written by him, nor is it known when: besides that his precept, as you observe, is too general to determine any thing. Learned men have observed long ago, that Phocylides is interpolated both from the Old and New Testament, probably after the days of the early Christian writers: for they do not produce these places from him. And therefore his two words, preserve virginity, will be of no use neither. But, which is very remarkable, several philosophers after Christ, Mausonius, Dion called the Golden-mouthed, and Porphyry, speak warmly against fornication.

"I may as well add here, what will perhaps be of use to you in another place, as I know not whether you observed it in reading Brucker, [I now see you did] that he extends the life of Epictetus to Adrian's time, who reigned from A. D. 117, to 138. He would therefore have time, and his situation both in Rome and Greece would give him opportunity, not only to converse with many Christians, but to see the books of the New Testament, and other writings of theirs. Some think he lived to the reign of the Antonines: but Fabricius hath shewn, that probably they mistake."

Dec. 1, 1808.

N° XLVIII.

What is light Reading;-Poetry, a gift.

I PUBLISH the following letter, as I received it. I think I can guess at the handwriting; and if my conjecture is right, I must entreat the author to throw away some part of the diffidence expressed in the latter part of the paper.

Poeta nascitur non fit.

TO THE RUMINATOR.

MR. RUMINATOR,

I am one of those who prefer rambling effusions, and the natural association of ideas, to formal essays. To you, therefore, who certainly cannot be blamed for a narrow taste, and seem to love every species of intellectual effort; who do not judge by rule, nor repeat hacknied phrases of mechanical criticism as substitutes for feeling and thought, I trust I may address a frank and unstudied letter with the certainty of a candid reception.

Allow me then to say, that among those books

which are called light reading, it is the fashion to class many of those productions, which ought to stand in a high rank, both in point of genius and usefulness. They who have climbed up to the chair of criticism, by toil, and an unwearied attention to those departments in literature which are attainable rather by patient drudgery than by the partial endowments of Nature, will of course use every exertion and artifice to encourage this erro◄ neous fashion. The ignorant great, as well as vulgar, are fond of admiring what they do not understand; and it is necessary that a work should take a scientific form, and be clothed in outward pomposity, before it be deemed profound and important.

But does it never occur to these wise judges to listen to the lessons of time, and observe what are the productions which have retained within themselves the seeds of life? The works of the mere learned, for the most part, nay the larger part of the labours of science have been pushed off the stage by their successors, as wave swallows up wave. Their materials have been pulled to pieces, and worked up afresh; and little but their name, (if even that) remains. And thus it is with artificial writers, even in the Belles Lettres. Simplicity, predominant vigour of genius, and natural

eloquence alone survive the changes of fashion, and

lapse of ages.

The tricks of composition, the temporary objects of admiration in style, sentiment, or form, become as ridiculous and disgusting in one age, as they were attractive in another. From the Euphuism of Wm. Lilly in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, to the stiff glitter of Lord Bolingbroke in the last reign, all is gone by and forgotten. Look at old Reviews forty years back, and observe the books that they have commended, and the books that they have abused. Of the former a large part are now no longer heard of; many of the latter are among the most popular and admitted works of genius.

There is an unsophisticated force of intellect; the power of a vivid fancy, and a warm and tremulous heart; which, when it has attained the habit of expressing itself with facility in apt and unstudied language, is certain of gaining the interest and approbation of every reader of pure taste, not at one period only, but in futurity. I would carefully preserve the letters, the undisguised thoughts, and most of the fragments of such a writer.

Half-witted censurers may call such remains, 66 light-reading." Do they not remember then, that

"The proper study of mankind is man?"

That there is some depth of investigation in tracing the internal movements of the human head and heart? If they, who have been highly endowed, admit us to the secret recessses of their bosoms; if they give us pictures of exalted sentiments, of ideas glowing with reflections and visions which elevate our nature, and carry us with them into scenes approaching a higher order of existence; if they warm us with their fire, and impart to us, for a time, some portion of their imagination; is this light reading, because it has not been conveyed to us in the shape of formal compositions? It is the purity and strength of the ore which a true judge regards; and not the form in which it has been. manufactured; while little technical critics look to nothing but the mechanism of the workmanship.

What is the charm of Cowper? His first characteristic is the power of thinking with easy vigour; and delineating with accurate facility. His thoughts breathe of nature; and find "an echo in every bosom." Thousands recognise, as the figure starts forth from his pen, the idea which had been dimly playing within themselves.

It is the object of no inconsiderable body of those, who have an influence on public opinion, to suppress and wipe away, if possible, the impression of native genius. It is probable that this is in great measure a remnant of the prejudices of the mate