When the clergy braved the royal authority, the hardiest productions were received with indulgence.

If the government were reduced to satisfy the clergy, then even the very commonplaces of the new philosophy became ground for accusation.

The Encyclopaedia was naturally exposed in a special degree to such alternations of favour and suspicion.[144] The crisis of 1759 furnishes a curious illustration of this.

As we have seen, in the spring of that year the privilege was withdrawn from the four associated booksellers, and the continuance of the work strictly prohibited.

Yet the printing was not suspended for a week.