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on their fide fhortened the profpect of the Moderns, it was a difadvantage they could not help; but defired them to confider, whether that injury (if it be any) were not largely recompenfed by the fhade and fhelter it afforded them: That, as to the levelling or digging down, it was either folly or ignorance to propofe it, if they did, or did not know, how that fide of the hill was an entire rock, which would break their tools and hearts, without any damage to itself: That they would therefore advife the Moderns, rather to raise their own fide of the hill, than dream of pulling down that of the Ancients; to the former of which they would not only give licence, but alfo largely contribute. All this was rejected by the Moderns, with much indignation; who ftill infifted upon one of the two expedients. And fo this difference broke outinto a long and obftinate war; maintained on the one part by refolution, and by the courage of certain leaders and allies; but on the other, by the greatness of their number, upon all defeats affording continual recruits. In this quarrel, whole rivulets of ink have been exhaufted, and the virulence of both parties enormously augmented. Now, it muft here be understood, that ink is the great miflive weapon in all battles of the learned, which conveyed through a fort of engine called a quill, infinite numbers of these are darted at the enemy, by the valiant on cach fide, with equal fkill and violence, as if it were an engagement of porcupines. This malignant liqour

VOL. I.

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was

was compounded, by the engineer who invented it, of two ingredients, which are gall and copperas; by its bitterness and venom, to fuit in fome degree, as well as to foment, the genius of the combatants. And as the Grecians, after an engagement, when they could not agree about the victory, were wont to fet up trophies on both fides; the beaten party being content to be at the fame expence to keep itself in countenance, (a laudable and ancient cuftom happily revived of late in the art of war); fo the learned, after a fharp and bloody difpute, do on both fides hang out their trophies too, whichever comes by the worst. Thefe trophies have largely infcribed on them, the merits of the caufe; a full impartial account of fuch a battle, and how the victory fell clearly to the party that fet them up. They are known to the world under feveral names; as, Difputes, Arguments, Rejoinders, Brief Confiderations, Anfavers, Replies, Remarks, Reflections, Objections, Confutations. For a very few days they are fixed up in all public places, either by themfelves or their reprefentatives *, for paffengers to gaze at: From whence the chiefest and largest are removed to certain magazines, they call libraries, there to remain in a quarter purpofely affigned them, and from thenceforth begin to be called books of controversy.

In these books is wonderfully inftilled, and preferved, the fpirit of each warrior, while he is -alive;

Their title-pages.

alive; and after his death, his foul tranfmigrates

there, to inform them. more common opinion.

This, at leaft, is the But I believe, it is with

libraries as with other cœmeteries, where fome philofophers affirm, that a certain fpirit, which they call brutum hominis, hovers over the monument, till the body is corrupted, and turns to duft or to worms, but then vanishes or diffolves : So, we may fay, a reftlefs fpirit haunts over every book, till duft or worms have seized upon it; which to fome may happen in a few days, but. to others later. And therefore, books of controversy, being of all others haunted by the most disorderly fpirits, have always been confined in a feparate lodge from the reft; and for fear of mutual violence against each other, it was thought prudent by our ancestors, to bind them. to the peace with ftrong iron chains. Of which invention the original occafion was this. When the works of Scotus firft came out, they were carried to a certain great library, and had lodgings appointed them: But this author was no fooner fettled, than he went to vifit his master Ariftotle; and there both concerted together to feize Plato by main force, and turn him out from his ancient ftation among the divines, where he had peaceably dwelt near eight hundred years. The attempt fucceeded, and the two ufurpers have reigned ever fince in his ftead. But to maintain quiet for the future, it was decreed, that all polemics of the larger fize fhould be held faft with a chain.

By this expedient, the public peace of libraries might certainly have been preserved, if a new fpecies of controverfial books had not arose of late years, inftinct with a moft malignant fpirit, from the war above mentioned, between the learned, about the higher fummity of Parnaffus.

When these books were first admitted into the public libraries, I remember to have faid upon occafion, to feveral perfons concerned, how I was fure they would create broils where-ever they came, unless a world of care were taken : And therefore I advifed, that the champions of each file fhould be coupled together, or otherwife mixed; that, like the blending of contrary poifons, their malignity might be employed among themselves. And it feems I was neither an ill prophet, nor an ill counfellor: For it was nothing elfe but the neglect of this caution, which gave occafion to the terrible fight that happened on Friday laft, between the Ancient and Modern books in the King's library. Now, becaufe the talk of this battle is fo frefh in every body's mouth, and the expectation of the town fo great to be informed in the particulars; I, being poffeffed of all qualifications requifite in an hiftorian, and retained by neither party, have refolved to comply with the urgent importunity of my friends, by writing down a full impartial account thereof.

The guardian of the regal library, a person of great valour, but chiefly renowned for his

humanity,

humanity*, had been a fierce champion Moderns; and in an engagement upon Par had vowed, with his own hands to knock two of the Ancient chiefs, who guarded a \mall pafs on the fuperior rock: But endeavouring to climb up, was cruelly obstructed by his own unhappy weight, and tendency towards his centre: A quality to which thofe of the Modern party are extreme fubject; for, being light-headed, they have in fpeculation a wonderful agility, and conceive nothing too high for them to mount; but in reducing to practice, difcover a mighty preffure about their posteriors and their heels. Having thus failed in his defign, the difappointed champion bore a cruel rancour to the Ancients; which he refolved to gratify, by fhewing. all marks of his favour to the books of their adverfaries, and lodging them in the faireft apartments; when at the fame time, whatever book had the boldness to own itself for an advocate of the Ancients, was buried alive in fome obfcure corner, and threatened, upon the leaft displeasure, to be turned out of doors. Befides, it fo happened, that about this time there was a strange confusion of place among all the books in the library; for which feveral reasons were affigned..

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* The Honourable Mr Boyle, in the preface to his edition of Phalaris, fays, he was refufed a manufcript by the library-keeper, pro folita humanitate fua.

Ibid. Dr Bentley was then library-keeper. The two ancients were Phalaris and. Efop. Hawkef.

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