Wittichius writ against the Ethicks of Spinosa, for fear of being reputed
a Spinosist, and that his Confutation was Printed after his death only,
that he might not lose his Honour, and the Reputation of an Orthodox
Christian. These are the calumnies, which that insolent Author has
advanced : I don't know from whence he had 'em, nor upon what
appearance of truth he can build so many Lies. How came he to know
that those two Philosophers kept such a strict Correspondence together,

^ Bihliogr. 301. The name should be de Verse.
- Bihliogr. 368, 369 (Latin and French edd.), ^ Bibliogr. 358, n.
•^ ^/are. ° Bibliogr. 382. ^ Bibliogr. 384, 385.
412 SPINOZA: HIS LIFE AND PHILOSOPHY

that they saw and writ so often to one another ? We don't find any
Letter of Spinosa to Wittichius, nor of Wittichius to Spinosa among the
Letters of that Author, which have been Printed ; and there is none
neither among those which remain to be Printed : So that we have
all the reason in the World to believe, that this strict Correspondence,
and the Letters which they writ to one another, are a meer fiction
of that Calumniator. I confess, I never had occasion to speak to Mr.
