Advertisement from Daniel De Foe, to Mr. Clark

ADVERTISEMENT From Daniel De Foe, To Mr. Clark.

IT was my fix't Resolution never to foul any Paper, or take up any Bodys time to Read, or my own, to Write any thing about the quarrell Mr. Clark would fain make with me; but I am oblidged to speak to it, which shall be very short; Mr. Clark who denys a passage Relating to himself in the History of the Union, would fain Rail and huss me into a Recantation of the passage in publick, and since he desires it, he shall have all I can possibly make.

I had once the Honour to meet a Gentleman of Worth, and a Friend of Mr. Clarks upon this affair to whom (Mr. Clark present) I said, and to Mr. Clark I said at the same time, that I would Write to my Friends at Glasgow from whom I had my Information, and if they would not stand to it, justify, own, and upon occasion prove what they had reported of Mr. Clark, I would give him any Reasonable Satisfaction, but if they would he could not expect, I would recant what I had clear evidence of.

Now being very desirous of giving all Men Satisfaction that have any Objection to make against me, I accordingly have Written to my Friends at Glasgow, and no doubt should readily have complyed with Mr. Clark. But to my great misfortune they Unamiously Write me word, that what I have Written in my History is all true, and they are ready to give ample Testimony of it in my Vindication when ever I please, and have sent me the Name of five Gentlemen of that City, each of them of equall Reputation, Character and Credite as Mr. Clark himself (no Reflection I hope upon Mr. Clark) who they say, particularly Remember the very words.

What to do in this case I cannot tell, and would be glad Mr. Clark would advise me, I have a very great Respect, nay a Veneration and indeed the utmost regard to the office of a Minister of the Gospel, and I believe I have shown it upon several occasions; but I cannot perswade my self to oppose Mr. Clark's single Negative, to five clear Affirmatives: Besides what if one or more of the five should be Ministers too, will Mr. Clark advise me to take his word and Condemn theirs? When Truth is brought into such a straight, I cannot but think I am oblidged to go by the Number and Reputation of the Witnesses, and there I leave it. If Mr. Clark has a mind to push it any further, for he talked much of going to Law with me, my Answer is Brief, The Law is open; and tho' I am a great way off, yet if he will inform me, what way he would have me proceed I'll oblidge him as much as possible in Answering (tho' at this distance) all the course of Justice demands, being fully convinc't of the Truth and Impartiality of my History.

I had last Post a Printed Paper sent me which some Body (I really know not who) has Write in my Vindication, I cannot but thank the Author of that Paper for the good will he has shown to me, and for his concern for Truth which to me argues him an honest Man; And had he left out that needless thing called Praise (which asking his Pardon) the World always calls Flattery, and I thank God I do not seek, nor can upon no Terms accept from any Body, had this been left out I would have set my hand to the Truth of every thing in that Paper.

I see but one thing in it requires Explication, viz. where he speaks of my asking Mr. Clark pardon, and this I say needs Explication; not that it is wrong related, but least Mr. Clark or any Body for him should suggest that I had own'd, I had Injur'd him in the History, and had asked his Pardon—The Case is plain, I did at the Intercession of two Honest Gentlemen, and Mr. Clark's Friends, they alledging it would be very prejudicial to him, agree to alter the Sheet as it was first Printed to leave out his Name, and some Reflections I had made upon his Conduct (I appeal to those Gentlemen, I told them at first I would not leave out the Matter of Fact) according to my promise, I caused the sheet to be altered and Re-printed and gave strict orders to the Printer, that none of the first should be published, as Mrs. Anderson and her Servants, I doubt not will do me the Justice to own: But by the mistake of her Servants, and without my knowledge, many of the first sheets were delivered out, which I resented very much, and caused the leaf to be torn out of those that came to my knowledge, even after the binding, and when I saw Mr. Clark, I told him how it was, and tho' it was not my fault; yet I ask't his Pardon, for it is a mistake.

