bas lived always at home, will furprize and charm wherever he appears, and occafion an Inquiry to be made after him. Of his Name and Family the Title-Page has informed the Reader; and, in one of his former Letters, be acquainted me that he is a younger Branch of the Hookers, though, agreeably to the old Proverb, bis Performances fhew him to be, by much, the better Gentleman. I inherit only their boneft Principles and honourable Intentions, while this Gentleman is in poffeffion of their whole Genius, and has the Generofity not only to own, but to affift, bis poor Relation. The first Thing that I read of bis, and which put me upon inquiring after the Author, and begging his Correfpondence for the Mifcellany, was intitled- Propofals for the Improvement of Free-Thinking. He bad, be fore, publifhed fome Reasons for abolishing certain obfolete Statutes (meaning the Ten Commandments),

mandments), of which I need fay no more than that they paffed in the World for Dr. Swift's. The two juftly celebrated Pieces upon Reafon, and the Contempt of the Clergy, were written by the fame Hand. But his first and greatest Performance was written at the Age of 22, and put to the Prefs fome Years afterwards (in the Year 1713) by the late eminent Dr. Knight, who was his Tutor, and Dr. Grabe, who bonoured him, though fo young, with a great Intimacy, and every Inftance of friendly, nay, paternal, Tenderness. This Piece was intitled, God's Judgments upon the Gentile Apoftatifed Church; wherein he treats of the Times of Anti-Chrift, and the Signs of their near Ap proach; and difcovers fuch a Share of Know ledge in the Hebrew and Jewish Learning, of the Fathers, and other antient and modern Authors, fuch a masterly Understanding, fuch a Sedatenefs and Composure of Mind, fuch a pious and evangelical Temper, that any one would naturally have imagined the Writer to have been an old Divine, grown mature by a long Course of Reading and Reflection, and spiritual by a long and familiar Acquaintance with his Bible and his God in Prayer. It is fufficient for his Credit, that two fuch Scholars and Divines, as Dr. Knight and Dr. Grabe, thought his Work worthy of the Prefs, and of their particular Patronage; but I fhall cite the Opinion of another eminent Scholar and Writer, Dr. Lee; who, in a Letter to the Author, printed in the Preface, gives this Character of the Book That it is

written