attend, though they are laughed at, and only encouraged to gratify the
insatiate vanity of those professed wits and beauties who aim at being
publicly distinguished in those characters. Dean Swift, by his
lordship's own account, was so intoxicated with the love of flattery, he
sought it amongst the lowest of the people, and the silliest of women;
and was never so well pleased with any companions as those that
worshipped him while he insulted them. It is a wonderful condescension
in a man of quality to offer his incense in such a crowd, and think it
an honour to share a friendship with Sheridan, &c., especially being
himself endowed with such universal merit as he displays in these
Letters, where he shows that he is a poet, a patriot, a philosopher, a
physician, a critic, a complete scholar, and most excellent moralist;
shining in private life as a submissive son, a tender father, and
zealous friend. His only error has been that love of learned ease which
he has indulged in a solitude, which has prevented the world from being
blest with such a general, minister, or admiral, being equal to any of
these employments, if he would have turned his talents to the use of the
public. Heaven be praised, he has now drawn his pen in its service, and
given an example to mankind that the most villanous actions, nay, the
coarsest nonsense, are only small blemishes in a great genius. I happen
to think quite contrary, weak woman as I am. I have always avoided the
conversation of those who endeavour to raise an opinion of their
understanding by ridiculing what both law and decency obliges them to
revere; but, whenever I have met with any of those bright spirits who
would be smart on sacred subjects, I have ever cut short their discourse
by asking them if they had any lights and revelations by which they
would propose new articles of faith? Nobody can deny but religion is a
comfort to the distressed, a cordial to the sick, and sometimes a
restraint on the wicked; therefore, whoever would argue or laugh it out
of the world, without giving some equivalent for it, ought to be treated