those beauties, which fo eminently adorned the productions of his younger days.

On another fide the hideous forms of a GRUMBLER, an ADVISER, or a TRIFLER configned to the erebus of oblivion, by the critical Rhadamanthi of the day, and "grinning horribly a ghaftly fmile," would welcome me to those dark habitations, from which, when once plunged into, there is no retreat. Checked therefore by these fears, and terrified by thefe reproaches, well may I pause and confider who I AM, what are my abilities, and what the work I am about to undertake. Though I cannot boast a mind enriched with useful knowledge, directed to the nobleft objects, and ferviceable to the highest ends; nor the clear understanding, vigor of thought, and extensive observation requifite to the attempted tafk; yet amidst all these deficiencies, a hope to amufe without farcafm, or perfonal fatire; to inftruct without tediousness, ftill enlivens the prof. pect, removes all obftacles, and tempts me to proceed.

Let us then suppose these pages already fubmitted to the public eye, not to bafk in the fun of favor, but to tremble under the impending form of inevitable criticism. Every fentence

condemned, every word carped at by the voice of of a world ever more inclined to cenfure, than to commend, to point out faults, than to admit beauties.

Every man is an Ariftarchus in his own opinion; but unfortunately for the victims of their judgment, the most part have his severity, without his candour. All are equally ready to drag to light latent errors, and investigate hidden defects, from the idea that hence their own penetration, judgement, and accuracy, are notably evinced, and that by plucking the laurel from another's brow, they fix it on their own. To' find faults undiscovered by the many is to be a good critic; to be a critic, is to be a wit.

We will conceive one of these gentry (the thing is not only conceiveable, but probable). whom the fhovel-hat, bufhy-wig, and fnuffbefprinkled linen ftamp a PHILOSOPHER, to faunter into a bookfeller's, wrapt up in confcious dignity, and a warm furtout; he enquires for the first new publication, pre-determined to be as little pleased as poffible; and to the bookfeller's "Early years-promising abilities-univerfally admir'd-he returns a furly "Humph!" Upon the first fight of these pages; the forehead wrinkles

anathemas, and the curling nofe fneers comtempt, The title, and motto are fufficient caufes of dif pleasure, and, above all, the audacity of the author in pretending to write at an age, when in SEVERUS's opinion it would be enough for him to understand the writings of others. Not deigning to caft one look over the compofition, fignificantly fhaking his head, he throws it on the counter, and ftalks out with a fhrug and contemptuous smile, that alarm the bookfeller, palsy the foreman, and threaten the miferable author with a multiplicity of woes.

The book

The opinion of Severus is law. feller devotes the condemned, but unread trash to wrap up pounds of butter, or ftop the broken windows of a poet's garret. At this moment enters a little, but great man, with faturnine nofe, and green spectacles; a man in his own opinion infinitely superior to Severus in wit, judgement, and erudition. Confequently a hundred beauties are immediately apparent, fhould Severus have declared the whole to be a series of defects. He hears the fentence pronounced upon these papers by the fneer, and fhrug of his antagonist, then wearies himself with innumerable praises, and forced encomiums, but without perufing one fyllable. The bookfeller's face brightens, the

foreman fmiles, and the work but a moment before condemned unread, is, ftill unread, loaded with every honor that flattery can bestow.

Suppose them conveyed by Betty to her miftress with an exchange of novels; Leonora dropping the Victim of Sentiment, cafts her languid eyes over the first page, but staggered at the ungenteel words, "fenfe-obedience-improvement"-words obfolete and unknown in a modern fine lady's vocabulary, confiders the whole as a vulgar compofition, and infinitely beneath one of her exalted energies; then haftening to indulge her fenfibilities, she re-asumes the Victim of Sentiment, and twifts the despised papers into implements to light the taper, whereby she may feal her tender billetdoux to the Captain. Should this fall into the way of one of that race of beings, denominated BUCKS, he observing the latin mottoes (which may be Hebrew or Arabic for any thing he knows to the contrary) votes it learned, and scouts it accordingly.

Capriciously condemned, as capriciously commended, derided as vulgar, scouted as ungenteel by the extended circles of the world at large; the author would resort to the leffer circles of his fellow-citizens, and there at least hope to be free from

C

arbitrary cenfure, and illiberal feverity: as a member of their fociety, if unsuccessful in his endeavours to please, he may expect the lenity due to an erring comrade; if in any way fuccessful, the favoring applause of friendly encouragement. To promote the amusement, and may he add, to point out the errors of a beloved fociety, with the hope. of being in fome degree conducive to their removal, is fo glittering an object, fo defirable a measure, that candour would willingly pardon him, who has been too arduously forward, too boldly enthufiaftick in fuch an undertaking.

Having thus fully explained the reasons which induce me to hope for fuccefs, or to apprehend discouragement in the profecution of my plan, I throw myself (with fome profpect of mercy) on ' the final judgement of my fellow-citizens, a judge ment, from which, for me at least, there remains no appeal. Should SOLOMON GRILDRIG be fo far fuccefsful in the courfe of his labours, as to engage their attention, and occupy their thoughts, not unprofitably during one short interval of leifure, may this be fufficient to palliate the defects of ftyle, and faults of compofition, which a more fevere fcrutiny would easily dif cover. They will not look for the perfpicuous arrangement of an Addison, or the emphatic dic