To our CORRESPONDENTS.

THE EDITOR is extremely obliged to Mr. Edwis,
for his very juft and candid reprehension. The long in-
disposition however of one of his colleagues, to whom the
charge of that part of the work was at first committed,
hath hitherto occasioned the deficiency pointed out; and
which will be supplied as soon as possible. This defect
is, nevertheless, much lefs than he seems to imagine, as
no opportunity of much consequence hath as yet offered
itself in that department.

The poetical pieces of T. C.—Midas—The birth-
day ode—A. F.—L. C.—M. M.—and many others are
received, and under consideration; as are also the letters
of Fabricius and Clemens from Cambridge—The four
long letters from Oxford, relating to the Reviews, cannot
be inferted at length. If the writer will permit us to
abridge them we shall endeavour to oblige him—Verus’s
translation is pretty faithful, but it wants the fpirit of
the original—We beg to be excused, however, for the
future from giving our opinion of any piece in manu-
script.

N. B. In the preceding numbers of this work is given
an account of Falconer's Marine Dictionary. Ruffhead's
Life of Pope. Mr. Hume's new tragedy, the Fatal Dis-
covery. Mrs. Lennox's new comedy, the Sifter; with
feveral other capital articles; none of which, or any of
the abovementioned, have as yet been noticed in either
of the Reviews.

No. VI. concluding the first volume of this work, will
contain, besides the usual variety, a characteristical cata-
logue of every book and pamphlet, without exception,
which has been published since the first of January; to-
gether with a general index to complete the volume.

State of Covent garden Theatre.

385

It is to be obferved that this alphabet contains only the full and
diftinkt species of founds, ufually called vowels oryllables: When
Mr. S. has had time to digeſt theſe, I shall proceed with the feve-
ral modes of articulation, commonly called confonants; ſome of
which being partly vocal, tend to cauſe a flight variation in the
utterance of the vowels, unleſs corrected by a due attention to the
elementary ſounds.

ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE DISPUTES BETWEEN THE MANAGERS OF COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

The long truce which hath obtained between the late contend-
ing managers of Covent-Garden theatre, having given rife to
many groundleſs furmifes of a ſpeedy reconciliation; it may af-
ford ſome ſatisfaction to ſuch as intereſt themſelves in theatrical
matters, to be informed that the bone of contention, however
bare, is ſill as much the object of altercation as ever. The late
transfer of a ſhare in the property hath indeed effected a change in
the mode of deciding the quarrel. The ſword and bludgeon are
now thrown aſide; and the goofequill, inſtead of being employ-
ed in ſquibs of poetry, lampoons and paper-pellets of com-
mon fool's-cap, is now more laboriously engaged in the talk of
engroſſing costly and durable ſkins of parchment. A moſt tre-
mendous bill in chancery is at length actually filed againſt Mr.
Colman, the aſting manager, on the part of Mr. Harris, and the
new proprietors; one of which it ſeems, is himſelf a gentleman of
no little eminence in the law.

The publication of this manifeſto, hath thrown the party of the
other two Kings of Brentford into a pannick; from which they
will probably recover only to find the ſwords of their mock-mo-
narchs as uſeleſs as their ſceptres. In the mean time, however,
every engine of ſtate is ſet to work, and every minijerial artifice
uſed to perfuade the town into the rectitude and propriety of all the
late meaſures of theatrical government. To this end the flourishing
ſtate of their finances is magnified in the public papers, and the
ways and means for raiſing future ſupplies declared to be inexhauſ-
tible. The truth is, however, the expences of the civil lift are
intolerable; the number of uſeleſs placemen and penſioners enor-
mous; and the ſupplies even for next year as yet in embrio.

