Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

had an Advantage by the publishing that Book of D's, which I otherwife fhould never have known: It has been the Occafion of making me, Friends, and open Abetters, of feveral Gentlemen of known Senfe and Wit; and of proving to me what I have till now doubted, that my Writings are. taken fome Notice of by the World in general, or I should never be attack'd thus in particular. I have read that 'twas a Cuftom among the Romans, while a General rode in Triumph, to have common Soldiers in the Streets that rail'd at him and reproach'd 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 Chriftian, and be prepar'd to fuffer Martyrdom in the Caufe 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 Side on this Account. Have I not Reafon to cry out, with the poor Fellow in Virgil,.

quid jam mifero mihi denique restat !

Cui neque apud Danaos ufquam locus: infuper ipfi
Dardanidæ infenfi pœnas cum fanguine pofcunt.
'Tis however my Happiness that you, Sir, are
impartial,

Jove was alike to Latian and to Phrygian,
For you well know, that Wit's of no Religion.

The manner in which Mr D. takes to pieces feveral particular Lines, detach'd from their natural Places, may fhew how eafy it is, to a Caviller, to give a new Sense, or a new Nonsense, to any Thing.

* See the enfuing Letters.

G 4

And

[ocr errors]

And indeed his Constructions are not more wrefted from the genuine Meaning, than theirs who objected to the heterodox Parts, as they call'd 'em.

[ocr errors]

Our Friend the Abbé is not of that fort, who with the utmoft Candour and Freedom, has mo deftly 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 moft 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 most natural and obvious Senfe, that Line (A fecond Deluge Learning over-run) will be underftood 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 Subject 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 Barbarifm, or at least stood at a Stay while others rofe from thence; infomuch, that even Erasmus_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 Inftance of great Generofity and Candour, which I fhall ever acknowledge.

Your, &c.

IN

To the fame.

JUNE 18, 1711. N your laft you inform'd me of the mistaken Zeal of fome People, who feem to make it no lefs 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 Simile objected to in my Effay,

(Thus Wit, like Faith, by each Man is apply'd To one fmall Sect, and all are damn'd befide.)

[ocr errors]

plainly concludes at this fecond Line, where ftands a full Stop: And what follows (Meanly they feek, &c.) fpeaks only of Wit, (which is meant by that Bleffing, and that Sun) for how can the Sun of Faith be faid to fublime the Southern Wits, and to ripen the Genius's of Northern Climates? I fear thefe 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 themfelves. The Word They refers (as I am fure I meant, and as I thought every one must have known) to those Critics there spoken of, who are partial to fome particular Set of Writers, to the Prejudice of all others. And the very Simile itself, 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 Sect: And the cautious Words, (by each Man) manifeftly show it a general Reflection on all fuch (whoever they are) who enter. tain those narrow and limited Notions of the Mercy of the Almighty; which the Reform'd Minifters

GS

and

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 though 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 particularize the Spot where their Objection lies, (for it is in a very narrow Compass) that Stumbling-Block, though it be but a little Pebble, fhall be removed out of their way. If the Heat of thefe 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 Character of a true Catholic. I will fet before me the Example of that great Man, and great Saint, Erafmus; who, in the midst of Calumny, proceeded with all the Calmness of Innocence, and the unrevenging Spirit of primitive Chriftianity. 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 paft Times, and the Ignorance of the prefent, in a Language which may extend farther than that in which the Trifle about Criticism is written. I wish thefe Gentlemen wou'd be contented with finding fault with me only, who will submit to 'em right or wrong, as far as I only am concern'd; 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 Senfe. A little Humility can do a Poet, no hurt, and a little Charity wou'd do a Priest none: For, as St Austin

finely fays, Ubi Charitas, ibi Humilitas; ubi Hu

militas, ibi Pax.

Your's, &c.

THE

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 to pass upon me, makes me defirous of telling fo good a Friend my whole Thoughts of this Matter; and of fetting before you, in a clear Light, the true State of it.

I have ever believ'd the beft Piece of Service one cou'd do to our Religion, was openly to exprefs our Deteftation and Scorn of all thofe mean Artifices and Pie fraudes, which it ftands fo little in need of, and which have laid it under fo great a Scandal among it's Enemies.

Nothing has been fo much a Scarecrow to them, as that too peremptory and feemingly-uncharitable Affertion of an utter Impoffibility of Salvation to all but ourselves; invincible Ignorance excepted, which indeed fome People define under fo great Limitations, and with fuch Exclufions, that it feems as if that Word were rather invented as a Salvo, 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 Ecclefiaftics) than as a real Exception to almoft-univerfal Damnation. For, befides the fmall Number of the truly faithful in our Church, we muft again fubdivide; the Janfenift is damned by the Jefuit, the Jefuit by G 6

the

« ПредишнаНапред »