Coquin, ce me dit il, d'un arrogance extreme
Va Cherchir les coquins ailleurs, coquin toi-memê.
Which may be thus rendred into English,
He calls me a Rogue, like an arrogant Elf,
Seek your Rogues, Friend, at home, you're a great one your self.
By the Pointedness of the Conceit one would be apt to imagine that this noble Distich was of Monsieur de Cros's Composition, and indeed 'tis but fit that an Author who shews himself so phlegmatick in his Prose, should have the same dull Genius attend him in Poetry. But be the Verses whose they will, the merit of the Application intirely belongs to our Letter-Writer, who, to his Praise be it spoken, discreetly chose out two of the dullest Lines in the Universe, which it was impossible for him to murder, even by his own dull way of applying them.
After a long Discussion of the matter, he finds he is not so much hurt as he imagined at first. For in the first place he observes that the King called him Coquin or Rogue pleasantly, by way of Jest and without Passion; and in the second place, that if he called him so on purpose and with Design, yet he ought not to wonder at it, p. 47. since it was so usual a Compliment with him, and he had treated not only the most flourishing Republick in the World, Holland, and two Ambassadors of his most Christian Majesty, the Count d'Avaux and Monsieur Barillon, but even some Members of Parliament who had presented him with an Address, by this familiar Term. And here I cannot but make two Remarks; 1. That Monsieur de Cros does not preserve that profound Respect for the Memory of King Charles, as he would make the World believe; and that he makes no Conscience to sacrifice that Prince's Reputation upon every trivial Occasion, where himself is concern'd to vindicate his own No-Reputation. 2. That as we took Notice before, our great Letter-writer still takes pains to justify himself by the Protection of great Names. Thus, if Monsieur de Cros was a Monk, several Princes, and Kings, and Cardinals, and Popes were so before him; and if he deserted his Frock for a comfortable Petticoat, 'tis no more than what Nuncio's, and Pontiffs, and Persons of the highest Quality had shown him a President for: Thus if K. Charles the Second call'd him a Rogue, it never mortifies him; for according to our Author, he bestowed that very same Compliment upon Parliament-Men, Ambassadors, nay the States of Holland: and in like manner if he was Author of the abovemention'd dull Distich, he may still comfort himself by the Example of Tully, of Nero, nay and of Augustus himself.
I need not put my Invention to the rack, says Monsieur de Cros p. 49. to revenge my self on Sir W. T. If I had been minded to call Falshood to my Assistance, I should have bespattered him with bitterer things: but the Truth of my Remarks upon his Memoirs will revenge me sufficiently upon him. 'Tis needless here to question the fruitfulness of Monsieur de Cros's Invention, he having given but too many Proofs of it in this short Letter; and were it not that Dulness is the chief Ascendent in his Temper, he has variety enough of Fable, to qualify him not for a Writer of Remarks, but a Poet. In short if the dreadful Volume he threatens Sir W. T. with, perform no greater Execution than this little Specimen, Sir W. T. will have all the Reason in the World to bless his kind Stars for sending him so harmless an Adversary.
Our Author who found it so necessary to engage other Persons in his Quarrel, summs up all his Malice in his last Effort. Says he, p. 56. This the most proud and vindicative of all kind, has in his Memoirs assaulted the Reputation even of the greatest Ministers, as the Duke of Lauderdale, the most zealous and faithful Servant the King ever had; (by the same Token that a[B] late Pamphlet has recorded a celebrated Saying of his, viz. that he hoped to see the King's Edicts to be Laws and above the Laws) My Lord Arlington who had brought him out of Dust and Oblivion to place him in Employments; (but this Article having been cleared already, I shall now dismiss it without any further Remark) The principal Ministers and sagest Magistrates of Holland, the present Earl of Rochester, and the Marquis of Carmarthen. If this were true, as 'tis apparently false, they don't want the Help of such a feeble Writer as Monsieur de Cros to defend them. Lastly, p. 61. Perhaps, says he, this great Minister, this great Confident of Kings and Princes, and only Preserver of Flanders, had done wiser than to enter the Lists with a Monk, with a sort of an agent and a cunning Rogue. To all which let this short Answer serve. Sir W. T. had it never in his intentions to enter the Lists with an Enemy of so prostitute a Character; he only mention'd him two or three times, en passant, and has other Business to employ him, than to engage himself in a War where he can Expect no Triumph.
[B] Mr. Johnson's Argument, &c.