Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-10-31
To Fl. and T.


preston or substance Of your replies.-For
il is impossible that the manifested malig-
nifty of defeated argument, exposed igno.
rance, or conceited vanity should rufie my
temper, how ill soever you may imagine
it. The tremendous oath, irrevokable both
to gods and men, which you and your al
phabetical relatives have taken, though rash
and impinuS in high degree, is certainly
not so destitute OF policy as one wonld con-
clude upon hasty view of it.-When
one OF "a family has been severely handled,
it would be to disclaim entirely all benefit
from experience, TO encounter similar chas-
.isement for similar offences. II is not that
/ do not think your pretensions TO the fine
genius Of the critic, the accuracy OF the his
,orian, OF even to the delicacy of the gen.
tleman have not been sufficiently refuted,
that write, but because wish not 10 leave
doubt on the public mind upon these Sc
veral heads. The attack Of Lucius, you
say, was wholly unprovoked.-lt is not
necessary TO rest the disproof of charge
upon counter declaration, when il is sus-
cepti5le OF the strongest possible evidence.
1t was you who first wrote several essays TO
prove the insipidity and absurdity Of the
critique on the fourth canto of Childe Ha-
rold, and 10 show the tedious vanity Of
what was sometime afterwards said by a
writer in giving an account Of the Loo choo
landers.-.Proiessing yourself critique
in the face OF the world, you were the legi-
innate subject of critical animadversioE {:
and whatever was said Of your productions
was neither improper, nor, perhaps, without
its utility.
What then was the original subject of
controversy? You mentioned that there
was difference between bellies letres and
poetical publications. asserted that what
ever was truly poetical, must necessarily
be bellies lettres publication: and that in
the expression of your opinions you mani
tested so little elegance or accuracy Of die
ton, it was extremely improbable you could
properly appreciate the excellencies Of
Others.
You have abandoned your definitions
given up the propriety OF your gramma-
tical distinctions, and tacitly yielded to
the correctness Of mine,-and as a succe-
daneum for argument, wit and knowledge,
poured out your long collected store Of I'M
mingled scurrility--the last resort of de-
ieated controversy, but the ordinary weapon
of ignorance and vulgarity. Whereveryo you
have quoted my sentiments or those of my
friend, you have treated them unfairly-and
made them nonsense by making them your
own.
Let US now see what your last most cids-
acdl epistle contains. You say, u" cannot
conceive of what family these Lucii are
composed" individuals compose a family
but this is the FIRST time have ever heard
families composed an individual. Is 1t
possible that man (writing in contro-
versy for public inspection, and that con-
troversy chiefly relating TO the propriety Of
language) should write such sentence, and
expect to gain credit when he speaks of his
college studies? If he is in reality a col
legiate, (Which do not profess to he, or
think It an honor merely 10 have BEEN |
think il will be readily admitted the scho-
lar does no honor TO his academy as all
the learning of the faculty was defeated in
attempting to triumph over his innate dull
ness. The same information and happiness
of expression which dictated the last SEN.
tence quoted, induced the use Of the words,
"verbage" and "vituperence".*
If your story of certain nobleman and
Anthony Williams is opposite at all, it
shews | reckoned without the consent OF
my host, in entertaining the vain expecta-
ton that you would comprehend my irony
before had 1gdshed off the filth OF your I'M
dersanding. "You have less wit than Lu-
81 cius is willing TO allow you," Philo.Lucius
said, eff you expect TO succeed in con.
test by playing off few sparks of impotent
heat, when your adversary is armed with a
well tempered blade"
In answer to this, you say his third para.
graph" introduces 10 US a well-tempered
blade'-quite misnomer in fact or in me.
taphor for Philo is very evidently an H.
tempered blade"
This is the same sort Of wit and learning
you displayed when you said Cowper's
Task was moral writer. Every body