the best poet, in the Latin tongue.  You find Horace complaining, that, for taxing some verses in Lucilius, he himself was blamed by others, though his design was no other than mine now, to improve the knowledge of poetry; and it was no defence to him, amongst his enemies, any more than it is for me, that he praised Lucilius where he deserved it; pagina laudatur eadem.  It is for this reason I will be no more mistaken for my good meaning:  I know I honour Ben Jonson more than my little critics, because, without vanity I may own, I understand him better[6].  As for the errors they pretend to find in me, I could easily show them, that the greatest part of them are beauties; and for the rest, I could recriminate upon the best poets of our nation, if I could resolve to accuse another of little faults, whom, at the same time, I admire for greater excellencies.  But I have neither concernment enough upon me to write any thing in my own defence, neither will I gratify the ambition of two wretched scribblers, who desire nothing more than to be answered.  I have not wanted friends, even among strangers, who have defended me more strongly, than my contemptible pedant could attack me[7].  For the other, he is only like Fungoso in the play, who follows the fashion at a distance, and adores the Fastidious Brisk of Oxford[8].  You can bear me witness, that I have not consideration enough for either of them to be angry.  Let Maevius and Bavius admire each other; I wish to be hated by them and their fellows, by the same reason for which I desire to be loved by you.  And I leave it to the world, whether their judgment of my poetry ought to be preferred to yours; though they are as much prejudiced by their malice, as I desire you should be led by your kindness, to be partial to,

  SIR,

    Your most humble,
      And most faithful servant,
        JOHN DRYDEN.

Footnotes: 

1.  Sir Charles Sedley, noted among “the mob of gentlemen who wrote
   with ease,” was so highly applauded for his taste and judgment,
   that Charles said, “Nature had given him a patent to be Apollo’s
   viceroy.”  Some account has been given of this celebrated courtier,
   in the introduction to the Essay on Dramatic Poetry.  Dryden was at
   this time particularly induced to appeal to the taste of the first
   among the gay world, by the repeated censures which had been
   launched against him from the groves of Academe.  Mr Malone gives
   the titles of three pamphlets which had appeared against Dryden.
   1.  The Censure of the Rota, on Mr Dryden’s Conquest of Granada,
   printed at Oxford. 2.  A Description of the Academy of the Athenian
   Virtuoso, with a discourse held there in vindication of Mr Dryden’s
   Conquest of Granada, against the Author of the Censure of the Rota.
   3.  A Friendly Vindication of Mr Dryden, from the Author of the