It is with a mixture of compassion and indignation, that we condescend to continue the dispute with the authors and publishers of the London Magazine: to be engaged in a contest with such antagonists as it is no honour to overcome, is very disgusting; and what honour can be gained by writing against those who cannot read? There may, indeed, be some use in this mock controversy. We may, perhaps, be better prepared for a defence, if some abler adversary should at any time attack us; as the Roman soldiers in time of peace used to preserve their dexterity by discharging their javelins at a post.1

Yet, perhaps, the deplorable stupidity of the writers by whom it is our fate to be opposed, is so far from making the controversy more easy to be carried on in a proper manner, that it often produces difficulties and perplexities. To treat weakness and folly with severity and roughness, would be thought insolent and cruel; to use softer language and argument without satire, might probably encourage them to be less diffident of themselves, and consequently more troublesome to the world.

We are, indeed, for the most part inclined to lenity, and wish to still their clamours by gentle means; but since they seem absolutely insensible of our forbearance, we shall for once have recourse to severity, and prevail upon ourselves, in opposition to our natural tenderness, to punish them by republishing their own papers, without any alteration, except marking a few pretty words in italicks.

The following postscript was drawn up by the secretary of their political club,2 the greatest genius in the whole society, and a kind of giant among pygmies. We should think it, in general, by no means pardonable to make so despicable a scribler the object of ridicule; but hope a little merriment may be decently indulg’d, when he ventures to assume an air of superiority and contempt, when he runs away with triumph and exultation, and hides his head with the arrogance of a conqueror.

An Extraordinary Postscript in the last London Magazine, p. 117.3

I find by some advertisements lately published in the news papers, that Mr Urban has been pleased to publish some criticisms upon the accounts I have sent you of the debates in the Political Club. For this reason I must desire you will acquaint the publick, that I never read any thing he publishes; nor ever hear of any thing he publishes, in the whole circle of my acquaintance; which makes me conclude, that his monthly bundle of galimatias4 is neither purchased nor read by any man of common sense in the kingdom: therefore, I shall not give myself the trouble to read, and much less to answer any criticisms he may, in order to fill up, find necessary to publish; for if they are read by any man of common understanding, which I can hardly believe possible, he will easily discover the falshood or absurdity of the criticism; and as fools generally favour one another, I know it is impossible to persuade them that their brother is in a mistake.——

N.B. This postscript is published by the secretary, to confute P. Q.’s criticism in the Gentleman’s Magazine, p. 92, and to justify what himself had asserted in the London Magazine of Feb. p. 62, that D is not sounded in COLD and BOLD.5