 to say on the powers of Necromancy in dishonouring his
deeds, - or on DULCINEA'S name, in shedding lustre upon them, than my father had
on those of TRISMEGISTUS or ARCHIMEDES, on the one hand, - or of NYKY and SIMKIN
on the other. How many CÆSARS and POMPEYS, he would say, by mere inspiration of
the names, have been render'd worthy of them? And how many, he would add, are
there who might have done exceeding well in the world, had not their characters
and spirits been totally depress'd and NICODEMUS'D into nothing.
    I see plainly, Sir, by your looks, (or as the case happen'd) my father would
say, - that you do not heartily subscribe to this opinion of mine, - which, to
those, he would add, who have not carefully sifted it to the bottom, - I own has
an air more of fancy than of solid reasoning in it; -- and yet, my dear Sir, if
I may presume to know your character, I am morally assured, I should hazard
little in stating a case to you, - not as a party in the dispute, - but as a
judge, and trusting my appeal upon it to your own good sense and candid
disquisition in this matter; -- you are a person free from as many narrow
prejudices of education as most men; - and, if I may presume to penetrate
further into you, - of a liberality of genius above bearing down an opinion,
merely because it wants friends. Your son! - your dear son, - from whose sweet
and open temper you have so much to expect. - Your BILLY, Sir! - would you, for
the world, have called him JUDAS? - Would you, my dear Sir, he would say, laying
his hand upon your breast, with the genteelest address, - and in that soft and
irresistible piano of voice, which the nature of the argumentum ad hominem
absolutely requires, - Would you, Sir, if a Jew of a godfather had proposed the
name for your child, and offered you his purse along with it, would you have
consented to such a desecration of him? - O my God! he would say, looking up, if
I know your temper right, Sir, - you are incapable of it; -- you would have
trampled upon the offer; - you would have thrown the temptation at the tempter's
head with abhorrence.
    Your greatness of mind in this action, which I admire, with that
