An Answer to a late scurrillous Pamphlet, Intituled, A Letter from Monsieur de Cros, &c.

The Author of the Memoirs had so little to apprehend in his Reputation either at home or abroad from the feeble Efforts of Monsieur de Cross in his late trifling Invective, that had it not been for the repeated Instances of some Friends, who were unwilling to have such a wretched Scribler escape unpunished, he had never condescended to the severe penance of sitting an hour upon him. To their Importunities, and not to his own Inclinations is the Reader obliged for the following Remarks, which as they serve to justifie those particular passages in the Memoirs that are so outrageously exclaimed against by Mr. de Cros, so they discover, en passant, several Intrigues hitherto not so well known or understood.

Though we may safely allow it to be some sort of Mortificatioa for any one to see himself lie under the lash of a Man of Wit; yet certainly 'tis infinitely more supportable than to be assaulted by a Malice altogether made up of Phlegm and Dulness. Æneæ magni dextrâ cadis, was said by way of Consolation to young Lausus as he fell by the hands of that celebrated Heroe. When we lie under an unavoidable necessity of being encountered in Publick, 'tis some Comfort to be engaged with Bravery and Honour: In such a Case there is Reputation to be got if we come off with Victory; but to be forced to enter the Lists with a feeble, inglorious and despicable Adversary, is somewhat afflicting; there can be no Skill, no Dexterity shown in putting by his Thrusts, and there is no Reputation acquired by gaining the Conquest.

Certainly there never appeared in the World a Paper so little performing what it seems to promise in the Title page, so mean and undesigning, and in short so below the mighty Character of its Author who so often takes care to instruct us that a great Prince and a King did not disdain to employ him as a Counsellor of State, as this rambling, incoherent unthinking Letter. But perhaps it may be alledged by some of its Favourers, that the sincerity of what it pretends to relate, may atone for all its other palpable defects, since to use his own magnificent Expression our Deserter of a Monk is pleased to assure us, p. 9. that the only Heroe of his Piece shall be Truth: And indeed the Matter wou'd be somewhat mended if the Case were so; but for certain Considerations best known to himself our Letter-Writer has been so complaisant to his Heroe, as not to give him any trouble at all. However this pleasant passage puts me in mind of a certain person of the Long Robe who a little after the Restauration, when writing of Plays was more in fashion than it is at present, must needs threaten the Stage with a Play; and as a Hero is a very necessary Ingredient in all or at least most Compositions of that Nature, he designed to furnish himself with a Hero that should work Miracles, defeat Armies, charm the Ladies, and make as considerable a Figure as any Hero that had visited the World for many Ages. After he had amused himself some Months with this painful Undertaking, a Friend of his happens to interrogate him upon this Article, and asks him what Progress he had made in his Play, and how his Hero fared. To which the poor Gentleman replied, that a certain Misfortune had befallen him which had put a stop to the Affair. In short, after a tedious Enquiry, he informs him that he had unluckily killed his Hero in the first Act, and so cou'd not for the heart of him tell how to advance any farther. This was fairly and civilly done in our Gentleman. He had cut out so much Work for his Hero in the first Act, that he had left him nothing to do in any of the rest; and therefore was obliged to dispatch him in his own defence; but Monsieur de Cros never so much as introduces his Hero in one single Paragraph of his Letter: He threatens indeed to bring him in Play one time or another, but for all that keeps him still as invisible as a Fairy Treasure, and his Hero has no more to do throughout the whole piece, than one of the Mutæ Personæ in the ancient Drama.

Monsieur de Cros is pleased to address his Letter to a certain Noble Lord in Nubibus; for he no where takes occasion to name him, and this was certainly done with no other Prospect than only to recommend his Trifle the better to his Readers. He owns, p. 3. that Sir W. T. is a Man of some Merit, and that he has been employed a long time upon very important Affairs, but then with his usual Confidence affirms that he knew very little of the Secret of the late King of England's Designs. Sir W. T. no where pretends in his Memoirs that he knew the bottom of all the Court-Intrigues, that were managed with so much Artifice by the prevailing Ministry of those times; nay he congratulates his good Fortune that he was never made acquainted with them; and though from several remarkable Circumstances he has all the Reason imaginable to suspect that some things were not so fairly meant as was openly pretended, yet he knows no Reason why they should not trust him in any Occasions wherein the Honour of his Master or the true Interest of the Kingdom were concerned: And as for the rest, he thinks it the highest Complement the Ministry ever made him, not to disclose them to him.

Upon this Consideration says Monsieur de Cros, p. 4. I had no great Curiosity to peruse the Memoirs, well judging that the Author was not able to give me any tolerable Light into the discovery of so many secret Intrigues that were carried on at that juncture: And besides, continues he, I had Reason to doubt whether these Memoirs were not principally designed to be a Panegyrick upon himself, and to blacken the Reputation of several Persons of eminent Quality and Merit, because, adds he, I was particularly acquainted with the Pride of Sir W. T. who fansies himself to be the wisest and ablest Politician of his Age. If Sir W. T. is that vainglorious and ill-natured Animal as Monsieur de Cros represents him to be, he here solemnly promises him that he will never come to him to learn either Humility or good Manners; and if he has been severe upon any of the Great Men then in Vogue, he has done no more than what every Body almost in the Nation has done since. He barely contents himself with the Satisfaction of having been in some measure serviceable to his King and Country; and since he has not made his Fortunes at the expence of either, he supposes he may lawfully mention his Services without the horrid Crime of Ostentation or Vanity.

But to let the World see that Monsieur de Cros has no Malice in his Heart, but that he really designs Sir W. T's Good, he condescends p. 5. to give him wholesome Advice, and sets him Copies to write after. To this purpose he recommends to his Perusal the Memoirs of Villeroy, the Negotiations of Jeanin, and the Letters of Cardinal Dossat, in all which there reigns a Spirit of Sincerity and