BOYLE AND BENTLEY.

A FACTION of Wits at Oxford, the concealed movers of this Controversy-Sir William Temple's opinions the ostensible cause; Editions of classical Authors, by young Students at Oxford, the probable one—Boyle's first attack in the Preface to his Phalaris-Bentley, after a silence of three years, betrays his feelings on the literary calumny of Boyle-Boyle replies by the " Examination of Bentley's Dissertation”—Bentley rejoined by enlarging it—The effects of a contradictory Narrative at a distant time-Bentley's suspicions of the origin of the Phalaris, and "The Examination," proved by subsequent facts-Bentley's dignity when stung at the ridicule of Dr. King-applies a classical pun, and nicknames his facetious and caustic Adversary-King invents an extraordinary Index, to dissect the character of Bentley-Specimens of the Controversy; Boyle's menace, anathema, and ludicrous humourBentley's sarcastic reply not inferiour to that of the Wits.

THE splendid controversy between Boyle and Bentley was sometimes a strife of gladiators, and has been regretted as the opprobrium of our Literature; but it may also be considered, on one side at least, as a noble contest of heroism, and may be perpetuated to its honour.

The ostensible cause of the present Quarrel was inconsiderable ; the concealed motive lies deeper; and the party-feelings of the haughty 22 *

VOL. I.

Aristarchus of Cambridge, and a faction of Wits at Oxford, under the secret influence of Dean Aldrich, provoked this fierce and glorious contest.

Wit, Ridicule, and Invective, by cabal and stratagem, obtained an apparent triumph over a single individual, who, like the Farnesian Hercules, seemed to personify the force and resistance of incomparable strength. "The Bees of Christchurch," as this conspiracy of Wits has been called, so musical and so angry, rushed in a dark swarm about him, but only left their fine stings in the flesh they could not wound. He only put out his hand in contempt, never in rage. The Christchurch men, as if doubtful whether Wit could prevail against Learning, had recourse to the maliciousness of personal satire. They amused an idle public, who could even relish sense and Greek, seasoned as they were with Wit and Satire; while Boyle was shewing how Bentley wanted Wit, and Bentley was proving how Boyle wanted Learning.

To detect the origin of the Controversy, we must find the seed-plot of Bentley's Volume in Sir William Temple's "Essay upon Ancient and Modern Learning," which he inscribed to his Alma Mater, the University of Cambridge. Sir William, who had caught the contagion of the prevalent literary Controversy of the times, in which the finest geniuses in Europe had entered the lists, imagined that the Ancients possessed a greater force of genius, with some peculiar advan

tages; that the human mind was in a state of decay; and that our knowledge was nothing more than scattered fragments saved out of the general shipwreck. He writes with a premeditated design to dispute the improvements, or undervalue the inventions of his own age. Wotton, the friend of Bentley, replied by his curious volume of "Reflections on Ancient and Modern Learning." But Sir William, in his ardour, had thrown out an unguarded opinion, which excited the hostile contempt of Bentley. "The oldest books (he says) we have, are still in their kind the best: the two most ancient that I know of, in prose, are Æsop's Fables and Phalaris's Epistles."-The Epistles, he insists, exhibit every excellence of "a Statesman, a Soldier, a Wit, and a Scholar."-That ancient Author, whom Bentley afterwards asserted, was only "some dreaming pedant, with his elbow on his desk."

Bentley, bristled over with Greek, perhaps then considered, that to notice a vernacular and volatile writer, ill assorted with the Critic's Fastus. But, about this time, Dean Aldrich had set an example to the Students of Christchurch, of publishing editions of Classical Authors. Such juvenile Editorships served as an easy admission into the fashionable Literature of Oxford. Alsop had published the Æsop; and Boyle, among other "young gentlemen," easily obtained the favour of the Dean, "to desire him to undertake an Edition

of the Epistles of Phalaris." Such are the modest terms Boyle employs in his reply to Bentley, after he had discovered the unlucky choice of his Author.

A MS. in the King's Library, during the preparing of Phalaris, was to be collated; and Bentley, about this time, became the Royal Librarian. Boyle did not apply directly to Bentley, but circuitously, by his bookseller, with whom the Doctor was not on terms. Some act of civility, or a Mercury more "formose," to use one of his latinisms, was probably expected. The MS. was granted, but the Collator was negligent. Bentley reclaimed it in six days, though "four hours" had been sufficient for the purpose.

When Boyle's Phalaris appeared, he made this charge in the Preface; that having ordered the Epistles to be collated with the MS. in the King's Library, the Collator was prevented perfecting the Collation by the singular humanity of the Library-keeper, who refused any further use of the MS.; pro singulari suâ humanitate negavit : an expression that sharply bit a man marked by the haughtiness of his manners, on the subject of Greek Authors.1

1 Haughtiness was the marking feature of Bentley's literary character; and his Wolseyan style and air have been played on by the Wits.-Bentley happened to express himself on the King's MS. of Phalaris in a manner their witty malice turned against him. ""Twas a surprise (he said) to

Bentley, on this insult, informed Boyle of what had passed. He expected that Boyle would have civilly cancelled the page; but he tells us he did not require this, because, "to have insisted on the cancel, might have been forcing a gentleman to too low a submission ;"-a stroke of delicacy which will surprise some to discover, in the strong character of Bentley. But he was also too haughty to ask a favour, and too conscious of his superiority, to betray a feeling of injury. that the Bookseller's account was quite different from the Doctor's, who had spoken slightingly of him. Bentley said no more.

Boyle replied,

Three years had nearly elapsed, when Bentley, in a new edition of his friend Wotton's book, published "A Dissertation on the Epistles of the Ancients;" where, reprehending the false criticism of Sir William Temple, he asserted that the Fables of Æsop and the Epistles of Phalaris were alike spurious. The blow was levelled at Christchurch; and all "the Bees" were brushed down in the warmth of their summer-day.

It is remarkable that Bentley kept a silence of more than two years; indeed, he had considered

find that our MS. was not perused."-OUR MS. (they proceed) that is, his Majesty's and mine! He speaks out now; 'tis no longer the King's, but our MS. i. e. Dr. Bentley's and the King's in common, Ego et Rex meus-much too familiar for a Library-keeper!"-It has been said that Bentley used the same Wolseyan egotism, on Pope's publications:-"This man is always abusing me or the King !''

1