A Humble Attempt at Scurrility - 15
THERE remains then on the List, only, “His Historical Review” as it is called; but as I am well assured from good Authority, that he did not compile that Work, and as it is little more than a mete Relation of the publick Conduct of the several Branches of our Legislature, there is nothing farther necessary to be said on that Head.—And as to the “many more” of his political Pieces, which our Author has not named, he is defy’d to produce one wherein Mr. F—n begun an Attack on any Man’s Reputation. If in any ”he has taken great Freedom with the Characters of others,” it is only where he has been drove to it in his own Defence, and after he had pass’d by so many villainous Aspersions of his Character, as to induce his Calumniators to think they might continue to abuse him with Impunity.
MR. F—n’s Friends are next asked, ”Why they will insist upon a Practice so different from his own, and even make it a Condition on which alone they will make a Reply?” They do not, as appears from what is already said, insist upon any Practice different from his own; all they ask, and in which every honest Man will think them right, is, that his Adversaries will act in the same open Manner he has done, and subscribe their Names to their Performance.— Even his anonymous Pieces were so far from being disown’d by him, that he always, upon being ask’d, acknowledged he was the Author. But of all the Shoal of anonymous Prop—ry Papers which have appeared during our Contests, there cannot be found a Man that will own one of them; on the contrary, the greatest Care and Pains is taken to conceal the Names of their several Writers.
