LETTERCXXIX.TO MR. W——E.
Charles Street, March 1, 1780.
MY GOOD FRIEND,
I WISH to interest you in behalf of the inclosed book—wrote by a greatly-esteemed friend—a young man of much merit—and a heart enriched with every virtue—the book I beg you will snatch time to read with attention.—It is an answer (as you will see) to a flaming bigoted Mongrel against Toleration.—Swift says, “Zeal is never so pleased as when you set it a tearing.” He says truly. Could you get the pamphlet (whose title I forget), you would be better enabled to judge of the force, truth, and strength of my friend’s answer:—for my part, I love liberty in every sense, whilst connected with honestyand truth:—it has been shewn a bookseller, but he happened to be the very man who had just published a flimsy answer to the same; consequently would not encourage my friend’s, lest it should injure the sale of his other.—Understand, my good friend, that the author is very ill-calculated for booksellers’ and printers’ jockeyship; which, to a liberal mind fraught with high and generous ideas, is death and the devil.
I own, I was guilty of teazing him into the finishing this little work, with a view of having it printed.—Now, my friend is not richer than poets commonly are—and, in short, will not run any risks.—I would gladly stand the expence of printing; but I am not richer than he;—I want it printed, and request of you, if, upon perusing it, you do not find it inimical, either to Religion, Country, or Crown, that you contrive to push it into the world without delay; but if, upon mature deliberation, you find it dangerous, with washed hands send it me back, and set me down for an ass, in the trouble I have given thee and myself.—Perhaps, jaundiced by prejudice, I behold it with toopartial eyes; for I verily believe it will not discredit the printer:—suppose you shew it in confidence to the greatly amiable, the good Mr. B——e. I mention him in particular; for sure I am his nobly benevolent soul would start at the bare idea of religious persecution:—he would, I trust, feel the full force of my friend’s reasoning—and his good opinion would be the best sanction for endeavouring to push the work forward.
I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman in our street one day last week, who seemed to be so goodly a personage, that I said to myself, There’s Sir Charles Grandison! His figure was noble—his eye brightened with kindness—the man of fashion and of sense was conspicuous in him:—think how I stared, when the gentleman accosted me—said, he knew me through my friend W——e;—his name was * * * *. I bowed, and stammered some nonsense—I was taken by surprize.—I am in such a hurry, and the pen is naught, that I fear you will scarcely understand this scrawl.—Remember I give you full powers over this work;—do whatyou can, but do it soon, and make your report to your friend,
I. SANCHO[16].
[16]The book alluded to in this letter was printed under the title of, “An Answer to the Appeal from the Protestant Association.”
[16]The book alluded to in this letter was printed under the title of, “An Answer to the Appeal from the Protestant Association.”