A Humble Attempt at Scurrility - 23
If then Mr. A—n has no greater Advantages over Mr. H—s, in Point of Family, Fortune, Rank, Abilities, and Loyalty, than what are mentioned, I should be glad to be informed, on what Account it is that Mr. A—n will “not enter the Lists with such an Antagonist.” When the true Reason appears, I make no doubt but that it will be found neither more or less than this, That he was afraid of being as shamefully defeated in Writing as he had been before in Speaking.
Our Author next tells us, “that Mr. A—n neither was, nor could be supposed, the Author of a Performance in which so much is said to his own Advantage, and that his Modesty and Sense would at least have prevented this.” But as his possessing those two Qualities was not a Matter of publick Notoriety, the Supposition, if there was any such, is at least excuseable: And what makes it the more so is, that, among the numerous People to whom he harangued by the Hour, there are but few who will not acknowledge that his own Praise was the Subject of a considerable Part of his Discourse. In Truth, however, he was not, nor could not, for “very substantial Reasons” be supposed the Author of the Answer to the Remarks: But as he was known to have furnished most of the Materials for the “Calumny
