The true history
consists only of the most wild, monstrous, and miraculous persons and
accidents: Gulliver has a concealed meaning, and his dwarfs and giants
convey tacitly some moral or political instruction. The Charon, or the
prospect, (Greek: epischopoyntes) one of the dialogues of Lucian, has
likewise given occasion to that agreeable French Satire, entitled,
"_Le Diable Boiteux_," or "The Lame Devil;" which has highly improved
on its original by a greater variety of characters and descriptions,
lively remarks, and interesting adventures. So if a parallel be drawn
between Lucian and Cervantes, the ancient will still appear to
disadvantage: the burlesque of Lucian principally consists in making
his gods and philosophers speak and act like the meanest of the
people; that of Cervantes arises from the solemn and important air
with which the most idle and ridiculous actions are related; and is,
therefore, much more striking and forcible. In a word, Don Quixote,
and its copy Hudibras, the Splendid Shilling, the Adventures of Gil
Blas, the Tale of a Tub, and the Rehearsal, are pieces of humour which
antiquity cannot equal, much less excel.
Theophrastus must yield to La Bruyere for his intimate knowledge of
human nature; and the Athenians never produced a writer whose humour
was so exquisite as that of Addison, or who delineated and supported a
character with so much nature and true pleasantry, as that of Sir
Roger de Coverly.
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