But that of low Genius is not the worst Charge which is brought against the Antiquaries, for they are not allow’d to have so much as common Sense, or to know how to express their Minds intelligibly.  This I learn from a Dissertation on reading the Classicks, and forming a just Stile; where it is said, “It must be a great fault of Judgment if where the Thoughts are proper, the Expressions are not so too:  A Disagreement between these seldom happens, but among Men of more recondite Studies, and what they call deep Learning, especially among your Antiquaries and_ Schoolmen_.”  This is a good careless way of talking, it may pass well enough for the genteel Negligence, in short, such Nonsense, as Our Antiquaries are seldom guilty of; for Propriety of Thoughts, without Propriety of Expression is such a Discovery, as is not easily laid hold of, except by such Hunters after Spectres and Meteors, as are forced to be content with the Froth and Scum of Learning, but have indeed nothing to shew of that deep Learning, which is the effect of recondite Studies.  And there was a Gentleman, no less a Friend to polite Learning, but as good a judge of it as himself, and who is also a Friend to Antiquities, who was hugely pleased with the Humour of his saying YOUR Antiquaries, being very ready to disclaim an Acquaintance with all such Wits, and who told me the Antiquaries, were the Men in all the World who most contemn’d Your Men of Sufficiency and Self-conceit.  But here his Master Horace is quite slipt out of his Mind, whose Words are,

    Scribendi recte, sapere est & principium & fons. 
    Rem tibi Socraticae poterunt ostendere chartae: 
    Verbaque provisam rem non invita sequentur.

Thus translated by my Lord Roscommon,

    Sound Judgment is the ground of writing well: 
    And when Philosophy directs your Choice
    To proper Subjects rightly understood,
    Words from your Pen will naturally flow.

Horace’s Sapere, and my Lord Roscommon’s Proper Subjects rightly understood, I take to be the same as Propriety of Thought, and the non invita sequentur, naturally flowing, I take to import the Fitness and Propriety of Expression.  I also gather from hence, that there is a very easy and natural Connexion between these two, and these same Antiquaries of OURS, must be either very dull and stupid Animals, or a strange kind of cross-gran’d and perverse Fellows, to be always putting a Force upon Nature, and running out of a plain Road.  He must either insinuate that they are indeed such, or that Horace’s Observation is not just, or that for the Word invita we ought to have a better reading, for which he will be forced to consult the Antiquaries.  I know not how some of the great Orators, he has mention’d, will relish his Compliments upon the Score of Eloquence, when