But I own I was a little surpriz'd at the whimsical Chagrin of certain _Readers_, who instead of diverting themselves with this Quarrel of _Parnassus_, of which they might have been indifferent Spectators, chose to make themselves Parties, and rather to take pet with Fools, than laugh with Men of Sense. 'Twas to comfort these People, that I compos'd my ninth Satire; where I think I have shewn clearly enough, that without any prejudice either to one's Conscience or the Government, one may think bad Verses bad Verses, and have full right to be tir'd with reading a silly Book. But since these Gentlemen have spoken of the liberty I have taken of _Naming_ them, as an Attempt unheard-of, and without Example, and since Examples can't well be put into Rhyme; 'tis proper to say one word to inform 'em of a thing of which they alone wou'd gladly be ignorant, and to make them know, that in comparison of all my brother Satirists, I have been a Poet of great Moderation. To begin with _Lucilius_ the Inventer of Satire; what liberty, or rather what license did he not indulge in his Works? They were not only Poets and Authors whom he attack'd, they were People of the first Quality in _Rome_, and Consular Persons. However _Scipio_ and _Lælius_ did not judge that Poet (so determin'd a Laugher as he was) unworthy of their Friendship; and probably upon occasion no more refus'd him, than they did _Terence_, their advice on his Writings: They never thought of espousing the part of _Lupus_ and _Metellus_, whom he ridicul'd in his Satires, nor imagin'd they gave up any part of their own Character in leaving to his Mercy all the Coxcombs of the Nation. ----_num_ Lælius, _aut qui_ _Duxit ab oppressa meritum Carthagine nomen,_ _Ingenio offensi, aut læso doluere_ Metello _Famosisve_ Lupo _co-operto versibus?_ In a word, _Lucilius_ spar'd neither the Small nor the Great, and often from the Nobles and the Patricians he stoop'd to the Lees of the People. _Primores populi arripuit populumq; tributim._