329 



been gdven from the most amiable motive 

 — the fear of hurting those with whom he 

 lived on the most friendly terms, and who 

 had very much employed and admired 

 Mr. Brown, Silence would, in such a 

 work, have been a tacit condemnation ; 



still worse to have " damned with faint 

 praise :" my idea may possibly be taken 

 upon wrong grounds, but I have often 

 admired Mr. Mason's address in so delicate 

 a situation. Had Mr, Brown transfused 

 into his works any thing of the taste and 

 spirit which prevail in Mr. Mason's precepts 

 and descriptions, he would have deserved, 

 and might possibly have enjoyed the high 

 honour of having those works celebrated 

 by him and Mr. Walpole; and not have 

 had them referred, as they have been by 

 both, to future poets and historians. 



It may, perhaps, be thought presumptu*- 

 ous in an individual, who has never dis* 

 tinguished himself by any work that might 

 give authority to his opinion, so boldly to 

 condemn, what has been admired and 

 practised by men of the most liberal taste 



