extricable
network of calumny and genius.

Writers of this class alienate themselves from human kind, they break
the golden bond which holds them to society; and they live among us
like a polished banditti. In these copious extracts, I have not
noticed the more criminal insinuations against the Harveys; I have
left the grosser slanders untouched. My object has been only to trace
the effects of ridicule, and to detect its artifices, by which the
most dignified characters may be deeply injured at the pleasure of a
Ridiculer. The wild mirth of ridicule, aggravating and taunting real
imperfections, and fastening imaginary ones on the victim in idle
sport or ill-humour, strikes at the most brittle thing in the world, a
man's good reputation, for delicate matters which are not under the
protection of the law, but in which so much of personal happiness is
concerned.

FOOTNOTES:

[80] Of AKENSIDE few particulars have been recorded, for the friend
who best knew him was of so cold a temper with regard to
public opinion, that he has not, in his account, revealed a
solitary feature in the character of the poet. Yet Akenside's
mind and manners were of a fine romantic cast, drawn from the
moulds of classical antiquity. Such was the charm of his
converse, that he even heated the cold and sluggish mind of
Sir John Hawkins, who has, with unusual vivacity, described a
day spent with him in the country. As I have mentioned the
fictitious physician in "Peregrine Pickle," let the same page
show the real one. I shall transcribe Sir John's forgotten
words--omitting his "neat and elegant dinner:"--"Akenside's
conversation was of the most delightful kind, learned,
instructive, and, without any affectation of wit, cheerful and
entertaining. One of the pleasantest days of my life I passed
with him, Mr. Dyson, and another friend, at Putney--where the
enlivening sunshine of a summer's day, and the view of an
unclouded sky, were the least of our gratifications. In
perfect good-humour with himself and all about him, he seemed
to feel a joy that he lived, and poured out his gratulations
to the great Dispenser of all felicity in expressions that
Plato himself might have uttered on such an occasion. In
conversations with select friends, and those whose studies had