DIAL.

CRITOM. Give me leave to repeat what IV. I have already said, that severity in this, as in other points, is often carried too far. By a habit or humour of examining every thing by certain fpeculative rules, people come to call in queftion the common practice, and what has paffed for the brighteft ftrokes of the beft writers; and to condemn those thoughts which have been handed down from paft ages, and conftantly received with the greatest approbation. For example; Pompey, you know, when some important affairs of the common-wealth required his departing from a maritime town, and every body reprefented to him, that in fo hard and ftormy weather, he could not go to fea, without imminent danger of his life, answer'd, My voyage is neceffary, but my life is not fo. This anfwer, which is much commended by Callicrates, and for many ages paft, had been look'd upon as equally noble and smart, is condemn'd by Balfac for having the appearance only, not the reality of an ingenious reply. The peremptory critick gives this reafon. Because, fays he, it deftroys it felf, and implies a contradiction. For fince life is the origin of all human actions, it follows that Pompey cou'd not embark, unless he lived ; this being a contradiction, fay the criticks. Very

i Vide Maniére de Penfer. Dial. 1.

2

philo

DIAL. philofophically indeed! But how can they IV. imagine the world, who fo long applauded

that answer of Pompey, fhou'd never reflect that to embark and act upon the orders of the Senate, it was pretty necessary to be alive.

CLEAND. And certainly it is not hard to conceive that to save his honour, and fhew his deference to the fenate, it might be more neceffary to go to fea, with danger of his life, than to secure his life by neglect of his duty, or of his honour. Which is manifeftly the meaning of his reply.

EUDOX. It is by that very reason that Bouhours, who profeffes fo great a nicety in that kind, defends that answer of Pompey. Balzac efpecially, fhou'd take little freedom in Criticisms of that nature. For he will generally be lefs able to bear the like severity: As when he proves it is not inconvenient to be a prisoner, because some people keep their chamber of their own accord. But not to mention fuch fmall matters as this, for fuch occur almost perpetually in him; let us take an example of a higher nature. When Marius in his mif· fortunes was forced to hide himself in the ruins of Carthage, Sure, fays he, that

Ibidem.

great

great but ruin'd city, and that great but DIAL. unfortunate man, view'd each other with IV. aftonishment; that Marius comforted Carthage, and Carthage, Marius; and the mutual comparison of their miseries made both of them pardon the Gods and Fortune. He carries the point still farther, and adds: That Carthage, after that example of Marius, could no longer wonder at her own ruin; nor Marius dare to bear his misfortunes with impatience in the prefence of Carthage. Here if Balzac were to be examin'd by that rigour of truth he exacts of Pompey, this fad interview between unfortunate Marius and poor Carthage would make a very odd figure. For tho' both Lucan and Velleius Paterculus have fomething of the fame thought, yet they only touch upon it, without making it childifh by carrying it too far.

CLEAND. What Balzac could say in defence of this place, I know not. But I know he would not mend the matter by saying, as he does of fome in another place, that we are Judges without judgment, and Authors without authority. To pardon him this wretched Pun, it must be granted he is very often guilty of falfity; that is, of advancing beyond truth, and falling into unpardonable sophistry.

Apud Bouhours, ibid.

L

CRITOM.

DIAL.

IV.

CRITOM. I fhall not undertake Balzac's defence, tho' you both feem refolved to join his cause with that of feveral modern writers. I had rather pass over that, and ask you, Eudoxus, an example wherein a Thought, tho' in rigour falfe, nay even ridiculous if brought into Syllogifm, yet fails not to be receiv'd with applaufe. And moreover, I wou'd know the reason why they may sometimes please.

EUDOX. In grave fubjects, and with a judicious reader, I fhall not cafily grant there is any fuch thing as pleafing with falfe reafons when they are discover'd. In other occafions they may please when managed with moderation, and when only prefented to pleasure the fancy, without any defign of impofing upon the understanding. Voiture frequently fucceeds in that kind. Writing to a French officer who was taken prifoner, he tells him that "he fignalizes himself

cr

every where, even in those occafions "which are unfortunate to others; and "bids him by no means complain of for "tune, fince if she is not on his fide, fhe "takes care to have him on the fide fhe fa"vours; and that at the end of all Battles "he is always on the victorious fide." Here the Sophifm is certainly great enough. Yet all things confider'd, I believe even Mr. Girac wou'd not condemn the compliment.

CLEAND.

DIAL.

CLEAND. So true it is that every thing is IV. graceful when used in its proper way and place. Thoughts otherwife equally falfe, and otherwife much alike, are very different accordingly as they are used, and what is infupportable in fome occafions, is graceful in others, or at least excufable. Thus every body fees the deteftable childishness of these two verses of TheophileTM ;

Ha! voicy le poignard qui du fang de fon

maître

Seft fouille lachement ! Il en rougit le traitre. Ha! here's the fword which his own mafter kill'd,

The traitor blushes with the blood he fpill'd.

And yet when Pliny fays that human blood revenges it felf of the fword by ruft", though both thoughts have a great affinity, and are equally falfe, (for it is equally falfe that blood makes the sword blush for shame, as that it makes it rufty in revenge) yet both are not equally faulty. And perhaps the latter might be defended from the cenfure of Bouhours: especially taken with reference to what Pliny fays a little before, and fup

m Cited by Boileau.

Sanguis humanus à ferro rubigine fe ulcifcitur. Plin. Hift. lib. 34. cap. 14.

Maniére de penfer. Dialog. 2.