An apology for the study of northern antiquities Part 4

And dies in Woe, that thou may'st live in Peace.

The only farther Example of _Monosyllabick Verses_ I shall insert here, and which I cannot well omit, is what I wou'd desire the Author to apply to his own Censure of _Monosyllables_, they are these which follow;

Then since you now have done your worst, Pray leave me where you found me first.

Part of the seventh Epistle of the first Book of _Horace_ imitated, and address'd to a n.o.ble Peer, _p. ult._

After so many Authorities of the Gentlemen, these few Instances from some of our Female Poets, may I hope be permitted to take place. I will begin with Mrs. _Philips_ on the Death of the Queen of _Bohemia_;

Over all Hearts and her own Griefs she reign'd.

And on the Marriage of the Lord _Dungannon_,

May the vast Sea for your sake quit his Pride, And grow so smooth, while on his Breast you ride, As may not only bring you to your Port, But shew how all things do your Virtues court.

To _Gilbert_ Lord Archbishop of _Canterbury_,

That the same Wing may over her be cast, Where the best Church of all the World is plac'd.

Mrs. _Wharton_ upon the Lamentations of _Jeremiah_;

Behold those Griefs which no one can repeat, Her Fall is steep, and all her Foes are great.

And my Lady _Winchelsea_ in her Poem ent.i.tuled, _The Poor Man's Lamb_;

Thus wash'd in Tears, thy Soul as fair does show As the first Fleece, which on the Lamb does grow.

Sir, from these numerous Instances, out of the Writings of our greatest and n.o.blest Poets, it is apparent, That had the Enmity against _Monosyllables_, with which there are some who make so great a Clamour, been so great in all Times, we must have been deprived of some of the best Lines, and finest Flowers, that are to be met with in the beautiful Garden of our _English_ Posie. Perhaps this may put our Countreymen upon studying with greater Niceness the use of these kind of Words, as well in the Heroick Compositions, as in the softer and more gentle Strains. I speak not this, upon Confidence of any Judgment I have in _Poetry_, but according to that Skill, which is natural to the Musick of a _Northern Ear_, which, if it be deficient, as I shall not be very obstinate in its Defence, I beg leave it may at least be permitted the Benefit of Mr. _Dryden_'s Apology, for the Musick of old Father _Chaucer_'s Numbers, "That there is the rude Sweetness of a _Scotch_ Tune in it, which is natural and pleasing, tho' not perfect."

Sir, I must beg your Pardon for this long Digression, upon a Subject which many will think does not deserve it: but if I have herein discover'd some of the greatest Beauties of our _English_ Poets, it will be more excusable, at least for the respect that is intended to so n.o.ble an Art as theirs. But to suspect the worst, considering that I am now writing a Preface, I am provided with another Apology from Mr. _Dryden_, who cautions his Reader with this Observation, _That the Nature of a Preface is Rambling, never wholly out of the way, nor in it_. Yet I cannot end this Preface, without desiring that such as shall be employ'd in _refining_ and _ascertaining_ our _English Tongue_, may entertain better Thoughts both of the _Saxon Tongue_, and of the Study of Antiquities. Methinks it is very hard, that those who labour and take so much pains to furnish others with Materials, either for Writing, or for Discourse, who have not Leisure, or Skill, or Industry enough to serve themselves, shou'd be allowed no other Instances of Grat.i.tude, than the reproachful t.i.tle of Men of _low Genius_, of which low Genius's it may be observed, that they carry some Ballast, and some valuable Loading in them, which may be despised, but is seldom to be exceeded in any thing truly valuable, by light and fluttering Wits. But it is not to be wonder'd, that Men of Worth are to be trampled upon, for otherwise they might stand in the way of these a.s.sumers; and indeed were it not for the Modesty of their Betters, and their own a.s.surance, they wou'd not only be put out of the way of those Expectations that they have, but out of all manner of Countenance. There is a Piece of History that I have met with in the Life of _Archbishop Spotswood_, that may not unfitly be remembered on this Occasion, shewing that studious Men of a private Character are not always to be reputed Men of _low Genius_: "Nor were his Virtues (says the History) buried and confined within the Boundaries of his Parish, for having formerly had a Relation to the n.o.ble Family of _Lenox_, he was looked upon as the fittest Person of his Quality to attend _Lodowic_, Duke of _Lenox_, as his Chaplain in that honourable Emba.s.sy to _Henry_ the fourth of _France_, for confirming the ancient Amity between both Nations; wherein he so discreetly carried himself, as added much to his Reputation, and made it appear that Men bred up in the Shade of Learning might possibly endure the Sun-shine, and when it came to their turns, might carry themselves as handsomly abroad, as they (whose Education being in a more pragmatick way) usually undervalue them."

