reputation, and were generally allowed to have genius; a circumstance
that would detract more from his candour than could be allowed to his
capacity.

"D--n their genius!" cried the satirist, "a pack of impertinent rascals!
I tell you, sir, Ben Bullock and I had determined to crush all that were
not of our own party. Besides, I said before, this piece was written in
drink."--"Was you drunk too when it was printed and published?"--"Yes,
the printer shall make affidavit that I was never otherwise than drunk or
maudlin, till my enemies, on pretence that my brain was turned, conveyed
me to this infernal mansion"--

"They seem to have been your best friends," said the knight, "and have
put the most tender interpretation on your conduct; for, waiving the plea
of insanity, your character must stand as that of a man who hath some
small share of genius, without an atom of integrity. Of all those whom
Pope lashed in his Dunciad, there was not one who did not richly deserve
the imputation of dulness, and every one of them had provoked the
satirist by a personal attack. In this respect the English poet was much
more honest than his French pattern Boileau, who stigmatised several men
of acknowledged genius; such as Quinault, Perrault, and the celebrated
Lulli; for which reason every man of a liberal turn must, in spite of all
his poetical merit, despise him as a rancorous knave. If this
disingenuous conduct cannot be forgiven in a writer of his superior
genius, who will pardon it in you whose name is not half emerged from
obscurity?"

"Hark ye, friend," replied the bard, "keep your pardon and your counsel
for those who ask it; or, if you will force them upon people, take one
piece of advice in return. If you don't like your present situation,