they were at least the richest toasts in town; and received daily
the addresses of all the beaux and cavaliers of the country. Although
I had hitherto been looked upon by them with the most supercilious
contempt, my character now attracted their notice so much that I
was given to understand I might be honoured with their acquaintance,
if I pleased.

The reader will easily perceive that this condescension either
flowed from the hope of making my poetical capacity subservient
to their malice, or at least of screening themselves from the lash
of my resentment, which they had effectually provoked. I enjoyed
this triumph with great satisfaction, and not only rejected their
offer with disdain, but in all my performances, whether satire or
panegyric, industriously avoided mentioning their names, even while
I celebrated those of their intimates: this neglect mortified their
pride exceedingly and incensed them to such a degree that they were
resolved to make me repent of my indifference. The first stroke of
their revenge consisted in their hiring a poor collegian to write
verses against me, the subject of which was my own poverty, and
the catastrophe of my unhappy parents; but, besides the badness of
the composition (of which they themselves were ashamed), they did
not find their account in endeavouring to reproach me with those
misfortunes which they and their relations had brought upon me;
and which consequently reflected much more dishonour on themselves
than on me, who was the innocent victim of their barbarity and
avarice.

Finding this plan miscarry, they found means to irritate a young
gentleman against me, by telling him I had lampooned his mistress;
and so effectually succeeded in the quality of incendiaries that