But that of _low Genius_ is not the worst Charge which is brought against the _Antiquaries_, for they are not allow'd to have so much as common Sense, or to know how to express their Minds intelligibly.

This I learn from _a Dissertation on reading the Cla.s.sicks, and forming a just Stile_; where it is said, "It must be a great fault of Judgment if where the Thoughts are proper, the Expressions are not so too: A Disagreement between these seldom happens, but among Men of more recondite Studies, and what they call deep Learning, especially among your _Antiquaries_ and _Schoolmen_." This is a good careless way of talking, it may pa.s.s well enough for the _genteel Negligence_, in short, such _Nonsense_, as _Our_ Antiquaries are seldom guilty of; for Propriety of Thoughts, without Propriety of Expression is such a Discovery, as is not easily laid hold of, except by such Hunters after Spectres and Meteors, as are forced to be content with the Froth and Sc.u.m of Learning, but have indeed nothing to shew of that deep Learning, which is the effect of recondite Studies. And there was a Gentleman, no less a Friend to polite Learning, but as good a judge of it as himself, and who is also a Friend to Antiquities, who was hugely pleased with the Humour of his saying _YOUR Antiquaries_, being very ready to disclaim an Acquaintance with all such Wits, and who told me the Antiquaries, were the Men in all the World who most contemn'd _Your Men of Sufficiency and Self-conceit_. But here his Master _Horace_ is quite slipt out of his Mind, whose Words are,

Scribendi recte, sapere est & principium & fons.

Rem tibi Socraticae poterunt ostendere chartae: Verbaque provisam rem non invita sequentur.

Thus translated by my Lord _Roscommon_,

Sound Judgment is the ground of writing well: And when Philosophy directs your Choice To proper Subjects rightly understood, Words from your Pen will naturally flow.

_Horace_'s _Sapere_, and my Lord _Roscommon_'s _Proper Subjects rightly understood_, I take to be the same as _Propriety of Thought_, and the _non invita sequentur, naturally flowing_, I take to import the Fitness and Propriety of Expression. I also gather from hence, that there is a very easy and natural Connexion between these two, and these same Antiquaries of OURS, must be either very dull and stupid Animals, or a strange kind of cross-gran'd and perverse Fellows, to be always putting a Force upon Nature, and running out of a plain Road.

He must either insinuate that they are indeed such, or that _Horace_'s Observation is not just, or that for the Word _invita_ we ought to have a better reading, for which he will be forced to consult the _Antiquaries_. I know not how some of the great Orators, he has mention'd, will relish his Compliments upon the Score of Eloquence, when he has said such hard things against Antiquaries; many of them, and those of chief Note, were his Censure just and universal, must of necessity be involv'd in it. For example, the late _Bishop_ of _Rochester_, of whom, he says, "He was the correctest Writer of the Age, and comes nearest the great Originals of _Greece_ and _Rome_, by a studious Imitation of the Ancients." So that, as I take it, he was an Antiquary: If he excludes _English Antiquities_, I desire him to remember the present _Bishop_ of _Rochester_, of whom he has given this true Character, "Dr. _Atterbury_ writeth with the fewest Faults, and greatest Excellencies of any who have studied to mix Art and Nature in their Compositions, _&c._" He hath however thought fit to adorn the Subject of Antiquities with the Beauties of his Stile, without any Force upon Nature, or the being obliged to forsake her easy and unconstrain'd Method of applying proper Expressions to proper Thoughts. The _Bishop_ of St. _Asaph_ hath shewn his Skill in Antiquities, by more Instances than one; yet do I not find, that even in the Opinion of this Gentleman, it hath spoil'd his Stile. I shall add to these the late and present _Bishops_ of _Worcester_, the former, Dr. _Stillingfleet_, is allow'd by all to have been one of the most learned Men and greatest Antiquaries of his Age; and for the present Bishop, who is also a learned Antiquary, take the Character which is given of his Skill and Exactness in the _English_ Tongue from [F]_Bishop Wilkins_;

I must acknowledge my self obliged, saith he, to the continual a.s.sistance I have had from my most learned and worthy Friend, Dr.

