Yet
it may be questioned, not only whether a display of similar
talent would _now_ receive the like applause, but whether many
subsequent courses of Bampton lectures have not rendered a more
essential service to Christianity.
"But, extraordinary as was the result of the _preaching_ of
these Bampton lectures, perhaps a more extraordinary history
belongs to their _composition_; and posterity will learn, with
wonder, and perhaps with mingled pity and contempt, that the
measures resorted to by the Laudian Professor of Arabic, in
order to impose upon his best friend and most able coadjutor,
DR. PARR, form such a tissue of petty artifice and intrigue as
scarcely to be believed. The whole plot, however, is minutely
and masterly developed in Dr. Johnstone's _Life of Dr. Parr_,
vol. i. p. 216-281, to which I refer the curious reader for some
very singular particulars. The facts, as there delineated, are
simply these:--A secret correspondence was carried on between
Professor White and Mr. Badcock, a dissenting minister of
Devonshire, who furnished the greater part of the materials of
these lectures; which materials, copied out by Professor White,
with a few emendations and additions, were sent to Dr.
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