LETTERS TO AND FROM SEVERAL PERSONS. From 1711 to 1714. 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 person 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 Effay in very coarfe, and, in fome inftances, juft criticifm. Dennis confidered him. felf 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 answered, 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 reafon. I can't conceive what ground he has for fo exceffive a refentment*; nor imagine how these three lines can be called a reflection on his person, which only describe him subject 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 observes 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 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 least reply to him; not only because you advise 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 fhould 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 other words, that he is wifer than he was. have had an advantage by the publishing that book, you in 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. which otherwife I never fhould 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 cuftom among the Romans, while a General rode in triumph to have the common foldiers in the streets that railed at him and reproached him; to put him in mind, that though his services 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 Christian, and be prepared to fuffer martyrdom in the cause of it. But fure this is the first time that a Wit was attacked for his Religion, as, you'll find, I am most zealously in this treatise; and, you know, Sir, what alarms I have had from the oppofite fide on this account. Have I not reafon to cry out with poor fellow in Virgil, the Quid jam mifero mihi denique restat? Cui neque apud Danaos ufquam locus, et super ipfi d 'Tis however my happiness that you, Sir, are im partial, Jove was alike to Latian and to Phrygian, For you well know, that Wit's of no Religion. See the enfuing Letter. The WARBURTON. The manner in which Mr. D. takes to pieces féveral particular lines, detached from their natural places, may fhew how eafy it is to a caviller to give a new fense, or a new nonfenfe 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 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 most forts of learning flourished among them, and I am of opinion, that only some fort of learning was barely kept alive by them: he believes that in the most natural and obvious fenfe, that line (A fecond deluge learning over-run) 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 concerned in the fubject of the Effay. It is true, that the monks did preferve what learning there was, about Nicholas the fifth's time*; but those who fucceeded * Notwithstanding the praises lavished on Leo the tenth, yet was the reftoration of polite literature in the Weft, chiefly owing to Pope Nicholas the fifth; who has not met with encomiums equal to his merits. It was he who first ransacked all the Byzantine Libraries, and the Monafteries of Germany and Britain, for Greek Manufcripts. Hence, in the space of eight years, he filled a library with more than five thousand volumes. To him were we indebted |