Volume 18 — No. IX. AN ODE BY WAY OF ELEGY, ON THE UNIVERSALLY LAMENTED DEATH OF THE INCOMPARABLE MR DRYDEN.
Reading edition
Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus Tam chari capitis? Precipe lugubres Cantus Melpomene—— Quando ullam inveniam parem! Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit.
Horat. Lib. i. Ode 25.
By ALEXANDER OLDYS. TO MY WORTHY FRIEND MR JAMES DIXON.
Sir, 1700, 22d June.
The many and great obligations which you have been pleased to lay on me, give me the greatest confusion imaginable at present, when I consider that I am suing for a greater favour than all, in having the liberty to prefix your name to these lines; which though I am sensible they will be condemned by the great, yet the shame of that can no way affect you, when I do you the justice to assure the town, that it is contrary to your knowledge that you are become my patron: so your nicer sense cannot be accountable in the least; for you had no hand in it, and you may plead
——Quæ non fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco.
Nay, you were not guilty of so much as of the knowledge of this my wicked intentions; wicked. I mean, if it should offend you and my other friends, who need not blush for me, since I have already such a terror upon my conscience for this aggression, as is, I think, a punishment in some measure equal to any crime; and all that I can urge in my defence is, that it was pure respect to the dear memory of this great man, to whom I had the honour to be known, that provoked, or, let me rather say, obliged me to expose myself on this occasion. I never attempted any thing in this measure for the public before; and I doubt not that I shall do yet severer penance for it, in the censures of our awful wits, which I already fear; but your judgment is still more dreadful than all, by
Worthy Sir, Your most obliged obedient and humble servant, Alexander Oldys.