Benjamin's friend, John Tutchin, was an infamous anti-Catholic radical Whig controversialist, very taken with Benjamin’s genius, and had penned his Epistle to his friend in the hope that he would take the bait; and he did. It was several pages in length, taking the form of ‘An Epistle to the Author, from Mr. J Tutchin’…
The Epistle runs.......
Oft have I vow'd, and to the Muses swore,
In these dull Times, I'de trouble Rhyme no more:
But since, dear Ben! I've waited long in vain,
To see the Happy Offspring of your Brain
Bless our dull World in unaccustom'd Layes,
Singing your own, and great Maria's Praise;
In spite of Nature and my Vows I'le Write,
And once again the glowing Embers light.
Not that the Muses can have Honours done,
By their Unskilful and their Youngest Son;
Or that Maria's Praise by him set forth,
Can form a Statue equal to Her Worth:
Provoke't by this, if you the Theam embrace,
I have my Aim, and dead Maria Praise:
and later……
True to our Laws Tyrannick sway you damn,
In War a Lyon, and in Peace a Lamb:
Such were our Ancient Brittains fam'd of old,
Prudently Good, and desperately Bold.
Thus far the Heroe; for his Fame will grow,
As to the Seas the Rivers onwards flow;
But great MARIA we can Sing no more,
Blest with a Gale, sh'as reach'd the other Shoar,
Happy those Mortals who are sail'd before;
So much for Virtue and for Sense renown'd,
By willing Peoples just Applauses Crown'd,
What Artless Bard wou'd tread her Sacred Ground?
To you, Dear Ben, the glorious Theam I leave,
You can her Fame Eternal Honours give;
Thus some good Patriot conscious of his Worth,
Provokes some bold, some abler Champion forth;
Who with his Sword so often dipt in Blood,
Slaughters vast Numbers for his Country's Good.
FINIS
Tutchin had been a survivor in the ill-fated Monmouth Rebellion at Sedgemoor in 1685, which led to his capture by the victors. Accordingly, he was tried and committed to prison by the notorious ‘Hanging Judge Jeffreys’ for a total of seven years.
This brave young radical made appeals to Jeffreys, pleading for a sentence of hanging, rather than to rot in jail. This effrontery to the powerful Judge afforded him celebratory status and support amongst the influential Whigs, whose interventions procured his release after he had served just one year. But nevertheless, Tutchin continued to be a constant thorn in the side of the Catholics, or in fact of anyone who showed the slightest sympathy to Rome or the Jacobite cause.
As Benjamin’s rapid fame reached its height, his blasé bearing inevitably paved the way for his gradual decline. He had reached his zenith and during the following five years, his enthusiasm for writing waned. Dunton tried in vain to evoke Benjamin’s creative mind, but was baffled by his friend’s tangible apathy, and during the next two years Benjamin’s situation changed little. In time, he was branded as one of Dunton’s scribblers, at best a hack writer, yet contributing some genius in the topics and editing of The Athenian. But ultimately discord between the two brought their unparalleled friendship to an abrupt end.