Animadversions on Johnsons Answer to Jovian, Title page – Letter 1
Animadversions ON Mr IOHNSON's Answer TO JOVIAN, IN Three LETTERS TO A Country-Friend.
Quam multa sunt in isto tuo libro prorsus foreign— quantum convitiorum, quàm multa manifestae vanitatis, quantum stropharum, quantum figurati morsus, quàm multa parum prudenter detorta, ac depravata, & ex depravatis tragicae conclusiones, rursus ex his vociferationes in immerentem?
Erasm. Hyperasp. Diatribae lib. 1. operum tom. 9.
LONDON, Printed for Walter Kettilby, at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1691.
AN Advertisement FROM THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.
WHen I first committed these three Letters of Animadversions to the Press, I intended to write a Preface before them, to comply with the Custom of the Age, wherein nothing almost is Printed without a Preface to the Reader, to Apologize for the Work, or, it may be, for the unseasonable Publication of it, or to premise an account of the design for which it was written, or to inform him of the knowledge of something useful, or necessary to facilitate the understanding of it, or to supply some defect or oversight in it, or (as it often happens in Books of Controversy) to answer some other Preface, or perhaps to consider some things in it, which could not be so properly handled in the body of the Book. But the Gentleman to whom the Animadversions were written, having sent me a Copy of a Letter, which he wrote to the Authour about the Printing of them, with his Answer thereunto; I altered my intention, thinking it much better to print them, as he gave me leave to do, than to write any Preface before the three Letters, to which these are a most proper and pertinent Introduction, rendring any other needless; and will be, I believe, more acceptable to the learned Reader, than any I can write. Perhaps some Persons will wonder why I kept these Animadversions so long from the Press, after they were sent to me to get them published. To which I answer, that I have been hindered by many avocations, of which my Friends are not ignorant; and having obtained their Pardon for the delay, I hope, Courteous Reader, to obtain thine. I have only this to add, that the reason why the Second Letter appears abrupt and imperfect towards the end is, that some passages are wanting, which however innocent in themselves, and proper for the free and private correspondence of Friends, yet the Authour thought not fit to Print, partly because they may be maliciously wrested by prejudiced Persons, and partly through an unwillingness to do any thing that may seem to revive an unseasonable Question.
SIR,
IT is almost two Months since our Friend at London sent me word, that he had put into your hands the History of the Reigns of Edward and Richard the Second, written by the Honourable Sir Robert Howard. He saith he presented that Book unto you, not for the sake of the History, which you know better than the Historian; but for the sake of the Preface, that finding in it how far that Honourable Per…on had been mis-led by Mr. Johnson's Answer to Jovian, you might be perswaded to publish those Animadversions upon that pretended Answer, which you did me the favour to write for my sake, shortly after it came abroad.
I have formerly told you what success I have had in communicating of them to several Gentlemen, both of the Laity and Clergy, and how happily thereby I have prevented some from being mis-led, and reduced others, that were so, by the confidence and fallacy of Mr. Johnson, and how urgent thereupon every one of them were with me, to procure, your leave to have them made publick: and had I been so happy to obtain it, when I first desir'd it, I am confident the timely publication of them had saved Sir Robert a great deal of needless pains in that Preface to his History, and the trouble of a long Speech, which he made almost in the words of it to a very full House of Commons, on that memorable day which was appointed for the great debate of the disabling Clause. It was then that Sir Robert chose to lay out his Eloquence in declaiming against Passive Obedience, and the Authour of Jovian, and Dr. Sherlock, and for the pleasant Doctrine of Resistance, and its Champion Mr. Johnson, whose answer to Jovian, …ur Friend formerly told you, Sir Robert and other Gentlemen of the party so much admired, as to say, that he ought to have the Deanry of Worcester, to which he had a right by Conquest.
I must also remind you of what he told you concerning a Church-man of note, who renounced the Doctrine of Passive Obedience (upon which he most absurdly laid the blame of his illegal active Obedience) as an errour of his Education: and if I am not since misinformed, he pretends to be Mr. Johnson's Proselyte. Which is perhaps for his honour to have a Convert of that Character. But how much it is for the honour of a Person of his Character to be Mr. Johnson's Convert, your Animadversions, were they published, would shew the learned World.
I add this to all the former stories I have told you of this nature, to convince you how injurious you have already been to truth, and Men that are inquisitive after it, in confining your Letters to my hands, and to prevail with you at last (if it be possible) to give me leave to get them Printed, that the publick may reap the same advantage by them, that I and some few others have done. If you will consent to my request, I will upon notice of it send them up next Term, by a Neighbouring Attorney, to a good Friend of yours and mine, who will take care they shall be published without any further trouble to you.
Dear Sir, do not longer resist our united importunity, nor the pressing desires of those, who here importune you, by me, though they do not know you. One of them bid me plainly tell you, That you ought to consent to the publication of them: and another saith, you have been very much to blame for deferring of it so long. But we are willing to forgive you, if after the continued importunity of fifteen months, you will at last grant the most earnest request of
Your Faithful and obedient Servant. Iuly 23. 1690.