her have obliged them to hold
their peace, or to fix the same character on both. The only crime of
charging the dead is, when the least doubt remains whether the
accusation be true; but when men are openly abandoned, and lost to all
shame, they have no reason to think it hard if their memory be
reproached. Whoever reports, or otherwise publisheth, any thing which it
is possible may be false, that man is a slanderer; _hic niger est, hunc
tu, Romane, caveto_. Even the least misrepresentation, or aggravation of
facts, deserves the same censure, in some degree, but in this case, I am
quite deceived if my error hath not been on the side of extenuation.

I have now present before me the idea of some persons (I know not in
what part of the world) who spend every moment of their lives, and every
turn of their thoughts, while they are awake, (and probably of their
dreams while they sleep,) in the most detestable actions and designs;
who delight in mischief, scandal, and obloquy, with the hatred and
contempt of all mankind against them, but chiefly of those among their
own party and their own family; such whose odious qualities rival each
other for perfection: avarice, brutality, faction, pride, malice,
treachery, noise, impudence, dullness, ignorance, vanity, and revenge,
contending every moment for superiority in their breasts. Such creatures
are not to be reformed, neither is it prudence or safety to attempt a
reformation. Yet, although their memories will rot, there may be some
benefit for their survivors to smell it while it is rotting.

I am, Sir,
Your humble servant,
A. B.

Dublin,
March 25th, 1728.

ANSWER

TO SEVERAL LETTERS FROM UNKNOWN

PERSONS.[86]

WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1729.

ANSWER TO SEVERAL LETTERS FROM UNKNOWN PERSONS.[87]

GENTLEMEN,

I am inclined to think that I received a letter from you two, last
summer, directed to Dublin, while I was in the country, whither it was
sent me; and I ordered an answer to it to be printed, but it seems it
had little effect, and I suppose this will have not much more. But the
heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed. And, gentlemen, I am to tell you
another thing: That the world is so regardless of what we write for the
public good, that after we have delive