Things being in ſuch a ſituation, it is thought by our theatrical
politicians, that this ſtage is very ill prepared to carry on a civil
war in chancery. But to drop the metaphor. The new proprie-
tors, who gave the enormous ſum of eighteen thouſand ſeven hun-
dred pounds for a fourth ſhare in this theatre, were very juſtly
alarmed, at finding the profits of the ſtage ſo much leſs than they
were encouraged to expect. The great abilities of Mr. Colman,
as a manager, have turned out imaginary: even his own perform-
ances, the Clandeſtine Marriage and the English Merchant, which
ſucceeded ſo well under Mr. Garrick's direction have failed under
his own. The new pieces alſo which he has preferred on his own
judgment to the ſtage, have either totally miſcarried, or reflected
ſuch disrepute on the theatre, as hath been by no means counter-

Eee

ballance

## *Striçures on the Life and Writings*

336

ballanced by the profits. Again Mr. C—'s entering into cabals with the players, and by that means leffening his own confequence so much, as to lobe all authority over them; his making them a party with him againft his brother managers, and thus laying him felf under an obligation to the very lowelt of the company; his attempting to recover that loſt authority by arbitrary forfeitures inſtited on ſuch as did not ſloop to oblige him; his continually amufing the town, by means of the news-papers, with a ſiclitious ſtate of the theatre; his affuming the prerogative of the town by planting his partizans about the houſe to ſerve his own finifter purpofes: theſe and many other manœuvres of the like nature, inſcreaſed the alarm the new proprietors had caught for the ſecurity and improvement of their property. Treated with impertinence by their own ſervants, and with infolence by their prevaricating colleagues, it is no wonder they were led to ſcruinize very minutely the miſmanagement of the theatre, and to take ſuch legal ſteps as might wreft an ſumſed power from the hand which ſo mifuſed it. Mr. C. or his emiſaries have given it out in the news-papers that the profits of the theatre amount this year to twelve thouſand pounds. If, foreſeeing the conſequence of the late application to chancery, Mr. C. is diſrous, by theſe reports, of keeping up the value of his ſhare, till he can advantageouſly diſpofe of it, he may be ſo far in the right. It is nevertheless certain that, fetting aſide the intereſt on the capital, the laſt year was, on the whole, a looſing game. It is alſo as certain that the receipts this year fall ſhort of the laſt. Hence it may be concluded that it will be well for the lawyers, if, in the ſucceeding years during which the chancery ſuit may laſt, the managers clear as much, beſides the intereſt of their money, as will enable them to pay their ſolicitor's bill and countel fees.

\*\* If A. B. will authenticate the green-room anecdotes, reſpeſting Mr. C's maltreatment of Mr. W—d—d, Mr. Y—s and Mr. B—ck—rſ—ſſ, they ſhall be inferted.

### STRICTURES ON THE GENIUS AND WRITINGS OF DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON.

This author, who, without a compliment, may be reckoned at the head of the preſent preſs, has given repeated proofs of an extenſion of genius, in almoſt whatever literary point we view him, that we very rarely meet concentrated in one perſon. Mr. Johnſon, on his firſt coming to town, contracted an acquaintance with Mr. Richard Savage, whose ſtory is too well marked by his misfortunes and talents to need enlarging on: — His miferable death, after paſſing through as many vicillitudes of fortune as perhaps ever fell to the lot of one man, was, I believe, the firſt opportunity Mr. Johnſon took of introducing himſelf to the notice of the publick, where, in a little volume called *The Life of Mr. Richard Savage*, he has given us a true ſpecies of the narrative, embellified with all the powers of moral obſervation. In regard to his knowlege of the English language, his well known Dictrionary fetſ him up without a rival; and though the execution of this very extenſive

of Dr. Samuel Johnson.

387

tenſive plan coſt him the labour of many years, the manner in which it at laſt appeared, made ample amends for all the expectancies of the publick: the honours paid him, by his own countrymen, are not only evidences of this, but the eulogium of foreign univerſities. During ſome intervals of receſs, neceſſary to the fatigue of this great undertaking, Mr. Johnſon published many other pieces, which are moſt truly capital in their kind, amongst the firſt of which we may claſs the Rambler, a ſeries of periodical eſſays, (now published in four volumes,) that are not only replete with obſervation and good ſenſe, but may be ſaid to have enlarged the circle of moral enquiry; and though the produce of a ſingle genius (at other times differently employed) prove no way inferior to thate juſtly admired compoſitions (the joint produce of the moſt celebrated wits in the beginning of the preſent cenſury,) the Speſtators, Tatlers, and Guardians. His ploſaic compoſition is a happy mixture between Swift and Addiſon; it is ner vous and claſſically correcſ; his verſes are harmonious, yet bold and pointed, and he may be ſaid to follow Mr. Pope as near as any writer ſince his time; indeed, the world has not been favoured with much of his poetry, but that little, like firſt-rate curiosities, will always bold the eſtimation of men of genius.

