NUMBER XXVI.

Thursday, February 1, 1710.

Ea autem eft gloria, laus recte factorum, magnorumque in rempublicam meritorum: quae cum optimi cujufque, tum etiam multitudinis, teftimonio comprobatur.

I

AM thinking, what a mighty advantage it is to be entertained as a writer to a ruined caufe. I remember a fanatick preacher, who was inclined to come into the church, and take orders; but upon mature thoughts was diverted from that defign, when he confidered, that the collections of the godly were a much heartier and readier penny, than he could get by wrangling for tithes. He certainly had reafon; and the two cafes are parallel, If you write in defence of a fallen party, you are maintained by contribution, as a neceffary person; you have little more to dò than to carp and cavil at thofe, who hold the pen on the other fide: you are fure to be celebrated and careffed by all your party, to a man: you may affirm and deny

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what you please without truth or probability, fince it is but loss of time to contradict you. Befides, commiferation is often on your fide; and you have a pretence to be thought honeft and difinterested for adhering to friends in diftrefs: after which, if your friends ever happen to turn up again, you have a strong fund of merit towards making your fortune. Then, you never fail to be well furnished with materials; every one bringing in his quota; and falfhood being naturally more plentiful than truth: not to mention the wonderful delight of libelling men in power, and hugging yourfelf in a corner with mighty fatisfaction for what you have done.

It is quite otherwife with us, who engage as volunteers in the fervice of a flourishing ministry, in full credit with the QUEEN, and beloved by the people; because they have no finister ends or dangerous defigns; but pursue with fteddinefs and refolution the true intereft of both. Upon which account they little want, or defire, our affistance; and we may write, till the world is weary of reading, without having our pretences allowed either to a place,

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or a penfion befides, we are refused the common benefit of the party, to have our works cried up of courfe; the readers of our own fide being as ungentle, and hard to please, as if we writ againft them; and our papers never make their way in the world, but barely in proportion to their merit. The design of their labours, who write on the conquered fide, is likewife of greater importance than ours: they are like cordials for dying men, which muft be repeated; whereas ours are, in the Scripture phrafe, but meat for babes: at least, all I can pretend, is to undeceive the ignorant, and thofe at a diftance; but their tafk is to keep up the finking spirits of a whole party.

After fuch reflections, I cannot be angry with those gentlemen for perpetually writing against me; it furnishes them largely with topicks: and is befides their proper bufinefs: neither is it affectation, or altogether fcorn, that I do not reply. But as things are, we both act fuitable to our feveral provinces: mine is by laying open fome corruptions in the late management to fet thofe, who are ignorant, right in

their opinions of persons and things: it is theirs to cover with fig-leaves all the faults of their friends, as well as they can. When I have produced my facts, and offered my arguments, I have nothing farther to advance; it is their office to deny, and difprove; and then let the world decide. If I were as they, my chief endeavour should certainly be to batter down the Examiner; therefore I cannot but approve their defign. Befides, they have indeed another reason for barking inceffantly at this paper : they have in their prints openly taxed a most ingenious perfon, as author of it; one who is in great, and very deserved, reputation with the world both on account of his poetical works, and his talents for publick business. They were wise enough to confider, what a fanction it would give their performances, to fall under the animadverfion of fuch a pen; and therefore used all the forms of provocation commonly practifed by little obfcure pedants, who are fond of diftinguishing themselves by the fame of an adversary. So nice a taste have these judicious criticks in pretending to discover an author

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by his style, and manner of thinking! not to mention the juftice and candour of exhaufting all the stale topicks of fcurrility in reviling a paper, and then flinging at a venture the whole load upon one, who is entirely innocent; and whofe greatest fault perhaps is too much gentleness towards. a party, from whofe leaders he hath received quite contrary treatment.

The concern I have for the cafe and reputation of fo deferving a gentleman, hath at length forced me much against my intereft and inclination to let these angry people know, who is not the author of the Examiner. For I obferved, the opinion began to fpread; and I chofe rather to facrifice the honour I received by it, than let injudicious people entitle him to a performance, that perhaps he might have reafon to be afhamed of: ftill faithfully promifing never to difturb thofe worthy advocates; but fuffer them in quiet to roar on at the Examiner, if they or or their party find any ease in it; as phyficians fay there is to people in torment, fuch as men in the gout, or women in labour.

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