was. very ill confequence) meerly that I my felf may be thought right, (which is of very little confequence.) I'd be the firft to recant, for the benefit of others, and the glory of my felf; 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 wifer than he But I have had an advantage by the publishing that book, which otherwise I should never have known It has been the occafion of making me friends and open abettors, of feveral gentlemen of known fense 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 fhould never be attack'd thus in particular. I have read that 'twas a custom among the Romans, while a General rode in triumph, to have common foldiers in the streets that rail'd at him and reproach'd 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 thefe days ought to have the conftancy of a primitive chriftian, and be prepared to fuffer martyrdom in the cause of it. But fure this is the first time that a Wit was attack'd for his Religion, as you'll find I am moft zealously in this treatife: and you know Sir, what alarms I have had from the oppofite fide on this account. Have I not reafon to cry out with the poor fellow in Virgil, See the enfuing Letters. * Quid Quid jam mifero mibi denique reftat? Cui neque apud Danaos ufquam locas, & fuper ipfi '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, detatch'd from their natural places, may fhew how eafy it is to a caviller to give a new fense, or a new nonsense to any thing. And indeed his conftructions are not more wrefted from the genuine meaning, than theirs who objected to the heterodox parts, as they call'd 'em. 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 himself 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 most forts of learning flourish'd among 'em, and I am of opinion that only fome fort of learning was barely kept alive by 'em: he believes that in the moft natural and obvious fenfe, that line (A fecond deluge learning overrun) will be understood of learning in general; and I fancy 'twill be understood only (as 'tis meant) of polite learning, criticism, poetry, &c. which is the only learning concern'd in the fubject of the Essay. It is true, that the monks did preferve what learning there was, about Nicholas the fifth's time; but those who fucceeded fell into the depth of barbarism, or at at least stood at a ftay while others rofe from thence, infomuch that even Erafmus and Reuchlin could hardly laugh them out of it. I am highly oblig'd to the Abbe's zeal in my commendation, and goodnefs in not concealing what he thinks my error. And his teftifying fome efteem for the book juft at a time when his brethren rais'd a clamour against it, is an instance of great generofity and candour, which I fhall ever acknowledge. Your, &c. laft your LETTER II. To the fame. June 18, 1711. N informed me of the mistaken zeal you of fome people, who feem to make it no less their bufinefs to perfuade men they are erroneous, than doctors do that they are fick; only that they may magnify their own cure, and triumph over an imaginary diftemper. The fimile objected to in my Effay, (Thus wit, like faith, by each man is apply'd To one small felt, and all are damn'd befide.) : plainly concludes at this fecond line, where ftands a full ftop and what follows (Meanly they feek, &c.) fpeaks only of wit, (which is meant by that bleffing, and that fun) for how can the fun of faith be faid to N fublime fublime the fouthern wits, and to ripen the genius's of northern climates? I fear these gentlemen underftand grammar as little as they do criticism and perhaps out of good nature to the monks, are willing to take from 'em the cenfure of ignorance, and to have it to themselves. The word they refers (as I am fure I meant, and as I thought every one must have known) to thofe Critics there spoken of, who are partial to fome particular fett of writers, to the prejudice of all others. And the very fimile it felf, if twice read, may convince them, that the cenfure here of damning, lies not on our church at all, unlefs they call our church one fmall feet and the caucious words, (by each man) manifeftly fhow it a ge neral reflection on all fuch (whoever they are) who entertain those narrow and limited notions of the mercy of the Almighty; which the reformed minifters and presbyterians are as guilty of as any people living. : Yet after all, I promise you Sir, if the alteration of a word or two will gratify any man of found faith tho' weak understanding, I will (though it were from no other principle than that of common good nature) comply with it. And if you please but to par ticularize the fpot where their objection lies, (for it is in a very narrow compafs) that ftumbling-block, tho' it be but a little pebble, fhall be removed out of their way. If the heat of these good difputants (who I am afraid being bred up to wrangle in the schools, cannot get rid of the humour all their lives) fhou'd proceed fo far as to perfonal reflections upon me, I affure you, notwithstanding, I will do or fay nothing, however provok'd (for fome people can no more provoke than oblige) that is unbecoming the true charaEter of a Catholick. I will fet before me the example of of that great man, and great faint, Erafmus; who in the midst of calumny proceeded with all the calmness of innocence, and the unrevenging fpirit of primitive chriftianity. However I wou'd ad vife them to fuffer the mention of him to pass unregarded, left I fhou'd be forc'd to do that for his reputation which I wou'd never do for my own; I mean, to vindicate fo great a light of our church from the malice of paft times, and the ignorance of the prefent, in a language which may extend farther than that in which the trifle about criticifm is written. I wish these gentlemen would be contented with finding fault with me only, who will fubmit to 'em right or wrong, as far as I only am concerned; I have a greater regard to the quiet of mankind than to disturb it for things of fo little confequence as my credit and my fenfe. A little humility can do a poet no hurt, and a little charity would do a prieft none: for as St. Auftin finely fays, Ubi charitas, ibi humilitas ; ubi bumilitas, ibi Pax. Your, &c. TH LETTER III. To the fame. July 19, 1711. HE concern which you more than seem to be. affected with for my reputation, by the feveral accounts you have fo obligingly given of what reports and cenfures the holy Vandals have thought fit N 2 to |