VIII. SECT." But this I am perfuaded of, that, had the Truth of the Gospel been any way fur"mountable, they would have bid much "fairer for the filencing it, if they had "chofen to bring our primitive Founders upon the Stage in a pleasanter Way, than "that of Bear-Skins and Pitch-Barrels." And as to the Jews, he fays, that "with all "their Malice and Inveteracy to our Savi"our and his Apoftles after him, had they "but taken the Fancy to act fuch Puppet"Shows in his Contempt, as at this Hour "the Papists are acting in his Honour; I "am apt to think they might poffibly have "done our Religion more harm, than by "all their other Ways of Severity *." WHAT a Favourite is that facetious Droll of Wood and Wire, the Bart'lmy Fair Hero, with these modern Advocates for Mirth and Raillery! And indeed, not without cause, for of him they feem to have learnt their very wittiest Practices. Who taught them to turn their Backs upon their Betters; to disturb the most serious Scenes with an unfavoury Joke; and make a Jest of the Devil? Indeed they have fo well taken off his Manners, that one Description will ferve w Vol. i. p. 29. × Ibid. them H VIII. them both. And whether you fuppofe the SECT. Sed præter reliquos incedit Homuncio, rauca many Et crebro folvit (lepidum caput!) ora cachinno. Quanquam res agitur folenni feria pompa, Spernit follicitum intractabilis ille tumultum, Et rifu importunus adeft, atque omnia turbaty. BUT to return to our Argument. Be you well affured of this, kind Reader, that whatever Impreffions are made upon a Populace in the Way of Scenery and dramatic Representation, are no more than fo Kinds of filent Eloquence and Perfuafion: That Facts which ought to be proved, are always taken for granted, and Things and Perfons often rendered apparently abfurd, which really are not fo. That the Vulgar (both high and low) are apt to fwallow any fordid Feft or Buffoonry, fo it be but accommodated to their preconceived Opinions : That this Way of Ridicule, like every other, Mufa Angl. MACH. GEST. by Mr. Addifan. as SECT. as it is fairly or dishonestly applied, will VIII. fweep away Truth or Falfehood without SECT. Diftinction: That it will confound French Prophets with English Reformers, and on the fame falfe Foundation eftablish the Truths of Proteftantifm, or the Abfurdities of Popery. That as Virtue herself cannot bear up against a Torrent of Ridicule, fo neither can Religion: That therefore Chriftianity had indeed more to fear from the contemptuous Mifreprefentations, than the bittereft Rage of its Enemies: That Chriftianity did in Fact endure this more than firey Trial: That its divine Founder was derided as well as crucified: That they who in fucceeding Times fuffered for the Faith, endured cruel Mockings no less than Scourgings, Bonds, and Imprisonment: That many a brave Martyr offered up his Prayers to Heaven, that he might be released by Death from the Contempt of his Enemies: And after being baited in the Bear-Skin, found a Refuge in the Faggot, or the Pitch-Barrel. SECTION IX. HOWEVER, the noble Writer's MoIX. defty must not be forgotten. For while he Prophesy unto us, who it was that smote thee! IX. might have arrogated to himself the Glory SECT. of this wondrous Discovery, he hath informed us of an ancient Sage, whofe Idea of Ridicule coincided with his own. ""Twas the Saying of an ancient Sage, that "Humour was the only Teft of Gravity"." THE Reader will probably be furprized to find that the Paffage here referred to by the noble Writer, is no other than what hath been already quoted from ARISTOTLE as a Direction to the Conduct of an Orator. "Tis likewife remarkable, that his Lordship, in quoting the original Paffage in his Margin, has, by the prudent Omiffion of an emphatical Expreffion, converted it from a particular Rule of Rhetoric into a general Maxim of Philofophy. But 'tis of all most remarkable, that in his pretended Tranflation, he hath entirely perverted the Senfe of the Author, whofe Authority he attempts to build upon. "As Ridicule (fays the great Philofopher) feems to be of fome Ufe in Plead"ing; it was the Opinion of GORGIAS, See above, p. 43. 2 Vol. i. p. 74• The Words, των εναντίων. omitted. G " that SECT." that you ought to confound your Adver IX. << fary's ferious Argument by Raillery, and "his Raillery by ferious Argument." This is almost a literal Tranflation of the Paffage. But how the noble Author could fo far impose upon himself or others, as to strip it of its native Drefs, and disguise it under the fantastical Appearance of a Maxim, "that Humour is the only Teft "of Gravity, and Gravity of Humour,”. this is not so easy to account for. HOWEVER this came to pafs, 'tis certain, that the Obfervation, as it lies in ARISTOTLE, is a juft and a fine one: as it lies in the noble Writer's maimed Tranflation, it is falfe, if not unmeaning. THAT an Orator fhould confound his Adverfary's Raillery by ferious Argument, is rational and juft. By this means he tears off the false Disguifes of Eloquence, and diftinguisheth real from apparent Truth. That he fhould confound his Adverfary's ferious Argument by Raillery, is, if not a juft, yet a legal Practice. The Aim and End of the Advocate or Orator is Perfuafion only; to Truth or Falsehood as it happens. If he hath Truth on his Side, it is likely what he will have then to do, will be to confound his Adverfary's 1 |