hefs 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 candor, which I thall ever acknowledge.

IN

To the fame.

four, &c.

June 18, 17113 N your last you inform'd me of the mistaken zeal of fome people, who feem to make it no lefs their business to perfuade men they are erroneous, than Dotors do that they are fick; only that they may magnify their own cure, and triumph over an imaginary diftemper. The Simile objected to in my Essay,

Thus wit, like faith, by each man is apply'à To one fmall Sect, and all are damn'd befide.)

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plainly concludes at this fecond line, where tands a full ftop: and what follows (Mean ly they seek, &c.) fpeaks only of Wit, (which is meant by that bleffing, and that fun) for how can the fun of faith be faid

to fublime the fouthern wits, and to ripen the genius'soof northern climates? I fear these gentlemen understand 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 f thought every one must have known) to thofe critics there fpoken of, who are par rial 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, unless they call our Church one fmall Set: and the cautious words, (by each Man) manifeftly fhow it a general reflection on all fuch (whoever they are) who entertain those narrow and limited notions of the mercy of the Almighty, which the Reform'd 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 (tho' it were from no other principle than that of common good nature) comply with it. And if you pleafe but to particularize the fpot where their objection lies, for it is in a very narrow.

com

Compafs) that ftumbling-block, tho' it be but a little pebble, fhall be removed out of their way. If the heat of thefer good difputants (who, I am afraid, being bred up to wrangle in the fchools, cannot get rid of the humor 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 character of a true Catholick. I will fet before me the example of that great man, and great. Saint Erafmus; who in the midst of calumany proceeded with all the calmness of innocence, and the unrevenging spirit of primitive christianity. However I wou'd advise them to fuffer the mention of him to pass unregarded, left I fhould 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 past times, and the ig norance of the prefent, in a language which may extend farther than that in which the Trifle about Criticism is written. I wish these gentlemen wou'd be contented with finding fault with me only, who will fubmit to 'em right or wrong, as far as I onlysam ly am concern'd; I have a greater regard to the quiet of mankind than to disturb it

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for

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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 wou'd do a Prieft none: For as St Austin finely fays, Ubi Charitas, ibi Humilitas; ubi Humilitas, ibi Pax.

July 19, 1711.

HE concern which you more than

TH feem 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 to pass upon me, makes me defireus of telling fo good a friend my whole thoughts of this matter; and of fetting before you in a clear light the true ftate of it.

I have ever believ'd the best piece of fervice one cou'd do to our religion, was openly to express our deteftation and fcorn of all those mean artifices and Pia fraudes, which it ftands fo little in need of, and which have laid it under fo great a candal among its enemies. Nothing

Nothing has been fo much a fcarecrow to them, as that too peremptory and feemingly-uncharitable affertion of an utter InIm poffibility of Salvation to all but ourselves; invincible ignorance excepted, which indeed fome people define under fo great li mitations, and with fuch exclufions, that it feems as if that word were rather invented as a falvo, or expedient, not to be thought too bold with the thunder-bolts of God (which are hurl'd about fo freely on almost all mankind by the Hands of ecclefiafticks) than as a real exception to almoft-univerfal damnation. For, befides the fmall number of the truly faithful in our Church, we must again fubdivide; the Fanfenift is damned by the Jefuit, the Jefuit by the Fanfenist, the Scotift by the Thomift, and fo forth.

There may be errors I grant, but I can't think 'em of fuch confequence as to destroy utterly the charity of mankind; the very greatest bond in which we are engag'd by God to one another. Therefore I own to you, I was glad of any opportunity to exprefs my diflike of fo fhocking a fentiment as thofe of the religion I profefs are commonly charg'd with; and I hop'd, a flight infinuation, introduc'd fo eafily by a cafual fimilitude only, cou'd never have gi yen offence; but on the contrary must

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