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CHAPTER XCIV.
Further proceedings of the College.
This affair was no sooner discussed, than another gentleman exhibited
a complaint, signifying, that he had undertaken to translate into
English a certain celebrated author, who had been cruelly mangled
by former attempts; and that, soon as his design took air, the
proprietors of those miserable translations had endeavoured to
prejudice his work, by industrious insinuations, contrary to truth
and fair dealing, importing, that he did not understand one word of
the language which he pretended to translate. This being a case
that nearly concerned the greatest part of the audience, it was
taken into serious deliberation. Some observed, that it was not
only a malicious effort against the plaintiff, but also a spiteful
advertisement to the public, tending to promote an inquiry into
the abilities of all other translators, few of whom, it was well
known, were so qualified as to stand the test of such examination.
Others said, that over and above this consideration, which ought
to have its due weight with the college, there was a necessity for
concerting measures to humble the presumption of booksellers, who
had, from time immemorial, taken all opportunities to oppress and
enslave their authors; not only by limiting men of genius to the
wages of journeymen tailors, without even allowing them one Sabbath
in the week, but also in taking such advantages of their necessities
as were inconsistent with justice and humanity.
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