But the good Gentleman is pleased to forget this civility, and Reproach me with it, after that acknowledgement as a wilful Act of mine, which obliges me to tell him, I think my self acquitted of my Capitulation, and shall in any future Edition let Mr. Clark see it more plainly.

This I say by way of Explanation, of the Paper which is published in my Vindication, I am told Mr. Clark is mighty warm to find the Author of that Paper: Indeed were I the Author, and had witten it in Vindication of another Person, I would for a Muskin of Wine own it to him at the Cross of Edinburgh—The Articles of Personal Characters aforesaid only accepted, and I must say in Justice to the Author, and meer Dictates of Conscience, that abating, what I call Flattery (a thing I abhor (and which I wish heartily that Gentleman had left out—I see nothing in that Paper, but I believe to be very true, all that is suggested seems just and fairly deduced, and all that is affirm'd, I dare say can be proved, and Mr. Clark's Paper is so well Answered by that Gentleman, that I need add nothing to it.

As for Scurrilous Treatment, and Abusive Language upon me, in which Mr. Clark is pleased to abound, he that loves to roll himself in his own Mire, let him do it, Railing never mended an Argument, many a good one has it marr'd, many a bad one made worse; I thank GOD, I have not been used to it, 'tis neither the Sin of my Education, or Inclination; Less still is it my Talent, and least of all do I value it, when it flys at me from another; If it moves any thing in me 'tis my pity, for I take a Man when he is come to Railing to be but a few steps off, of distraction—And all Men commiserate a Lunatick, in short Passion and ill Language is below a Gentleman, inconsistent with a Wise Man, remote from a good Man, the disease of a Learned Man, and above all indecent and unbecoming a Minister—'Tis a breach of good Manners a Reproach to Letters, a Scandal to Argument, and a Test of Human Frailty; on these accounts, I take no notice of all Mr. Clark's Gall; 'tis throwing Dust against the Wind, and it all flys back in his own Eyes, let him Rail on.

I cannot think it needful to say any more, if Mr. Clark pleases to Writ Annually, or Monthly, or Daily, he is welcome, I desire all my Friends, may let him alone, as I shall; when he has made an end, he will have done—and I am very well content, to let him have the last word of Flighting, as he had the first.

As to the History of the Union—what I have written, I have written, there it stands supported by Truth, and sufficient evidence ready to be produced, when Justice requires it, and what can any Historian desire more.

If Mr. Clark thinks the World is to be amused with his Negative, and with a bare denying the words upon his meer Reputation, I tell him again, there are Men of equal Reputation (and since he moves me to it, I do say) of Superiour Reputation to him, that do affirm he spoke them, and if I might advise him for his Reputation, it is my Opinion, he had better let it alone, than stir in this lay still any further, least the smell of it offend his Neighbours.

D. F.

FINIS.

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Title statement

Advertisement from Daniel De Foe, to Mr. Clark

Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.

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ID [ota]

http://ota.ox.ac.uk/id/5448

ID [isbn10]

1106024478

ID [isbn13]

9781106024473

ID [TCP]

K122987.000

ID [BIBNO]

CW3305280840

ID [ECSS]

0647903000

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Source

— Advertisement from Daniel De Foe, to Mr. Clark, Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.. 4p. ; 4⁰. [Edinburgh,. 1710]. [Signed: D. F.] [Deofe's attempt to have the last word in his controversy with Clark concerning his 'The history of the union with Great Britain', Edinburgh, 1709.] ["The tract says that the author is not now in Scotland, and this dates it before November 1710" (Moore).] [Reproduction of original from the Huntington Library.] [Moore, 167] [McLeod & McLeod. Anglo-Scottish tracts, 17] [English Short Title Catalog, ESTCT183337.] [Electronic data. Farmington Hills, Mich. : Thomson Gale, 2003. Page image (PNG). Digitized image of the microfilm version produced in Woodbridge, CT by Research Publications, 1982-2002 (later known as Primary Source Microfilm, an imprint of the Gale Group).]

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