All those whom Horace in his satires,
and Persius and Juvenal have mentioned in theirs with a brand of
infamy, are wholly such. It is an action of virtue to make examples
of vicious men. They may and ought to be upbraided with their
crimes and follies, both for their own amendment (if they are not
yet incorrigible), and for the terror of others, to hinder them from
falling into those enormities, which they see are so severely
punished in the persons of others. The first reason was only an
excuse for revenge; but this second is absolutely of a poet's office
to perform. But how few lampooners are there now living who are
capable of this duty! When they come in my way, it is impossible
sometimes to avoid reading them. But, good God! how remote they are
in common justice from the choice of such persons as are the proper
subject of satire, and how little wit they bring for the support of
their injustice! The weaker sex is their most ordinary theme; and
the best and fairest are sure to be the most severely handled.
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