Epistle XXXIII. To Romanus.
by
the Same. [Mr. Henley.]
[_]
On the Success of his Pleading.
ALL be remov'd; let ev'ry Labour cease:
Says the Poet:
Whether you be reading, or Writing, order it to be taken away, and lay your Hands on a Pleading of mine;
as the Cyclops did upon the Arms, demanded by Vulcan. Could I begin more loftily?
But really it is the best of my Stock; for it is enough for me to contend with myself.
It was made for Accia Variola, and is remarkable for the Rank of the Person,
the Singularity of the Cause, and the Greatness of the Audience. For a Lady,
descended of a Noble Family, Married to one of the Prætorian Quality,
disinherited by a Father. Eighty Years Old, within eleven Days after he had
brought a Mother-in-Law upon her, in a Fit of Dotage, demanded her Right to her Father's Estate,
before the four Courts of the Centumvirate, assembled. A Hundred and Eighty Judges sate upon it,
for this is the Number of the four Courts; there was a Multitude of Advocates on each side;
the Seats were fill'd and a numerous Croud of Auditors encompass'd the Bench in several Circles all about it:
Nay, the high Galleries, and the upper part of the Court, were throng'd,
here with Men, and there with Women, that came with a Curiosity to hear,
which was difficult, and to see, which was much easier. The Expectation of Fathers,
Daughters, and of Mother's-in-Law was strong. The Event was various. Two Courts were for us,
and two against us; the Thing was entirely remarkable, and wonderful.
So great a difference happen'd, by a Chance, tho' it did not appear to be casual,
in the same Cause, before the same Judges, with the same Advocates, at the same time:
The Mother was cast, and reduc'd to inherit only a sixth Part.
Suburranus had no better success, who after having been disinherited by his own Father,
had the uncommon Impudence to claim the Right of being Heir to the Father of another.
I have been so particular on these Matters, first, to let you know by Letter,
what you could not know from the Oration itself; and then, (for I will own my Artifice in it) that you might be capable of reading it with
more Pleasure, when you think, in reading it, that you are one of the Audience,
and interested in it. Long as it is, I do not despair of its giving you the Delight of one,
that is shortest; for it is vary'd and renew'd by the Plenty of matter,
the Artful Division, the several Narrations, and the Variety of the Expression.
There are many Things in it (I could not take this Liberty with any but you;
) that are elevated; many that are pressing, that are delicate. For I was often forc'd to mingle some nice Calculations,
(and even to demand the Register, and Counters,) while I us'd this Force and Sublimity,
that a Centumviral Action suddenly took the Face of a private Cause: I gave a loose to the Passions of Anger,
Indignation, and Sorrow; and was carry'd on by several Winds on so wide an Ocean,
as this ample Cause might be compar'd to. In short, some of my Acquaintance look upon this to be my Master-piece (I will repeat it) in Pleading,
and like that of
Demosthenes for
Ctesiphon: Whether truly
or no, you will judge with great Ease; for you have so ready a Memory at all of them,
that you can make the Comparison, by reading this singly.
Farewell.
