Page:Homer's Battle of the Frogs and Mice - Parnell (1717).djvu/35

 ly. However, he did what he cou'd in Revenge; he endeavour'd to set those whom he envy'd at Variance among themselves, and invented Lies to promote his Design. He told Eratosthenes, that Callimachus said, his Extent of Learning consisted but in a superficial Knowledge of the Sciences; and whisper'd Callimachus, that Eratosthenes only allow'd him to have an artful habitual Knack of Versifying. He would have made Aristophanes believe, that Theocritus rally'd his Knowledge in Editions as a curious Kind of Triffling; and Theocritus, that Aristophanes derided the rustical Simplicity of his Shepherds. Tho' of all his Stories, that which he most valu'd himself for, was his constant Report, that every one whom he hated was a Friend to Antiochus King of Syria, the Enemy of Ptolomy.

But Malice is unsuccessful when the Character of its Agent is known: They grew more Friends to one another, by imagining, that even what had been said, as well as what had not, was all of Invention; and as he grew more and more the common Jest, their Derision of him became a Kind of Life and Cement to their Conversation.

Contempt, Poverty, and other Misfortunes had now so assaulted him, that even they who abhorr'd his Temper, contributed something to his Support, in common Humanity. Yet still his Envy, like a vitiated Stomach, converted every Kindness to the Nourishment of his Disease; and 'twas the whole Business of his Life to revile -