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chastisement； employed certain useful instruments； such as may be
found in all countries； to give him the bastinado； which； being
repeated more than once； effectually stopt the current of his
abuse。
As for the liberty of the press； like every other privilege； it
must be restrained within certain bounds； for if it is carried to
a branch of law； religion； and charity； it becomes one of the
greatest evils that ever annoyed the community。 If the lowest
ruffian may stab your good name with impunity in England； will
you be so uncandid as to exclaim against Italy for the practice
of common assassination？ To what purpose is our property secured；
if our moral character is left defenceless？ People thus baited；
grow desperate； and the despair of being able to preserve one's
character； untainted by such vermin； produces a total neglect of
fame； so that one of the chief incitements to the practice of
virtue is effectually destroyed。
Mr Barton's last consideration； respecting the stamp…duty； is
equally wise and laudable with another maxim which has been long
adopted by our financiers； namely； to connive at drunkenness；
riot； and dissipation； because they inhance the receipt of the
excise； not reflecting； that in providing this temporary
convenience； they are destroying the morals； health； and industry
of the people Notwithstanding my contempt for those who flatter
a minister； I think there is something still more despicable in
flattering a mob。 When I see a man of birth； education； and
fortune； put himself on a level with the dregs of the people；
mingle with low mechanics； feed with them at the same board； and
drink with them in the same cup； flatter their prejudices；
harangue in praise of their virtues； expose themselves to the
belchings of their beer； the fumes of their tobacco； the
grossness of their familiarity； and the impertinence of their
conversation； I cannot help despising him； as a man guilty of the
vilest prostitution； in order to effect a purpose equally selfish
and illiberal。
I should renounce politics the more willingly； if I could find
other topics of conversation discussed with more modesty and
candour； but the daemon of party seems to have usurped every
department of life。 Even the world of literature and taste is
divided into the most virulent factions； which revile； decry； and
traduce the works of one another。 Yesterday； I went to return an
afternoon's visit to a gentleman of my acquaintance； at whose
house I found one of the authors of the present age； who has
written with some success As I had read one or two of his
performances； which gave me pleasure； I was glad of this
opportunity to know his person； but his discourse and deportment
destroyed all the impressions which his writings had made in his
favour。 He took upon him to decide dogmatically upon every
subject； without deigning to shew the least cause for his
differing from the general opinions of mankind； as if it had been
our duty to acquiesce in the ipse dixit of this new Pythagoras。
He rejudged the characters of all the principal authors； who had
died within a century of the present time； and； in this revision；
paid no sort of regard to the reputation they had acquired
Milton was harsh and prosaic； Dryden； languid and verbose； Butler
and Swift without humour； Congreve； without wit； and Pope
destitute of any sort of poetical merit As for his
contemporaries； he could not bear to hear one of them mentioned
with any degree of applause They were all dunces； pedants；
plagiaries； quacks； and impostors； and you could not name a
single performance； but what was tame； stupid； and insipid。 It
must be owned； that this writer had nothing to charge his
conscience with； on the side of flattery； for I understand； he
was never known to praise one line that was written； even by
those with whom he lived on terms of good fellowship。 This
arrogance and presumption； in depreciating authors； for whose
reputation the company may be interested； is such an insult upon
the understanding； as I could not bear without wincing。
I desired to know his reasons for decrying some works； which had
afforded me uncommon pleasure； and； as demonstration did not seem
to be his talent； I dissented from his opinion with great
freedom。 Having been spoiled by the deference and humility of his
hearers； he did not bear contradiction with much temper； and the
dispute might have grown warm； had it not been interrupted by the
entrance of a rival bard； at whose appearance he always quits the
place They are of different cabals； and have been at open war
these twenty years If the other was dogmatical； this genius was
declamatory： he did not discourse； but harangue； and his orations
were equally tedious and turgid。 He too pronounces ex cathedra
upon the characters of his contemporaries； and though he scruples
not to deal out praise； even lavishly； to the lowest reptile in
Grubstreet who will either flatter him in private； or mount the
public rostrum as his panegyrist； he damns all the other writers
of the age； with the utmost insolence and rancour One is a
blunderbuss； as being a native of Ireland； another； a half…starved
louse of literature； from the banks of the Tweed； a
third； an ass； because he enjoys a pension from the government； a
fourth； the very angel of
dulness； because he succeeded in a species of writing in which
this Aristarchus had failed； a fifth； who presumed to make
strictures upon one of his performances； he holds as a bug in
criticism； whose stench is more offensive than his sting In
short； except himself and his myrmidons； there is not a man of
genius or learning in the three kingdoms。 As for the success of
those； who have written without the pale of this confederacy； he
imputes it entirely to want of taste in the public； not
considering； that to the approbation of that very tasteless
public； he himself owes all the consequence he has in life。
Those originals are not fit for conversation。 If they would
maintain the advantage they have gained by their writing； they
should never appear but upon paper For my part； I am shocked to
find a man have sublime ideas in his head； and nothing but
illiberal sentiments in his heart The human soul will be
generally found most defective in the article of candour I am
inclined to think； no mind was ever wholly exempt from envy；
which； perhaps； may have been implanted； as an instinct essential
to our nature。 I am afraid we sometimes palliate this vice； under
the spacious name of emulation。 I have known a person remarkably
generous； humane； moderate； and apparently self…denying； who
could not hear even a friend commended； without betraying marks
of uneasiness； as if that commendation had implied an odious
comparison to his prejudice； and every wreath of praise added to
the other's character； was a garland plucked from his own
temples。 This is a malignant species of jealousy； of which I
stand acquitted in my own conscience。
Whether it is a vice； or an infirmity； I leave you to inquire。
There is another point； which I would much rather see determined；
whether the world was always as contemptible； as it appears to me
at present？ If the morals of mankind have not contracted an
extraordinary degree of depravity； within these thirty years；
then must I be infected with the common vice of old men；
difficilis； querulus； laudator temporis acti； or； which is more
probable； the impetuous pursuits and avocations of youth have
formerly hindered me from observing those rotten parts of human
nature； which now appear so offensively to my observation。
We have been at court； and 'change； and every where； and every
where we find food for spleen； and subject for ridicule My new
servant； Humphry Clinker； turns out a great original： and Tabby
is a changed creature She has parted with Chowder； and does
nothing but smile； like Malvolio in the play I'll be hanged if
she is not acting a part which is not natural to her disposition；
for some purpose which I have not yet discovered。
With respect to the characters of mankind； my curiosity is quite
satisfied： I have done with the science of men； and must now
endeavour to amuse myself with the novelty of things。 I am； at
present； by a violent effort of the mind； forced from my natural
bias； but this power ceasing to act； I shall return to my
solitude with redoubled velocity。 Every thing I see； and hear；
and feel； in this great reservoir of folly； knavery； and
sophistication； contributes to inhance the value of a country
life； in the sentiments of
Yours always；
MATT。 BRAMBLE
LONDON； June 2。
To Mrs MARY JONES； at Brambleton…hall。
DEAR MARY JONES；
Lady Griskin's botler； Mr Crumb； having got 'squire Barton to
frank me a kiver； I would not neglect to let you know how it is
with me； and the rest of the family。
I could not rite by John Thomas； for because he went away in a
huff； at a minutes' warning。 He and Chowder could not agree； and
so they fitt upon the road； and Chowder bitt his thumb； and he
swore he would do him a mischief； and he spoke saucy to mistress；
whereby the squire turned him off in gudgeon； and by God's
providence we picked up another footman； call