the Absolver
when he writ his Book. He knew that if there was so stupid a Temper,
that the Moral of a Play could not reform, the looseness that was in it
could not prejudice; nor if a wild Town-Fellow, or a baffl'd Bully, or
passionate Lover, being characters in a Play, spoke some extravagances
proper for 'em, would he roar it out for Blasphemy, Profaneness, &_c._
and make a malicious scrutiny, and unreasonable interpretation of words,
which had no other intention but to make the Character natural by
customary manner of Speech, as he has shewn examples by two of his own,
in the extremes of Vain-glory and Hypocrisie: And yet this Gentleman
was as Learned, as good a Critick, and as Consciencious a man, as our
Absolver can pretend to be; and if I say, I had somewhat a better Title
to Modesty and good Manners, I think it may be made out, he having a
civil regard to the Poets, defended their Cause, and excus'd some
failings for the sake of some other Merits, when this treats 'em all
like fools, tho he has only rak'd up a few of their errors, which he
has made a huge heap of Rubbish, by peering through his own Magnifying
Glass, without any allowance to their qualifications, or any modest
care to do 'em justice, which ought to have been one way as well as
another.

So much then for his _Modesty_ in one of its kinds, which is decency of
behaviour and expression; as for the other, he has plaid such a Game at
Hide and Seek with us, that we have been long in a Mist, not knowing how
to discover it: But the Air clears, and 'tis time for us now to take the
right end of the perspective, tho he would give us the Wrong, and then
try if we cannot discern, in the midst of his Garden of Divinity, a neat
friend of his call'd Immorality, tho he would subtly insinuate him into
the world as a stranger, leading his darling daughter dear Hypocrisie
into an Arbor; where, after they had been some time alone, our Critick
knowing how to be civil to his own creature, and to give 'em time enough
to beget a right understanding, he is very glad at last to be a third in
the company.

I should not have put him upon this warm Office, if I had not found him
too hot and bold with our Famous Ancient Truth-telling Poet _Juvenal_,
when in his Book he tells us, _he teaches those vices he would correct,
and writes more like a Pimp than a Poet_ [Footnote: Collier, p. 70,
71.]--But upon just consideration, I believe if the Absolver taught the
Art of Rebellion no