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were written。 Among many other foolish things； he said that the letters of
Phalaris were the oldest letters and also the best in the world。 Whatever
Temple wrote attracted notice。 People who had never heard of the Epistles
of Phalaris began to inquire about them。 Aldrich； who knew very little
Greek； took the word of Temple who knew none； and desired Boyle to
prepare a new edition of these admirable compositions which； having long
slept in obscurity； had become on a sudden objects of general interest。
The edition was prepared with the help of Atterbury； who was Boyle's
tutor； and of some other members of the college。 It was an edition such as
might be expected from people who would stoop to edite such a book。 The
notes were worthy of the text； the Latin version worthy of the Greek
original。 The volume would have been forgotten in a month； had not a
misunderstanding about a manuscript arisen between the young editor and
the greatest scholar that had appeared in Europe since the revival of letters；
Richard Bentley。 The manuscript was in Bentley's keeping。 Boyle wished
it to be collated。 A mischief…making bookseller informed him that Bentley
had refused to lend it； which was false； and also that Bentley had spoken
contemptuously of the letters attributed to Phalaris； and of the critics who
were taken in by such counterfeits； which was perfectly true。 Boyle； much
provoked； paid； in his preface； a bitterly ironical compliment to Bentley's
courtesy。 Bentley revenged himself by a short dissertation； in which he
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
proved that the epistles were spurious； and the new edition of them
worthless： but he treated Boyle personally with civility as a young
gentleman of great hopes； whose love of learning was highly
commendable； and who deserved to have had better instructors。
Few things in literary history are more extraordinary than the storm
which this little dissertation raised。 Bentley had treated Boyle with
forbearance； but he had treated Christchurch with contempt； and the
Christchurch…men； wherever dispersed； were as much attached to their
college as a Scotchman to his country； or a Jesuit to his order。 Their
influence was great。 They were dominant at Oxford； powerful in the Inns
of Court and in the College of Physicians； conspicuous in Parliament and
in the literary and fashionable circles of London。 Their unanimous cry was；
that the honour of the college must be vindicated； that the insolent
Cambridge pedant must be put down。 Poor Boyle was unequal to the task；
and disinclined to it。 It was； therefore； assigned to his tutor； Atterbury。
The answer to Bentley； which bears the name of Boyle； but which was；
in truth； no more the work of Boyle than the letters to which the
controversy related were the work of Phalaris； is now read only by the
curious； and will in all probability never be reprinted again。 But it had its
day of noisy popularity。 It was to be found； not only in the studies of men
of letters； but on the tables of the most brilliant drawing…rooms of Soho
Square and Covent Garden。 Even the beaus and coquettes of that age； the
Wildairs and the Lady Lurewells； the Mirabells and the Millaments；
congratulated each other on the way in which the gay young gentleman；
whose erudition sate so easily upon him； and who wrote with so much
pleasantry and good breeding about the Attic dialect and the anapaestic
measure； Sicilian talents and Thericlean cups； had bantered the queer prig
of a doctor。 Nor was the applause of the multitude undeserved。 The book
is； indeed； Atterbury's masterpiece； and gives a higher notion of his
powers than any of those works to which he put his name。 That he was
altogether in the wrong on the main question； and on all the collateral
questions springing out of it； that his knowledge of the language； the
literature； and the history of Greece was not equal to what many freshmen
now bring up every year to Cambridge and Oxford； and that some of his
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
blunders seem rather to deserve a flogging than a refutation； is true； and
therefore it is that his performance is； in the highest degree； interesting and
valuable to a judicious reader。 It is good by reason of its exceeding
badness。 It is the most extraordinary instance that exists of the art of
making much show with little substance。 There is no difficulty； says the
steward of Moliere's miser； in giving a fine dinner with plenty of money：
the really great cook is he who can set out a banquet with no money at all。
That Bentley should have written excellently on ancient chronology and
geography； on the development of the Greek language； and the origin of
the Greek drama； is not strange。 But that Atterbury should； during some
years； have been thought to have treated these subjects much better than
Bentley is strange indeed。 It is true that the champion of Christchurch had
all the help which the most celebrated members of that society could give
him。 Smalridge contributed some very good wit； Friend and others some
very bad archaeology and philology。 But the greater part of the volume
was entirely Atterbury's： what was not his own was revised and retouched
by him： and the whole bears the mark of his mind； a mind inexhaustibly
rich in all the resources of controversy； and familiar with all the artifices
which make falsehood look like truth； and ignorance like knowledge。 He
had little gold； but he beat that little out to the very thinnest leaf； and
spread it over so vast a surface that to those who judged by a glance； and
who did not resort to balances and tests； the glittering heap of worthless
matter which he produced seemed to be an inestimable treasure of massy
bullion。 Such arguments as he had he placed in the clearest light。 Where he
had no arguments； he resorted to personalities； sometimes serious；
generally ludicrous； always clever and cutting。 But； whether he was grave
or merry； whether he reasoned or sneered； his style was always pure；
polished； and easy。
Party spirit then ran high； yet； though Bentley ranked among Whigs；
and Christchurch was a stronghold of Toryism； Whigs joined with Tories
in applauding Atterbury's volume。 Garth insulted Bentley； and extolled
Boyle in lines which are now never quoted except to be laughed at。 Swift；
in his 〃Battle of the Books；〃 introduced with much pleasantry Boyle； clad
in armour； the gift of all the gods； and directed by Apollo in the form of a
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
human friend； for whose name a blank is left which may easily be filled up。
The youth； so accoutred； and so assisted； gains an easy victory over his
uncourteous and boastful antagonist。 Bentley； meanwhile； was supported
by the consciousness of an immeasurable superiority； and encouraged by
the voices of the few who were really competent to judge the combat。 〃No
man；〃 he said； justly and nobly； 〃was ever written down but by himself。〃
He spent two years in preparing a reply； which will never cease to be read
and prized while the literature of ancient Greece is studied in any part of
the world。 This reply proved； not only that the letters ascribed to Phalaris
were spurious； but that Atterbury； with all his wit； his eloquence； his skill
in controversial fence； was the most audacious pretender that ever wrote
about what he did not understand。 But to Atterbury this exposure was
matter of indifference。 He was now engaged in a dispute about matters far
more important and exciting than the laws of Zaleucus and the laws of
Charondas。 The rage of religious factions was extreme。 High church and
Low church divided the nation。 The great majority of the clergy were on
the high…church side； the majority of King William's bishops were inclined
to latitudinarianism。 A dispute ar