What is very ſingular in this writer is, that his refinement has ever kept pace with the extenſive neſs of his genius; and his knowlege of men and manners not only confined to his own country, or indeed Europe; but has travelled to the eſt, where he has even rivalled the belt of their own writers in ſertility of invention and elegance of expreſſion. Many papers in his Rambler are evidences of this aſſertion; but his capital work of that kind is a novel, entitled, *The Prince of Abſeffia*, too well known and univerſally read to be further deſcribed.

In regard to dramatic poetry, this gentleman has made one eſſay, which did not meet with all that ſucceſs equal to its merit, owing entirely to his having too ſtrictly adhered to the drama of the ancients. The critics objeſt to it — want of plot and incidents ſufficient for repreſentation; and in regard to the former it is faſd, that our celebrated Rofcius (from a knowledge of the taſte of the town) told him ſo, and pointed out the particular part that he thought was not explicit enough for the groſ of an audience. But our author would not in the laſt recede, nor ſacrifice his judgment to modern opinion. This piece is called Irene; and though it may not be in every reſpect calculated for the modern ſtage, it undoubtedly is an acqüifition to the cloſet. As a fatyriſt, Mr. Johnſon has given us two excellent ſpecimens of his abilities in his poems of London and *The Vanity of Human Wishes*; pieces that muſt always meet with their admirers, whilſt the name of Juvenal is held in any degree of eſtimation. His edition of Shakeſpeare, though it has had its Zoiluſſes, is reckoned, by ſome of the belt judges, to illuſtrate that author more than any other; and though he has, with his uſual candour, expoſed ſuch faults and inaccuracies, which others were either ignorant of, or afraid to meddle with, he has beſowed every praife on his beauties that they really deferve. With all this degree of learning and genius, which very often un-

Eee 2

fits

The Political Scape-goat:

fits men for society, this author, as a companion, is, perhaps, fit
cond to none; as a philosopher, he is learned and infructive; as
a man of wit and spightlinefs, a perfect epigrammatiſt; and, it is
faid, by thofe who know him moft intimately, that if he was re-
markable for nothing eſſe but his bon mots, they would be sufficient
to gain him no inſconſiderable degree of reputation.

It would be a great piece of injustice, after beſtowing theſe in-
controvertible encomiums on his erudition and genius, was I not to
obſerve, that nothing but that genius can equal the goodneſs of his
heart. Every line, every ſentiment that iſſues from his pen, tends
to the great center of all his views, the promotion of virtue, reli-
gion, and humanity; nor are his aſtions leſs pointed towards the
fame great end; for if the good chriſtian, the ſincere friend, and
benevolent maſter, are praiſe-worthy characters, no man poſſeſſes
them in a more eminent degree : in ſhort, whiſt his writings point
out to us what we ought to be in theory, his own conduct ſets us the
ſtrongest example of that theory.

* * Striſures on the above ſtriſures, by Anti-Puſſer, are received,
and ſhall have a place in our next.

FUGITIVE VERSES.

THE POLITICAL SCAPE-GOAT:

AN EPISTLE TO SIR WILLIAM DRAPER.

By the author of the epistle to Mr. Wilkes, in our ſecond number.

How's this ?—The learn'd *Sir William Draper*
A scribbler in a public paper !

Think of your knight-hood—fie, for ſhame!

Why did you thus expofe your name ?

Not but I own, I'm pleas'd as can be,

To fee your zeal for honest *Granby* ;

But *Junius* ſaid things ſo unhandſome

About that curs'd *Manilla* ransom ;

Which, at the laſt, he put an end to

With ſuch a ſtringing inuendo ;

That you, Sir Knight, car'd not a ſouſe

But, ſnug, retir'd, at Clifton houſe,

Could royal bounty cut and carve,

And let your fellow-foldiers ſtarve ;

Brave veterans left in vain to pray

For ſcanty prize or ſcantier pay !

