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<h2> To Mr HENRY DAVIS, Bookseller, in London. </h2>
<h3> ABERGAVENNY, Aug. 4. </h3>
<p>RESPECTED SIR,</p>
<p>I have received your esteemed favour of the 13th ultimo, whereby it
appeareth, that you have perused those same Letters, the which were
delivered unto you by my friend, the reverend Mr Hugo Behn; and I am
pleased to find you think they may be printed with a good prospect of
success; in as much as the objections you mention, I humbly conceive, are
such as may be redargued, if not entirely removed—And, first, in the
first place, as touching what prosecutions may arise from printing the
private correspondence of persons still living, give me leave, with all
due submission, to observe, that the Letters in question were not written
and sent under the seal of secrecy; that they have no tendency to the mala
fama, or prejudice of any person whatsoever; but rather to the information
and edification of mankind: so that it becometh a sort of duty to
promulgate them in usum publicum. Besides, I have consulted Mr Davy
Higgins, an eminent attorney of this place, who, after due inspection and
consideration, declareth, That he doth not think the said Letters contain
any matter which will be held actionable in the eye of the law. Finally,
if you and I should come to a right understanding, I do declare in verbo
sacerdotis, that, in case of any such prosecution, I will take the whole
upon my own shoulders, even quoad fine and imprisonment, though, I must
confess, I should not care to undergo flagellation: Tam ad turpitudinem,
quam ad amaritudinem poenoe spectans—Secondly, concerning the
personal resentment of Mr Justice Lismahago, I may say, non flocci facio—I
would not willingly vilipend any Christian, if, peradventure, he deserveth
that epithet: albeit, I am much surprised that more care is not taken to
exclude from the commission all such vagrant foreigners as may be justly
suspected of disaffection to our happy constitution, in church and state—God
forbid that I should be so uncharitable, as to affirm, positively, that
the said Lismahago is no better than a Jesuit in disguise; but this I will
assert and maintain, totis viribus, that, from the day he qualified, he
has never been once seen intra templi parietes, that is to say, within the
parish church.</p>
<p>Thirdly, with respect to what passed at Mr Kendal's table, when the said
Lismahago was so brutal in his reprehensions, I must inform you, my good
Sir, that I was obliged to retire, not by fear arising from his minatory
reproaches, which, as I said above, I value not of a rush; but from the
sudden effect produced, by a barbel's row, which I had eaten at dinner,
not knowing, that the said row is at certain seasons violently cathartic,
as Galen observeth in his chapter Peri ichtos.</p>
<p>Fourthly, and lastly, with reference to the manner in which I got
possession of these Letters, it is a circumstance that concerns my own
conscience only; sufficeth it to say, I have fully satisfied the parties
in whose custody they were; and, by this time, I hope I have also
satisfied you in such ways, that the last hand may be put to our
agreement, and the work proceed with all convenient expedition; in which I
hope I rest,</p>
<p>Respected Sir, Your very humble servant,</p>
<p>JONATHAN DUSTWICH.</p>
<p>P.S. I propose, Deo volente, to have the pleasure of seeing you in the
great city, towards All-hallowtide, when I shall be glad to treat with you
concerning a parcel of MS. sermons, of a certain clergyman deceased; a
cake of the right leaven, for the present taste of the public. Verbum
sapienti, &c.</p>
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