The journal of a voyage to Lisbon / [Henry Fielding].

  • Henry Fielding
Date:
1755
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The journal of a voyage to Lisbon / [Henry Fielding]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    279/296 (page 217)
    SECT. I. here, as a proof that we are as liable to be corrupted by our books as by our companions, I am in danger of fetting out with a contradiction. Nay I muft yet venture to do this in fome degree with my eyes open, and muft lay my defence on a diftinCtiom rather too nice, and which relies too much on the candour of my reader. The truth is, our noble author's chief ftrength lies in that very circumftance which I have before afferted to be of itfelf alone a fufficient argument of his weaknefs; whereas on the contrary his manner affords fuch a protection to his matter, that if he had defigned to re¬ fer ve to himfelf the foie privilege of anfwering his own dcCtrine, he could not have invented a more ingenious or effectual contrivance. It hath been al- Sedged as a good reafon for not anfwer- N mg