Then there's the ſcurvy tale he told ;

About the regiment that you fold ;

Expoſing thus to needleſs ſhame

A candidate for honest fame.

Though *Junius* knew not, or was mum

About the other trifling ſum ;

Which you, who know ſo well to thrive,

Had of his peerleſs lordſhip Cl—ve.

Come, Come, for whatfo'er beſtowed,

Mere honour is a uſeleſs load,

Two

An Epistle to Sir William Draper.

389

Two yards of ribband well were fold
For twelve good thouſand pounds in gold.

'Twas rightly judg'd, Sir Knight, of you
To take the caſh and ribband too:

But hence with all ſuch paltry pride,
Be even Granby laid aſide.

The objeſt of my preſent theme

Is your conciliating ſcheme,*

For fetling matters 'mongſt the great,
And making Wilkes a tool of ſlate.

Faith, Colonel, 'tifn't ſo bad a plan ;

But you're miſtaken in your man.

Wilkes the boutefeu once made before

Will a cat's paw be made no more ;

Your temple, then, of concord raſe

By any other means and ways :

In him no corner-ſtone you'll find † ;

So little ſaſhion'd to your mind,

That ev'n the uncementing wall,

Though rais'd, would ſoon to pieces fall.

Lord B— and Wilkes to reconcile !

'Tis mixing vinegar and oil :

Confound you may by agitation,

You can't prevent their ſeparation.

Antipathies are fix'd in nature ;

A whig muſt be a tory-hater.

* Proposed in the following letter lately printed in the news-papers.

Clifton, Feb. 6, 1769.

If the voice of a well-meaning individual could be heard amidst the clamour, fury and madneſs of the times, would it appear too raſh and prefumptuous to propoſe to the publick, that an aſt of indemnity and obliſon may be made for all paſſ tranſac-tions and offences, as well with reiſect to Mr. Wilkes as to our colonies ? Such fa-lutary expedients have been embraced by the wifed nations—Such expedients have been made uſe of by our own, when the public confuſions had arrived to ſome very dangerous and alarming criſis; and I believe it needs not the gifter of prophesy to fore-tel that ſome ſuch criſis is now approaching.—Perhaps it will be more wife and praiſe-worthy to make ſuch an aſt immediately, in order to prevent the poſſibility (not to ſay the probability) of an inſurrection at home, and in our dependencies abroad, that it will be to be obliged to have recourse to one, after the miſchief has been done, and the kingdom has groaned under all the miſeries that avarice, ambition, hypocrify, and madneſs, could inſuſt upon it. An aſt of grace, indemnity, and obliſion, was paffed at the reſtoration of king Charles the ſecond; but, I will venture to ſay, that had ſuch an aſt been ſeasonably paffed in the reign of his unhappy father, the civil war had been prevented, and no reſtoration had been neceſſary. Is it too late to re-call all the meiſengers and edicts of wrath ?—Cannot the money that is now waſted in endleſs and mutual ſtecutions, and in flopping the mouth of one perſon, and in opening that of another, be better employed in ereeting a temple to concord?

Let Mr. Wilkes lay the firſt ſtone! And ſuch a ſtone as I hope the builders will not
refuse. May this parliament, to uſe lord Clarendon's expression, be called the heal-
ing parliament! May our foul wounds be cleanſed, and then cloſed! The Eng-
lish have been as famous for good nature as for valour; let it not be ſaid that ſuch
qualities are degenerated into ſavage ferocity!—If any of my friends in either houſe
of legiſlature, shall conſeſcend to lſen and improve theſe hints, I ſhall think that
I have not lived in vain.
WILLIAM DRAPER.

† In ereeting the temple of diſcord indeed, we find that this ſtone, which the
builders reſuſed, is become the head of the corner.

The

1

( 392 )

ON READING THE REVIEW OF THE FATAL DISCOVERY IN THE FOURTH NUMBER OF THE CRITICAL MEMOIRS.

Heav'ns ! what the mohawk come again ?

To kill the dead, and flay the flain * !

His tomahawk yet reeking red

From Johnson's and from Langhrone's head!

Stand clear, ye mighty men of letters,

He fights with none except his betters :

The firſt to knock the foremost down,

That fands ſupported by the town.

