It must not, however, be imagined that Swift’s opinion of Burnet is only that which can be gathered from this “Preface.”  He fully appreciated the sterling qualities of scholarship and good nature, since in his “Remarks” on Burnet’s “History of My Own Time,” he says:  “after all he was a man of generosity and good nature, and very communicative; but in his last ten years was absolutely party-mad, and fancied he saw Popery under every bush.”  Lord Dartmouth has left an excellent sketch of Burnet’s character in a note to the “History of My Own Time”:  “Bishop Burnet was a man of the most extensive knowledge I ever met with; had read and seen a great deal, with a prodigious memory, and a very indifferent judgment:  he was extremely partial, and readily took everything for granted that he heard to the prejudice of those he did not like:  which made him pass for a man of less truth than he really was.  I do not think he designedly published anything he believed to be false.  He had a boisterous, vehement manner of expressing himself, which often made him ridiculous, especially in the House of Lords, when what he said would not have been thought so, delivered in a lower voice, and a calmer behaviour.  His vast knowledge occasioned his frequent rambling from the point he was speaking to, which ran him into discourses of so universal a nature, that there was no end to be expected but from a failure of his strength and spirits, of both which he had a larger share than most men; which were accompanied with a most invincible assurance.”  (Note to the Preface of Burnet’s “History of My Own Time,” vol. i. p. xxxiii, Oxford, 1897.)

It may not be altogether out of place to give here a short biographical sketch of Bishop Burnet.

Gilbert Burnet was born at Edinburgh in 1643.  He studied first at Aberdeen and then in Holland.  In 1665, after he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, he entered holy orders, became vicar of Saltoun, and, in 1669, professor of divinity at Glasgow.  The year 1673 found him in London, engaged on his “History of the Reformation,” and fulfilling the duties of chaplain to the king, preacher to the Rolls, and lecturer of St. Clement’s.  The “Reformation” appeared in three folio volumes; the first in 1679, the second in 1681, and the third in 1714.  He had already written the “Lives of the Dukes of Hamilton,” the “Life of Sir Matthew Hale,” and a “Life of the Earl of Rochester.”  Getting into some political trouble he was deprived of his offices, and left England for the continent.  After travelling in France he settled in Holland, and married a Dutch lady.  When the Prince of Orange came to England to assume the government of the country, Burnet accompanied him, and in 1689 was installed into the bishopric of Salisbury.  Evidently he had too zealous a sentiment for William and Mary, for his pastoral letter to the clergy of his diocese, commenting on the new sovereign, was condemned by the parliament, and ordered to be burnt by the