written with so much fire, and in so excellent a style, as put the tories in no small pain for their favourite hero: every one cried, Bickerstaff must be the author; and people were the more confirmed in this opinion upon its being so soon laid down, which seemed to show that it was only written to bind the Examiners to their good behaviour, and was never designed to be be a weekly paper. The Examiners therefore have no one to combat with at present, but their friend the Medley; the author of which paper, though he seems to be a man of good sense, and expresses it luckily enough now and then, is, I think, for the most part, perfectly a stranger to fine writing[1].
I presume I need not tell you, that The Examiner carries much the more sail, as it is supposed to be written by the direction, and under the eye, of some great persons who sit at the helm of affairs, and is consequently looked on as a sort of publick notice which way they are steering us[2]. The re-
- ↑ This reflection was certainly intended for Oldmixon, being by no means applicable to Mr. Maynwaring.
- ↑ Lord Orrery, who commends the Examiners for their "nervous style, clear diction, and great knowledge of the true landed interest of England," observes, that "their author was elated with the appearance of enjoying ministerial confidence;" that "he
This has prevented the coming out of a pamphlet, entitled, Reasons for not correcting, &c.' which was advertised in my paper of Monday last, and was intended to be published the Thursday following." This was to have been called, "Reasons for not correcting, improving, and ascertaining, the English Tongue at this time. In a Letter to Dr. Swift." See The Medley, No. 24. Rudely, however, as Dr. Swift was in many instances attacked by Mr. Maynwaring, it must be owned he was the politest of his opponents.