_William Lloyd_, than whom (so far as I am able to judge) this Nation could not have afforded a fitter Person, either for that great Industry, or accurate Judgment, both in _Philological_, and _Philosophical_ Matters, required to such a Work. And particularly, I must wholly ascribe to him that tedious and difficult Task, of suiting the Tables to the _Dictionary_, and the drawing up of the _Dictionary_ itself, which, upon trial, I doubt not, will be found to be the most perfect, that was ever yet made for the _English Tongue_.

I will only farther beg leave to mention, the _Bishop_ of _Carlisle_, _Your Self_, and Dr. _Gibson_, who for good Spirit, masterly Judgment, and all the Ornaments of Stile, in the several ways of Writing, may be equalled with the best and most polite. To conclude, if this Preface is writ in a Stile, that may be thought somewhat rough and too severe, it is not out of any natural Inclination to take up a Quarrel, but to do some Justice to the Study of Antiquities, and even of our own Language itself, against the severe Censurers of both; whose Behaviour in this Controversy has been such, as cou'd not have the Treatment it deserved in a more modest or civil manner. If I am mistaken herein, I beg Pardon: I might alledge that which perhaps might be admitted for an Excuse, but that I will not involve the whole s.e.x, by pleading Woman's Frailty. I confess I thought it would be to little purpose to write an _English Saxon Grammar_, if there was nothing of Worth in that Language to invite any one to the study of it; so that I have only been upon the Defensive. If any think fit to take up Arms againsst me, I have great Confidence in the Protection of the Learned, the Candid, and the n.o.ble; amongst which, from as many as bear the Ensigns of St. _George_, I cannot doubt of that help, that true Chevalrie can afford, to any Damsel in Distress, by cutting off the Heads of all those Dragons, that dare but to open their Mouths, or begin to hiss against her. But, Sir, before I conclude, I must do you the Justice to insert an extract of two Letters from the Right Honourable _D. P._ to the Reverend Dr. _R. Taylor_, relating to your _Thesaurus. Lingg. Vett. Septentrion._ which indeed might more properly have been placed in the eighth Page of this Preface, had it come sooner to my Hands. It is as follows,

--"The _Dean_'s Present, which I shall value as long as I live for his sake. _Dom. Mabillon_ was the first that told me of that Work, and said, that the Author was a truly learned Person, and not one of those Writers who did not understand their Subject to the bottom, but, said he, that learned Man is one of ten thousand."

[Footnote F: See the Epistle to the Reader in the Essay towards a Real Character, p. 3.]

And in another Letter to the abovemention'd Dr. _Taylor_--. "When _Dom. Mabillon_ first told me of it, he did not name the Author, so as I understood who he was, but the Elogium he made of him, was indeed very great, and I find that the _Dean_ in one Word, has done that worthy Man Justice." This high Elogium of your self, and of your great Work, from so renowned an Antiquary, as it is a great Defence and Commendation of the _Old Northern Learning_, so is it the more remarkable, in that it was given by one, against whom you had written in the most tender Point of the Controversy, _De Re Diplomatica_, as may be seen in your _Lingg.

Vett. Septentr. Thesaur. Praefat. General._ p. _x.x.xvi_, &c.

Sir, I once more heartily beg your Pardon for giving you so much trouble, and beg leave to give you my Thanks for the great a.s.sistance I have received in the _Saxon_ Studies from your learned Works, and Conversation; and in particular for your favourable Recommendation of my Endeavours, in a farther cultivating those Studies, who with sincere Wishes for your good Health, and all imaginable Respect for a Person of your Worth and Learning, am,

_SIR_,

Your Most Obliged,

Humble Servant,

_Elizabeth Elstob._

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