we lie under an unavoidable
necessity of being encountered in Publick, 'tis some Comfort to be
engaged with Bravery and Honour: In such a Case there is Reputation
to be got if we come off with Victory; but to be forced to enter the
Lists with a feeble, inglorious and despicable Adversary, is somewhat
afflicting; there can be no Skill, no Dexterity shown in putting by
his Thrusts, and there is no Reputation acquired by gaining the
Conquest.

Certainly there never appeared in the World a Paper so little
performing what it seems to promise in the Title page, so mean and
undesigning, and in short so below the mighty Character of its Author
who so often takes care to instruct us that _a great Prince and a King
did not disdain to employ him as a Counsellor of State_, as this
rambling, incoherent unthinking Letter. But perhaps it may be alledged
by some of its Favourers, that the sincerity of what it pretends to
relate, may atone for all its other palpable defects, since to use his
own magnificent Expression our Deserter of a _Monk_ is pleased to
assure us, _p. 9._ that _the only Heroe of his Piece shall be Truth_:
And indeed the Matter wou'd be somewhat mended if the Case were so;
but for certain Considerations best known to himself our Letter-Writer
has been so complaisant to his Heroe, as not to give him any trouble
at all. However this pleasant passage puts me in mind of a certain
person of the Long Robe who a little after the Restauration, when
writing of Plays was more in fashion than it is at present, must needs
threaten the Stage with a Play; and as a Hero is a very necessary
Ingredient in all or at least most Compositions of that Nature, he
designed to furnish himself with a Hero that should work Miracles,
defeat Armies, charm the Ladies, and make as considerable a Figure as
any Hero that had visited the World for many Ages. After he had amused
himself some Months with this painful Undertaking, a Friend of his
happens to interrogate him upon this Article, and asks him what
Progress he had made in his Play, and how his Hero fared. To which the
poor Gentleman replied, that a certain Misfortune had befallen him
which had put a stop to the Affair. In short, after a tedious Enquiry,
he informs him that he had unluckily killed his Hero in the first Act,
and so cou'd not for the heart of him tell how to advance any farther.
This was fairly and civilly done in our Gentleman. He had cut out so
much Work for his Hero in the fi