fent him your imitation of Martial's epigram on Antonius Primus. This has been applauded fo much, that I am in danger of commencing Poet, perhaps laureat, (pray defire my good friend Mr. Rowe to enter a caveat) provided you will further increase my ftock in this bank. In which proceeding I have laid the foundation of my estate, and as honestly, as many others have begun theirs. But now being a little fearful, as young beginners often are, I offer to you (for I have conceal'd the true author) whether you will give me orders to declare who is the father of this fine child or not? Whatever you determine, my fingers, pen and ink are so frozen, that I cannot thank you more at large. You will forgive this and all other faults of, Dear Sir, Your, &c. O 2 *Jam numerat placido felix Antonius ævo, &c. LETTERS TO AND FROM SEVERAL PERSONS. From 1711 to 1714. I LETTER I. To the Hon. J. C. Efq; June 15, 1711. Send you Dennis's remarks on the * Effay; which equally abound in juft criticisms and fine railleries. The few obfervations in my hand in the margins, are what a morning's leifure permitted me to make purely for your perufal. For I am of opinion that fuch a critic, as you will find him by the latter part of his Book, is but one way to be properly answer'd, and that way I would not take after what he informs me in his preface, that he is at this time perfecuted by fortune. This I knew not before; if I had, his *On Criticifm. name had been spared in the Effay, for that only reafon. I can't conceive what ground he has for so exceffive a refentment; nor imagine how these* three lines can be called a reflection on his person, which only defcribe him fubject a little to anger on fome occafions. I have heard of combatants fo very furious, as to fall down themselves with that very blow which they defign'd to lay heavy on their antagonists. But if Mr. Dennis's rage proceeds only from a zeal to discourage young and unexperienced writers from fcribling, he should frighten us with his verse, not profe: for I have often known, that, when all the precepts in the world would not reclaim a finner, fome very fad example has done the bufinefs. Yet, to give this man his due, he has objected to one or two lines with reafon, and I will alter them in cafe of another edition; I will make my enemy do me a kindness where he meant an injury, and fo ferve instead of a friend. What he obferves at the bottom of page 20 of his reflections, was objected to by yourself, and had been mended but for the hafte of the prefs: I confefs it what the English call a Bull, in the expreffion, tho' the fenfe be manifeft enough: Mr. Dennis's Bulls are feldom in the expreffion, they are generally in the fenfe. I shall certainly never make the leaft reply to him; not only because you advise me, but because I have O 3 But Appius reddens at each word you speak, ever been of opinion, that, if a book can't anfwer for itself to the public, 'tis to no fort of purpose for its author to do it. If I am wrong in any fentiment of that Effay, I proteft fincerely, I don't defire all the world should be deceived (which would be of very ill confequence) merely that I myself may be thought right (which is of very little confequence) I would be the firft to recant, for the benefit of others, and the glory of myfelf; for (as I take it) when a man owns himself to have been in an error, he does but tell you in other words, that he is wiser than he was. But I have had an advantage by the publishing that book, which otherwife 1 fhould never have known; it has been the occafion of making me friends and open abettors, of several gentlemen of known fenfe and wit; and of proving to me what I have till now doubted, that my writings are taken fome notice of by the world, or I should never be attacked thus in particular. I have read that 'twas a custom among the Romans, while a General rode in triumph, to have the common foldiers in the ftreets that railed at him and reproached him; to put him in mind, that tho' his fervices were in the main approved and rewarded, yet he had faults enough to keep him humble. You will fee by this, that whoever fets up for wit in these days ought to have the conftancy of a primitive Chriftian, and be prepared to suffer martyrdom in the cause of it. But fure this is the firft time that a Wit was attacked for his Religion, as, you'll find, I am moft zealously in this treatise; and you know, Sir, what alarms I have had from the oppofite fide on this account. Have I not reafen to cry out with the poor fellow in Virgil. Quid jam mifero mihi denique reftat? 'Tis however my happiness that you, Sir, are impartial, Jove was alike to Latian and to Phrygian, The manner in which Mr. D. takes to pieces feveral particular lines, detached from their natural places, may fhew how easy it is to a caviller to give a new sense, or a new nonsense to any thing. And indeed his constructions are not more wrefted from the genuine meaning, than theirs who objected to the heterodox parts, as they called them. Our friend the Abbe is not of that fort, who with the utmost candour and freedom has modeftly told me what others thought, and fhewn himfelf one (as he very well expreffes it) rather of a number than a party. The only difference between us in relation to the Monks, is that he thinks moft forts of learning flourished among them, and I am of opinion, that only fome fort of learning was barely kept alive bythem: he believes that in the most natural and ob *See the enfuing Letter.. |