II. I did not mean to throw out the _most_ scandalous insinuations
on the character of Roscius, nor any insinuation _more_ scandalous
than his conduct. How far that has been so, he knows best, and is
left to make the application.
III. An _infamous_ paragraph I _cannot_ write; and an _anonymous_
one I _will not_ write, to prejudice my greatest enemy. As to that
in question, I have not, to this hour, even seen it. CALUMNY I
_detest_; but I think _vice_ should be exposed to _infamy_, nor
have I so much _false delicacy_ as to conceive, it should be
treated with _tenderness_ in proportion as it is _abominable_.
IV. I have not acknowledged that I entertain a _very different_
opinion of Roscius; on the contrary, I declare, that I entertain a
_very indifferent_ opinion of him.
V. As to the cause of our dispute, I should be very ready to
submit it to the publick, were I egotist enough to think it
deserved their attention.
VI. The brother of Roscius _did personally wait_ on me, to desire
I would meet "him, the said Roscius, who would bring a friend with
him; I being at liberty to do the same;" but as nothing of time,
place, or weapon was mentioned, I did not look on this message as
a challenge; nor well could I, as I never heard of requiring
_gentleman's satisfaction_ by _letter of attorney_, and the
professed end of our meeting turned merely on a matter of
business.--It is possible, indeed, the messenger, otherwise
instructed, might _imagine_ it such, especially as, it seems, his
head has teemed with nothing but challenges and duels, since his
magnanimous monomachy with one of his brother Roscius's
candle-snuffers.--That Roscius himself, however, did not mean to
send me a challenge, is plain, from his solliciting afterwards by
letter, a conference in the presence only of a common friend to
both: a request that would have been complied with, had not he
thought proper, in a most ungentleman-like manner, to make a
confidant, in the meantime, of a booby of a bookseller, who had
the folly and impudence to declare that he would, on _his_
[Roscius's] account, _take an opportunity_ to do _me_ some
desperate mischief.--Lest I should be yet supposed, from the
purport of this last query, to have any fear of a personal
encounter with the doughty Roscius, I require only that it may be
on an equal footing. I am neither so extravagantly fond of life,
nor think myself so consequential in it, as to fear the end of it
from such an antagonist; nor, to say the truth, should I have any
qualms of conscience, if nothing less will satisfy him, about
putting an end to so insignificant a being as his: but, as "the
race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," it is but
right to provide against a mishap. Roscius has a large fortune,
and little or no family to leave it to: I have a large family, and
little or no fortune to leave it. Let Roscius but previously
settle _only half_ his estate on my heirs, on condition that _he_
deprives them of a protector, and I will meet him to-morrow, and
engage at his own weapons, not only him, but his brother George
into the bargain.[36]
And now, Madam CANDOUR, give me leave to ask _you_ a question or
two, in my turn.
[36] The above pleasantry being misconstrued by some of Roscius's
friends to the disadvantage of the author, the latter thought himself
under the necessity of seriously acquainting the former, of his being
ready, as he is, at any time, to give him such satisfaction as a
gentleman, who supposes himself injured, has a right to require.
_Qu._ I. Whether, from many gross instances of misbehaviour,
_Roscius_ hath not long had sufficient reason to suspect the
detestable character of _Nyky_?
II. Whether, therefore, granting Roscius to be himself
_immaculate_, he is excusable for his notorious partialities to
such a character?
III. Whether he has any right to complain of unjust severity, in
being ludicrously reproached with such partialities, by a writer,
whom he hath treated, even in favour of that very wretch, with
disrespect, with insolence, with injustice.