" Pray, who's this critick so uncivil ?"

Who ? why 'tis K — or the devil.

ANTI SCALPELLUM †.

• The Critical Reviewers archly enough obſerved, on this writer's attack on Dr. J—'s Shakespeare, that he had flarted up to deftroy the ſhadow of a ſhade.

† We have admitted Antiscalpellum's verſes, to prove our impertuality, but muſt obſerve, in juſtice to the gentleman he hints at, that the epigrammatiſt is mistaken as to the writer of the article in queſtion.

A WISH. BY A LADY.

A neat little box on the side of a hill,

At the bottom of which runs a murmuring rill,
The foil ſhou'd be healthy, and temp'rate the air,
And, to add to my proſpect, I'd have a parterre.

The ſweet roſe of Sharon my walks ſhou'd adorn,
Juſt under my window I'll fancy a lawn,

Where delicate ſhrubs ſhou'd be planted with tafe,
And none of my ground be ſeen running to waffe.

Inſtead of ITALIANS, the linnet and thrush,
Wou'd with harmony greet me from every buſh ;
Thofe gay feather'd ſongſters do rapture inſpire!
What muſic so ſoft as the heav'nly choir ?

My furniture elegant, ſimple and plain,

Not any thing gaudy, expensive or vain ;

My friends ſhou'd ſepoſe on a pillow of down.

Nor ever from me ſhou'd they meet with a frown.

A ſtudy replete with good authors I'd chufe,

That if ſerious, or gay, might inſtruct or amufe,

No new ſaſhion'd novel, or gilded romance,

Shou'd there find a place though it travel'd from France.

My table I'd cover with old English cheer,

No kickſhaws, or luxury, ſhou'd be ſeen here,

I wou'd treat ye with port, and a ſervice of fruit,

But modern extravagance ne'er ſhou'd take root.

If to crown my felicity, Fortune would lend,

A ſenſible, ſprightly, compassionate friend,

One free from ſufpicion! — if ſuch cou'd be found!

He ſoon ſhou'd be maſter of this ſairy ground.

A. F.

54

Certain malevolent inſinuations having appeared in the news-papers, particularly in the Public-ledger of the 17th inſtant, reſpecting the party-principles of the editor and authors of theſe memoirs; they think it incumbent on them, in deference to the publick, to declare that this work will be conducted only on the general and genuine principles of the reſormation, the reſtoration, and the revolution; in other words, on thoſe principles which ſhall evince

THEIR
DUTY to GOD,

THEIR
LOYALTY to their KING,

AND THEIR

LOVE of their COUNTRY.

55

TO THE PUBLICK.

Curiosity is so natural to mankind in general, and the laudable desire of information so remarkable in this age and country in particular, that there is scarce a family in the kingdom which does not encourage one, or more, of our daily, weekly, or monthly publications.

This encouragement hath, of course, given rife to a great variety of News-papers, Chronicles, Magazines, and Monthly Reviews. The information indeed, afforded by the latter, has been partially confined to the knowledge of books; whereas the miscellaneous manufacture of Magazines hath promised at least the means of making a very extensive acquaintance also with men and things. To the great disappointment, however, of the publick, their mutual emulation, bent solely on increasing the number of their readers, hath at length reduced them to such a state of puerility, that they seem now to vie with each other, only as pretty picture-books, for the amusement of children.

Under these circumstances, a number of gentlemen, concerned for the reputation of literature, and desirous of being useful to the publick, have engaged in a work, which is neither confined to the studies of the learned, nor the amusement of the ignorant; but may be justly called

An Universal Guide to the Knowledge of Books, Men, and Things:

Being calculated for the general information and entertainment of readers of all ages and capacities, ranks and degrees in life. To this end, it will contain not only an early and authentic account of the result of all cabals at court, debates in parliament, and popular disputes of town and country, but also a faithful compendium and copious epitome of all that is interesting or instructive in every book, pamphlet, or news-paper, that shall come from the press.

This work will be regularly published, on the tenth and twenty-fifth of each month, at the price of one shilling each number; which, the quality, quantity, and variety of the contents considered, is cheaper than any thing of the kind ever offered to the publick.