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to make their adverfaries think of retreating, when Homer, who 

 had fuch infinite obligations to his excellent translator, appeared 

 at the head of 48 battalions, and faid that he mould look upon ail 

 thofe as his enemies, who oppofed a poet who had made him 

 fpeak Englifh with the fame fpirit and force, that he himfelf 

 mould have done, had he wrote in that language. Boileau, who 

 had the greateft reverence for Homer, was now upon the point 

 of retiring, when Pope advancing, faid that he had long before 

 been fenfible of the excellencies of his poems, was now more 

 than ever convinced of them by the late trial, and at the fame 

 time begged he would honour him with his friendfhip. Boileau 

 anfwered his compliments with great polkenefs ; and added, with 

 a fmile, that fatirifts, above all other kind of writers, ought to 

 live in the ftricteft amity with each other, as they generally had 

 a great number of enemies, who would rejoice at their dhTenfions. 

 I am much miftaken, continued he, if this engagement hath not 

 already given great fatisfaclion to Cibber and Cotin. Fontaine, 

 who was potted ready to affifc. Boileau, feeing Chaucer and Prior, 

 who attended upon Pope, advanced with reverence towards 

 Chaucer, and faid that if fuch a genius as his had appeared in the 

 moft elegant and learned age, it could not have been fufficiently 

 admired ; but as he had lived in a time when the Mufes were lb 

 little regarded, he could fcarce refrain from adoring. Chaucer 

 embraced Fontaine, called him his fon, and faid he was the only 

 writer fmce himfelf that had told a ftory with a beautiful fim- 

 plicity. Rabelais had now the prefumption to attack Swift ; but 

 he only expofed his weaknefs, for Swift with his Tale of a Tub 

 (which dilated to a vaft lize) immediately covered nine parts 

 out of ten of his forces; the few remaining, rallied by Pantagruel s 

 made fome refinance ; but Swift producing one of his Brobding- 

 nag heroes prefently put him to flight, Scarron, whowasjuft 



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