be,
he said, useful to both; this was, the amusing our readers with a
mock fight; giving blows that would not hurt, and sharing the
advantage in silence."[288]

Thus, by reversing the fact, Hill contrived to turn aside the frequent
stories against him by a momentary artifice, arresting or dividing
public opinion. The truth was, more probably, as Fielding relates it,
and the story, as we shall see, then becomes quite a different affair.
At all events, Hill incurred the censure of the traitor who violates a
confidential intercourse.

And if he lies not, must at least betray.
POPE.

Fielding lost no time in reply. To have brought down the _Inspector_
from his fastnesses into the open field, was what our new General only
wanted: a battle was sure to be a victory. Our critical Drawcansir has
performed his part, with his indifferent puns, but his natural
facetiousness.

"It being reported to the General that a _hill_ must be levelled,
before the Bedford coffee-house could be taken, orders were given; but
this was afterwards found to be a mistake; for this _hill_ was only a
little paltry _dunghill_, and had long before been levelled with the
dirt. The General was then informed of a report which had been spread
by his _lowness_, the Prince of Billingsgate, in the Grub-street army,
that his Excellency had proposed, by a _secret treaty_ with that
Prince, to carry on the war only in appearance, and so to betray the
common cause; upon which his Excellency said with a smile:--'If the
betrayer of a private treaty could ever deserve the least credit, yet
his Lowness here must proclaim himself either a liar or a fool. None
can doubt but that he is the former, if he hath feigned this treaty;
and I think few would scruple to call him the latter, if he had
rejected it.' The General then declared the fact stood thus:--'His
Lowness came to my tent on an affair of his own. I treated him, though
a commander in the enemy's camp, with civility, and even kindness. I
told him, with the utmost good-humour, I should attack his Lion; and
that he might, if he pleased, in the same manner defend him; from
which, said I, no great loss can happen on either side--'"

_The Inspector_ slunk away, and never returned to the challenge.

During his inspectorship, he invented a whimsical literary stratagem,
which ended in his receiving a castigation more lasting than the
honours performed on him at Ranelagh by