Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-06-15


edition Of Pope " candid" work and | still think
that there is an aectaiion OF that quality nor only
lishcd.
Why yet he doth ieny his prisoners"
Mr.. Bowcs says, that " he has seen passages in
his letters to Martha Blount which were never pub
iished by me, and hope Herer ,ciH be by others
which are SO gross rs to imply the gre,ss,st centi-
ousncss.' Is this fair play :? Ii NAV or it may not
I've that such passages exist and that Pope, who
was not monk, although catholic, may have oc-
casionally sinncd in word and deed with woman in
his youth but is this sufficient ground tor.su u
sweeping dcnunciation Where is the unmarried
Englshman of certain rank of life, who, (provi-
ded he has not taken orders) has not to reproach
himself between the ages of sixteen aud thirty with
far more RIGHTEOUSNESS than has yet been trac-
cd TO Pope? Pope lived in the public eye from
his youth upwards he had all the Ounces OF his own
time for his enemies, and, sorry TO say, some,
who have the apology of dulness for detraction
since his death and yet, what do all their accu-
mulated hints and charges amount ITO an euuivo-
cal iiaison with Martha Blount, which might arise
much from his nfrmitics from his passions, to
hopeless Irritation with Lady Mary w. Montagu:
to story of Cibbers; and to two or three coarse
passages in his works. Who could come forth
clearer from invidious inquest on life of fifty
SIX years. Why are we 10 be offciously reminded
OF such passages in his letters, provided that they
exist Is MIR. Bowlcs aware to what such rumrnag-
NC among letters" and &c storics'' might lead ? L
have myself collection of letters of another
eminent, nay, pre-eminent, deceased poet, so abo-
minably gross, and eaboratcly coarse, that do not
believe that they could be aiallcled in our Ian
guage What is more strange, is, THAT some of these
are couched poStscripts to his serious and sent
mental letters, which tackled either piece of
prose, some verses of the most hypcrbolcal i'm
decency. He himself says, that IL obscenty (usng
much coarscr word) be the sin against the Holy
Ghost, he most certainly cannot be saved" These
letters existence, and have been by ma
ny besides myself but would his editor have been
candid i'm alludng TO them ? Nothing would
have even provoke me- Indifferent spectator, to
aiude to them but this further attempt at the dcpre
citation of Pope.
| What should we say 10 editor of Addison, who
| cited the following passage from Walpoles letters
to George Montagu? "Dr. Young has published
new book, &c. Mr. Addison sent for the young
carl OF Warwick, as he was dying, TO show him in
| what peace Christian could die unlucky he died
OF brandy: nothing makes Christian die in peace
like being maudlin but don't say this meath where
you are Suppose the editor introduced it with
this preface: " One circumstance is mentioned by
Horace Nalpole, which, iftrue, was indeed fagi-
tiouS. Walpole informs Montagu that Addison sent
Tor the young earl of Warwick, when dying, TO
show him in what peace Christian could die but
unluckilyh he died drunk, sc. Sc" Now, although
there might occur on the subsequent in the same
page, faint show of disbelief, seasoned with the
expression of &c the same cGndoir, (thc exact
~ as throughout the book) | should say that this
editor was either foolish or false TO his trust such
story ought not TO have been admitted, except for
one brief mark of crushing Indignation, unless it
were completely proued. Why the words " II true ."
q
" Cibbers testimony" 10 his Righteousness TO
what does this amount? that Pope when very Young
was once decoyed by some noblemen and the PLAYER
| 10 house of carna recreation. Mr. Bowles was
not always clergyman and when he was n very
| young man, was he never seduccd into as much p
II were in the humor for story telling and relating
little anecdotes, could tell much better story of
Mr.. Bowlcs than Cbber's upon much better autho
riy, viz that of Mr.. Bowles himself TWAS not re-
| lated by him in my presence, but in that of third
person, whom Mr.. Bowles names oftcner than once
IN the course OF his replies. This gentleman related
IT TO me as humorous and witty anecdote and so
II was, whatever its other characteristics might be
But should for youthful froc, brand Mr.. Bowles
with ibertine of love- with "licentious-
ness :! rs he the less now pious good man, for
not having always been priest? No such thing :;
| am willing 10 believe him good man, almost as
good man asPopc, but no better.
Ihe truth is, that in these days the grand " pri-
nur. mobile OF England is cant cant political, cant
Poehcal, cant religious, cant moral but always
cant, multiplied through all the varieties of life Ii
the fashion, and while it lasts will be too power
iul Tor those who only exist by taking the tone
oil the time. say cant, because it thing of words
without tie smallest influence upon human actions
the English being no wiser, better, and much
| poorer and more divided amongst themselves as
well as far less moral, than they were before the
prevalence OF this verbal dccorun. This hysterical
horror OF poor Popcs not very we'll ascertained and
never fully proved amours, Qor even Cibber owns
that he prevented the somewhat perilous adventure
In which Pope embarking) sounds very yirtI-
world who know what life is, or at least what was
TO them in their youth, must laugh at such a ludi-
crous foundation of the charge of libertne sort
OF love-" while the more serious will look urpn
| those who bring forward such charges upon an y
snlated fact, as fanatics or hypocrites perhaps Vi
The two are sometimes compounded in happy
mixture.
MIR. Octayus Gilchrist speaks rather irreyelentlv
ola " secoad tumbler of hot white wine negus
What does he mean Is there any harm in nepus !.
or IS 1t the worse for being hot does Mr. Bowlcs
drink negus had better opinion of him. / hop
ed that whatever wine he drank was neat; or AT
least, that like the ordinary in Jonathan Wild he
preferred Plach the rather there was nothing a.
gainst it in the Scripture. should be sorry to be-
lieye that 1lr Bowles was fond of negus ii is such
" candid" liquor, so like wishy-washy compro-
mise between the passion for wine and the proprie-
ty of water. But different writers have divers
tastes. Judge Blackstone composed his q Com
mentarles' Che poet too in his youthl with a
bottle of port before him. Addisons conversation
was not good for much till he had taken similar
DOSE Perhaps the prescription of these two great
men was not inferior TO the very different of
soi-disant poet of this day, who, after wandering
amongst the hills returns, goes to bed, and dictates
hs verses, being fed by bystander with bread and
butter during the operation
now come TO Mr.. BowIes' Z" invariablc princi-
pies of poetry" These Mr.. Bowles and some of
his correspondents pronounce " unanswerabe :"
ana they are unanswered" at least by Camp
bell, who seems 10 have been astounded by the IL
!le The sultan of the time being offered to ally
himself to king of France, because {" he hated the
word league y which proves that the Padishan un-
derstood French Mr.. Campbell has no need Of
my alliance, nor shall presume TO offer it; but
do hate that word " ihUdridbie?" What is there of
human, be it poetry, philosophy, wit, wisdom, sci
ence, power, glory, MUD, matter, life, or DEATH
which is inrdriobie ?" or course put things d.
vine out of the question. Ofall arrogant bapjsms
OF book this title TO pamphlet appears the most
complacen0y conceitcd II is MIR. Campbelrs part
to answer the contents of this performance, and
especially to vindicatc his own Ship" which MIR
Bowles most trimphanty proclams TO have struck
to his very first fire.
"Quoth he, there a Ship
Now let me 60, thou grey haired loon,
or my staff shall make thee skip
II is no affair of mine, but having once begun (cer-
iainly not by my wish,) but called upon by the
frequent recurrence to my name in the Danphiefs