INVECTIVE.
[To TH1 EDITOR OF THE "EFICTATOR."1
SIR,—Mr. Tollemache's quotation of Lord Macaulay's invective against Swift in the Spectator of November 16th reminds me of another invective by the same master of vituperative rhetoric—that against Barere "Renegade, traitor, slave, coward, liar, slanderer, murderer, back-biter, police spy—the one small service which he could render to England was to hate her, and such as he was may all who hate her be !"—" Miscellaneous Writings," vol. ii., p. 204.
And lower down, referring to Bafere's religious treatises, we -read :—
"This makes the character complete. Whatsoever things are false, whatsoever things are dishonest, whatsoever things are unjust, whatsoever things are impure, whatsoever things are hate- ful, whatsoever things are of evil report, if there be any vice, and if there be any infamy, all these things we knew were blended in Barere. But one thing was still wanting. . . . When to such an assemblag,s of qualities a high profession of piety is added, the effect becomes overpowering. We sink under the contemplation of such exquisite and manifold perfection ; and feel, with deep humility, how presumptuous it was in us to think of composing the legend of this beatified athlete of the faith, St. Bertrand of the Carmagnoles."—Thidem, pp. 204, 205.
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