in his _VIRGIL_, after having acknowledged that a "certain
excellent young man" [_i.e., W. CONGREVE himself_] had shewed him many
faults in his translation of _VIRGIL_, which he had endeavoured to
correct, goes on to say, "Two other worthy friends of mine, who desire to
have their names concealed, seeing me straightened in my time, took pity
on me, and gave me the _Life of VIRGIL_, the two _Prefaces_ to the
_Pastorals_ and the _Georgics_, and all the Arguments in prose to the
whole Translation." If Mr. ADDISON is one of the two friends, and the
_Preface_ to the _Georgics_ be what the Editor calls the _Essay upon the
Georgics_ as one may adventure to say they are, from their being word for
word the same, he has cast an inhuman reflection upon Mr. DRYDEN: who,
though tied down not to name Mr. ADDISON, pointed at him so as all
Mankind conservant in these matters knew him, with an eulogium equal to
the highest merit, considering who it was that bestowed it, I could not
avoid remarking upon this circumstance, out of justice to Mr. DRYDEN: but
confess, at the same time, I took a great pleasure in doing it; because I
knew, in exposing this outrage, I made my court to Mr. CONGREVE.

I have observed that the Editor will not let me or any one else obey Mr.
ADDISON's commands, in hiding anything he desired to be concealed.

I cannot but take further notice, that the circumstance of marking his
_Spectators_ [_with the letters C, L, I, O,_], which I did not know till
I had done with the Work; I made my own act! because I thought it too
great a sensibility in my friend; and thought it (since it was done)
better to be supposed marked by me than the Author himself. The real
state of which, this zealot rashly and injudiciously exposes! I ask the
reader, Whether anything but an earnestness to disparage me could provoke
the Editor, in behalf of Mr. ADDISON, to say that he marked it out of
caution against me: when I had taken upon me to say, it was I that did
it! out of tenderness to him.

As the imputation of any the Least Attempt of arrogating to myself, or
detracting from Mr. ADDISON, is without any Colour of Truth: you will
give me leave to go on in the same ardour towards him, and resent the
cold, unaffectionate, dry, and barren manner, in which this Gentleman
gives an Account of as great a Benefactor as any one Learned Man ever had
of another. Would any man, who had been produced from a College life, and
pushed into one of the most