in the face of both armies, he had
fought single-handed with his antagonist, had slain him, and carried
off his arms as trophies. Another time he killed his man in a duel.
Jonson appears to have carried the same military spirit into the
Literary Republic.

Such a genius would become more tyrannical by success, and naturally
provoked opposition, from the proneness of mankind to mortify usurped
greatness, when they can securely do it. The man who hissed the poet's
play had no idea that he might himself become one of the dramatic
personages. Ben then produced his "Poetaster," which has been called
the _Dunciad_ of those times; but it is a _Dunciad_ without notes.
The personages themselves are now only known by their general
resemblance to nature, with the exception of two characters, those of
_Crispinus and Demetrius_.[389]

In "The Poetaster," Ben, with flames too long smothered, burst over
the heads of all rivals and detractors. His enemies seem to have been
among all classes; personages recognised on the scene as soon as
viewed; poetical, military, legal, and histrionic. It raised a host in
arms. Jonson wrote an apologetical epilogue, breathing a firm spirit,
worthy of himself; but its dignity was too haughty to be endured by
contemporaries, whom genius must soothe by equality. This apologetical
dialogue was never allowed to be repeated; now we may do it with
pleasure. Writings, like pictures, require a particular light and
distance to be correctly judged and inspected, without any personal
inconvenience.

One of the dramatic personages in this epilogue inquires

I never saw the play breed all this tumult.
What was there in it could so deeply offend,
And stir so many hornets?

The author replies:

------------I never writ that piece
More innocent, or empty of offence;
Some salt it had, but neither tooth nor gall.
------------Why, they say you tax'd
The law and lawyers, captains, and the players,
By their particular names.
------------It is not so:
I used no names. My books have still been taught
To spare the persons, and to speak the vices.

And he proceeds to tell us, that to obviate this accusation he had
placed his scenes in the age of Augustus.

To show that Virgil, Horace, and the rest
Of those great master-spirits, did not want
Detractors then, or practisers against them:
And by this line, although no parallel,
I hoped at last they would sit down and blush.

But