Page:The battle of the books - Guthkelch - 1908.djvu/237

Rh easily see his good will to me, both from his Preface and his Examination.

But what return did he make me for my expressions of great civility? After a delay of two posts, on purpose, as one may justly suspect, that the book might be vended (as it was) and spread abroad in the meantime, I received an answer to this effect: that what I had said in my own behalf might be true; but that Mr Bennet had represented the thing quite otherwise: if he had had my account before, he should have considered of it: and now that the book was made public, he would not interpose, but that I might do myself right in what method I pleased. This was the import of his answer, as I very well remember: there was not the least hint that he had or would stop the publication of his book till the matter was farther examined.

The gentleman himself, in his late treatise, has been pleased to give some account of the same letter; and he represents his expression thus: that if the matter appeared as I had told it, he meant to give me satisfaction as publicly as he had injured me. But I am sorry that his civility comes three years too late.