Note 38 — CALAMITIES OF AUTHORS: (continued 2)

See in Dennis’s “Original Letters” one to Tonson, entitled, “On the conspiracy against the reputation of Mr. Dryden.” It was in favour of folly against wisdom, weakness against power, &c.; Pope against Dryden. He closes with a well-turned period. “Wherever genius runs through a work, I forgive its faults; and wherever that is wanting, no beauties can touch me. Being struck by Mr. Dryden’s genius, I have no eyes for his errors; and I have no eyes for his enemies’ beauties, because I am not struck by their genius.”