ith
'personal conversation,' which (in the 'turbulent world') is not to be
enjoyed but over a 'bottle,' where you have an 'hundred foolish things'
pass to 'one that deserveth to be remembered'; I was but too much afraid
'I say') that so 'great a slip' might be attended with 'still greater'
and 'worse': for 'your' Horace, and 'my' Horace, the most charming writer
that ever lived among the 'Pagans' (for the 'lyric kind of poetry,' I
mean; for, the be sure, 'Homer' and 'Virgil' would 'otherwise' be 'first'
named 'in their way') well observeth (and who understood 'human nature'
better than he?)

'Nec vera virtus, cum semel excidit,
Curat reponi deterioribus.'

And 'Ovid' no less wisely observeth:

'Et mala sunt vicina bonis. Errore sub illo
Pro vitio virtus crimina saepe tulit.'

Who, that can draw 'knowledge' from its 'fountain-head,' the works of the
'sages of antiquity,' (improved by the 'comments' of the 'moderns,') but
would 'prefer' to all others the 'silent quiet life,' which
'contemplative men' lead in the 'seats of learning,' were they not called
out (according to their 'dedication') to the 'service' and 'instruction'
of the world?

Now, Sir, 'another' favourite poet of mine (and not the 'less a
favourite' for being a 'Christian') telleth us, that ill is the custom of
'some,' when in a 'fault,' to throw the blame upon the backs of 'others,'

'----Hominum quoque mos est,
Quae nos cunque premunt, alieno imponere tergo.'
MANT.

But I, though (in this case) 'misled,' ('well intendedly,' nevertheless,
both in the 'misleaders' and 'misled,' and therefore entitled to lay hold
of that plea, if 'any body' is so entitled,) will not however, be classed
among such 'extenuators'; but (contrarily) will always keep in mind that
verse, which 'comforteth in mistake,' as well as 'instructeth'; and which
I quoted in my last letter;

'Errare est hominis, sed non persistere----'

And will own, that I was very 'rash' to take up with 'conjectures' and
'consequences' drawn from 'probabilites,' where (especially) the
'character' of so 'fine a lady' was concerned.

'Credere fallacy gravis est dementia famae.' MANT.

Notwithstanding, Miss Clarissa Harlowe (I must be bold to say) is the
'only young lady,' that ever I heard of (or indeed read of) that, 'having
made such a false step,' so 'soon' (of 'her own accord,' as I may say)
'r