"oppofition to every principle of 66 my mind, and every rule of my "practice to erect my little works "into a property for your own par❝ticular emolument? Is gold the "altar upon which you have facri"ficed-my poetical fame ? "But my printed works I had be"fore difpofed of. And if there "remained any property in thefe, it "vefted in the bookfellers, to whom "I had delivered them. Have you "prefumed to appropriate to your"felf these also ? Have you been "mean enough to commence book"feller? And do you defire to rob "men who strive to live legally by "their profeffion "IM "IMPELLED by the fordid love of gain have you attempted to ftop "the circulation of an edition of my "works, calculated to reflect cre"dit on my name? Does this edi"tion expose, as foibles, actions "proceeding from laudable and "difinterested motives *? Does "this edition retail childish and ill"written letters, the publication "of which I would fooner have died "than have confented to? Does ** BUT it is rather my lefs-pleafing province at present to acknowledge one of his foibles; and that was a certain degree of pride, which led him, of all other things, to despise the idea of being an author profeffed.' Mafon's Life of Gray, 4to p. 335. Mafon feems to be hurt here, that Gray was not as mercenary as himself. E .❝ this "this edition reprint verses which I "had in my life-time cancelled and "wifhed to bury in oblivion? Has "this edition impofed upon the "world the wretched compilation "of Mafon for the real Poems of "Gray? Or, in fine, has this edi* tion been fwelled into an immoderate fize, for the purpose of "A Long MR. MASON has reprinted "Story," a Poem, which he says Mr. Gray, in the collection which he made of his own Poems, rejected. Mafon's Life of Gray, 4to. p. 212. This is not all. Mr. Mafon, in order to make the most of his friend's materials, has printed Mr. Gray's Ode on the Pleasures of Vicifitude, twice over, in his book; keeping in mind, I fuppofe, the old adage, That we cannot enjoy a "good thing too often.' "grati gratifying a rapacious editor with "inordinate profits* ? 66 "UNSUSCEPTIBLE of attention to my intereft, or of fidelity to my "fane, you are not entitled to my "notice here. Retire, therefore, "retire to fome obfcure corner of "these shades where I never wan"der, and feek not to renew a "friendship, which, on your part, "is juftly forfeited, until a period "of ages fhall have purged your "grofs foul from the impurity * MR. MASON, by the fale of the First Edition of his book, must have realized in profit nearly Five hundred pounds. |