fearful, as young beginners often are, I offer to you (for I have concealed 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, etc. LETTERS TO AND FROM SEVERAL PERSONS. From 1711 to 1714. I LETTER I.* TO THE HON. J. C.+ ESQ. June 15, 1711. SEND you Dennis's remarks on the Effay; which equally abound in just criticisms and fine railleries. The few obfervations in my hand in the margins, are what This Letter is written to a perfon of high refpectability and confequence, as a general anfwer to the objections which had been made to Pope's Effay on Criticism, published at this time. Dennis, conceiving himself meant by Appius, and there is little doubt but that Pope applied the character to him, attacked the Essay in very coarfe, and, in fome inftances, juft criticism. Dennis confidered himfelf perfonally offended. Pope had alfo given great offence to the Catholics, by his liberality towards Erafmus, and other paffages. He was called a "lukewarm Catholic," by the bigots of his ignorant order. b 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 anfwered, 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 name had been spared in the Effay, for that only rea fon. I can't conceive what ground he has for fo exceffive a refentment*; nor imagine how thefe three lines can be called a reflection on his perfon, 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 defigned to lay heavy on their antagonist. But if Mr. Dennis's rage proceeds only from a zeal to dif courage young and unexperienced writers from fcribbling, 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 business. Yet to give this man his due, he has objected to one or two lines with reafon, "What ground he has for fo exceffive a refentment!" Certainly a wife man would not be angry; but if Pope had asked his own heart, what would it have answered, had he himself been thus delineated? How very feldom, indeed, is that most perfect rule remembered, "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you ! But Appius reddens at each word you speak, reason, 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 inftead 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 press: I confess it is what the English call a Bull, in the expreffion, though the sense be manifeft enough: Mr. Dennis's Bulls are feldom in the expreffion, they are generally in the fense. I fhall certainly never make the leaft reply to him; not only because you advife me, but because I have ever been of opinion, that, if a book can't answer 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 first to recant, for the benefit of others, and the glory of myself; for (as I take it) when a man owns himfelf to have been in an error, he does but tell you in other words, that he is wifer than he was. have had an advantage by the publishing that book, But I which In works of Poetry and Amusement, and generally in whatever concerns the Compofition of a book, this rule is a very good one. In controverted Opinions the cafe is different. The advancement of truth, or the defence of an Author's honeft fame, may fometimes make it neceffary, or expedient for him, to answer the objections made to his book. WARBURTON. |