Category: His proverbial best

Saturday, July 22. 1704.

Numb. 40.
[173]

The Affairs of Sweden, which lay before me, had gone on in a due Chain of things in this Review —- But the Author has been diverted by a Terrible Attack, made upon the Intrenchments of his Honesty, as to Story.

This has been a bloody Battail, the Action of Schellenbergh is a Fool to it; the Author of the Daily Courant with his 20 Regiments of Booksellers, Storm’d Our Counterscarp, and tho’ they have formerly attempted it, and were beaten off as in the Review N˚ 17. and 18. yet having now Muster’d up all their Forces, they came on with an assurance Peculiar to News-Writers ——- and gave all the World Notice of the victory they thought certain; Inviting them three Days together to come and see the Sport.

I hope the Readers will bear the disappointment of what they expected this time in course, as to the King of Sweden, and accept of the short History of this Pen and Ink War as follows.

The Author of the Review Printed a Letter, Directed to the Club; concerning a wrong Quotation of the Leiden Gazette, see Review N˚ 37. Continue reading Saturday, July 22. 1704.

Tuesday, July 4. 1704.

Numb. 35.
[153]

IT seems to me something hard, That the Impatient World cannot refrain their Conclusions, before I am come to mine.

This I find is the effect of Writing a History by Inches; Mankind expects every piece should be entire, and bear a reading by it self: If it must be so, I confess my self incapable; the Scheme is otherways laid, and a half Sheet of Paper can’t do it.

My Design in this History of the French Affairs, is as vast in Proportion, as theirs in Contriving; and as it requires time to finish, it ought to have the Privilege of being view’d whole, before ’tis Condemn’d.

Asking his Pardon for the Allusion, I take my self to be just in Sir Christopher Wren’s Case, about the Building of St. Paul’s. Continue reading Tuesday, July 4. 1704.