The Author of the Memoirs had so little to apprehend in hisReputation either at home or abroad from the feeble Efforts ofMonsieur de Cross in his late trifling Invective, that had it notbeen for the repeated Instances of some Friends, who were unwillingto have such a wretched Scribler escape unpunished, he had nevercondescended to the severe penance of sitting an hour upon him. Totheir Importunities, and not to his own Inclinations is the Readerobliged for the following Remarks, which as they serve to justifiethose particular passages in the Memoirs that are so outrageouslyexclaimed against by Mr. de Cros, so they discover, en passant,several Intrigues hitherto not so well known or understood.
Though we may safely allow it to be some sort of Mortificatioa for anyone to see himself lie under the lash of a Man of Wit; yet certainly[Pg 6]'tis infinitely more supportable than to be assaulted by a Malicealtogether made up of Phlegm and Dulness. Æneæ magni dextrâ cadis,was said by way of Consolation to young Lausus as he fell by thehands of that celebrated Heroe. When we lie under an unavoidablenecessity of being encountered in Publick, 'tis some Comfort to beengaged with Bravery and Honour: In such a Case there is Reputation tobe got if we come off with Victory; but to be forced to enter theLists with a feeble, inglorious and despicable Adversary, is somewhatafflicting; there can be no Skill, no Dexterity shown in putting byhis Thrusts, and there is no Reputation acquired by gaining theConquest.
Certainly there never appeared in the World a Paper so littleperforming what it seems to promise in the Title page, so mean andundesigning, and in short so below the mighty Character of its Authorwho so often takes care to instruct us that a great Prince and a Kingdid not disdain to employ him as a Counsellor of State, as thisrambling, incoherent unthinking Letter. But perhaps it may be alledgedby some of its Favourers, that the sincerity of what it pretends torelate, may atone for all its other palpable defects, since to use hisown magnificent Expression our Deserter of a Monk is pleased toassure us, p. 9. that the only Heroe of his Piece shall be Truth:And indeed the Matter wou'd be somewhat mended if the Case were so;but for certain Considerations best known to himself our Letter-Writerhas been so complaisant to his Heroe, as not to give him any troubleat[Pg 7] all. However this pleasant passage puts me in mind of a certainperson of the Long Robe who a little after the Restauration, whenwriting of Plays was more in fashion than it is at present, must needsthreaten the Stage with a Play; and as a Hero is a very necessaryIngredient in all or at least most Compositions of that Nature, hedesigned to furnish himself with a Hero that should work Miracles,defeat Armies, charm the Ladies, and make as considerable a Figure asany Hero that had visited the World f