Words from several scattered Passages in his Writings: Whether they are faithfully collected, or no (for he does not quote the particular Places) I have not had the Patience to examine, nor am I at all solicitous to know. It would be endless to cite _Scaliger_ upon this Subject; and besides, when I agree with him, it is rather in his Praise of _Virgil_, than in his Dispraise of _Homer_. I am far from being of his Opinion in some Particulars, and farther from approving of his Way and Manner of Proceeding. He inveighs against _Homer_ with as much Bitterness, as if he had a personal Quarrel with him; prosecutes him with all the Malice of Criticism, and that too sometimes false Criticism; and is upon the whole highly injurious to the Character of that wonderful Poet. Yet I cannot on the other side agree with Madam _Dacier_, who is at least even with _Scaliger_, by calling him the worst Critick in the World: _Le plus mechant Critique du Monde_, are the very Words she uses. On the contrary, I think, he is generally upon these Occasions rather Hyperbolical in his Expressions, than Erroneous in his Judgment. I am indeed amazed at the Confidence of Monsieur _de la Motte_, who treats _Homer_ with the greatest Freedom, and almost with Contempt, when at the same time he acknowledges he does not understand one Word of his Language. For my self, I have nothing to say, but that I have a Right to deliver my Sentiments, as well as another; and, to use the Words of that noble Poet and Critick above-mentioned, _I speak my private, but impartial Sense, With Freedom, and I hope without Offence._ And here I cannot but observe, that tho' I am charmed with that fine Turn of his, after having remarked upon some supposed Faults in _Homer_; _But I offend_; Virgil _begins to frown, And_ Horace _looks with Indignation down; My blushing Muse with conscious Fear retires, And whom they like implicitly admires:_