very famous. Milton saw nothing in the first efforts of Dryden that
made him consider Dryden better than a rhymester. Aristophanes was a
good judge of poetry, yet how ill he judged of Euripides! But all this
is commonplace, and yet you bring arguments that a commonplace answers
in evidence against yourself."

"But it is unpleasant not to answer attacks--not to retaliate on
enemies."

"Then answer attacks, and retaliate on enemies."

"But would that be wise?"

"If it give you pleasure--it would not please /me/."

"Come, De Montaigne, you are reasoning Socratically. I will ask you
plainly and bluntly, would you advise an author to wage war on his
literary assailants, or to despise them?"

"Both; let him attack but few, and those rarely. But it is his policy
to show that he is one whom it is better not to provoke too far. The
author always has the world on his side against the critics, if he
choose his opportunity. And he must always recollect that he is 'A
STATE' in himself, which must sometimes go to war in order to procure
peace. The time for war or for peace must be left to the State's own
diplomacy and wisdom."

"You would make us political machines."

"It would make every man's conduct more or less mechanical; for system