TRUE it is, that fo far from intending to violate Mr. Mafon's property, I took fome pains to guard against it. Different booksellers, who pretended to no exclufive right in the book, had printed the Poems in queftion before me. I naturally thought they would not interfere with Mr. Mafon's literary property. And from one of their copies did I print my edition, in order to avoid all caufe of controverfy or coinplaint. Could I, indeed, imagine, the gentleman would have permitted this book to be publicly fold at London, at Edinburgh, at Cambridge, and other places, for the emolument of ftrangers, without challenge, for many months before my my undertaking was executed, if it had contained any property he could legally claim? And could I be lieve that a man, poffeffed of any degree of candour or generofity, would have proceeded to ufe legal violence against me in the firft inftance, after being made acquainted with these particulars of my conduct? IN perfon I gave Mr. Mafon full information concerning all thefe particulars. And to prove the innocence of my intention, produced before him the copy of Gray's Poems, from whence my edition was taken. Yet has this Mr. Mafon wantonly oppreffed me with a heavy fuit in 4 Chan Chancery. And for this trivial injury has actually retained a Thurloe, a Wedderburn, and a Dunning against me! WHAT degree of lenity, thou living example of Chriftian charity, have those persons to expect, who injure you wilfully, when you exhibit fuch priestly rancour and revenge against the author of an overfight, which, taken even in your own malevolent point of view, you are .confcious, can harm you in no degree? STILL, however, Mr. Mason has fome plea left; for I would willingly admit every reasonable excufe in fa vour your of a worthy, and a pious cler gyman. A MAN who is injured, however immaterially, has a right to demand redress, which, if the delinquent refuses to give, the plaintiff may, perhaps, be justified in applying for it to the laws of his country. BUT was Mr. Mafon refused redrefs for the mock injury he complains of? By no means. And this fact clothes his character with ad ditional luftre. WHEN Mr. Mafon's accufation was first intimated to me, I took pains pains to discover his refidence in town, and waited upon him in per fon. I PASS over the illiberal infolence with which he received me. I was refolved to come to the explanation I wanted; and I proceeded in my business without noticing his contemptible impertinence. AFTER the formality of introduction, I produced the edition of Gray's Poems, from whence I had taken mine as mentioned above. I then urged, that if I had even made free with the few verses complained of defignedly, yet they could be con fidered |