formance indeed may be forced for a time into reputation, but deftitute of real merit it foon finks; time, the touchftone of what is truly valuable, will foon discover the fraud, and an author fhould never arrogate to himself any fhare of fuccefs, till his works have been read at least ten years with fatisfaction.

A man of letters at prefent, whofe works are valuable, is perfectly fenfible of their value. Every polite member of the community by buying what he writes, contributes to reward him. The ridicule therefore of living in a garret, might have been wit in the laft age, but continues fuch no longer, because no longer true. A writer of real

merit now may easily be rich if his heart be fet only on fortune: and for those who have no merit, it is but fit that fuch fhould remain in merited obfcurity. He may now refufe an invitation to dinner, without fearing to incur his patron's difpleafure, or to starve by remaining at home. He may now venture to appear in company with juft fuch cloaths as other men generally wear, and talk even to princes with all the confcious fuperiority of wisdom. Though he cannot boaft of fortune here, yet he can bravely affert the dignity of independence.

Adieu.

I HAVE interested myself so long in all the concerns of this people, that I am almoft become an Englishman; I now begin to read with pleasure of

their taking towns or gaining battles, and fecretly with difappointment to all the enemies of Britain. Yet ftill my regard to mankind fills me with concern for their contentions. I could wish to see the difturbances of Europe once more amicably adjufted; I am an enemy to nothing in this good world but war; I hate fighting between rival ftates; I hate it between man and man; I hate fighting even between women !

I already informed you, that while Europe was at variance, we were alfo threatened from the ftage with an irreconcileable oppofition, and that our finging women were refolved to fing at each other to the end of the season. O my friend, thofe fears were juft. They are not only determined to fing at each other to the end of the feason, but what is worse, to fing the fame fong, and what is ftill more infupportable, to make us pay for hearing.

If they be for war, for my part I should advise them to have a public congrefs, and there fairly fquall at each other. What fignifies founding the trumpet of defiance at a diftance, and calling in the town to fight their battles. I would have them come boldly into one of the moft open and frequented streets, face to face, and there try their fkill in quavering.

However this may be, refolved I am that they fhall not touch one fingle piece of filver more of mine. Though I have ears for mufic, thanks to Heaven, they are not altogether affes ears. What! Polly and the Pick-pocket to night, Polly and the Pick-pocket to-morrow night, and Polly and the Pick-pocket again; I want patience. I will hear no more. My foul is out of tune, all jarring difcord, and confufion. Reft, reft ye dear three clinking fhillings in my pocket's bottom; the music you make is more harmonious to my fpirit, than cat

gut,

gut, rofin, or all the nightingales that ever chirruped in petticoats.

But what raises my indignation to the greatest degree, is that this piping does not only pefter me on. the stage, but is my punishment in private converfation. What is it to me, whether the fine pipe of one, or the great manner of the other be preferable? what care I if one has a better top, or the other a nobler bottom? how am I concerned if one fings from the ftomach, or the other fings with a fnap? Yet paltry as thefe matters are, they make a fubject of debate wherever I go, and this mufical difpute, especially among the fair fex, almost always ends in a very unmufical altercation.

'Sure the fpirit of contention is mixed into the very conftitution of the people; divifions among the inhabitants of other countries arife only from their higher concerns, but subjects the moft contemptible are made an affair of party here, the fpirit is carried even into their amufements. The very ladies, whofe duty should seem to allay the impetuofity of the oppofite fex, become themselves party champions, engage in the thickeft of the fight, fcold at each other, and fhew their courage, even at the expence of their lovers and their beauty.

There are even a numerous set of poets who help to keep up the contention, and write for the ftage. Miftake me not, I do not mean pieces to be acted upon it, but panegyrical veries on the performers, for that is the most univerfal method of writing for the stage at prefent. It is the bufinefs of the ftage poet therefore to watch the appearance of every new player at his own houfe, and fo come out next day with a flaunting copy of newspaper verfes. In thefe Nature and the actor may be fet to run races, the player always coming off victorious; or Nature may miftake him for herfelf; or old Shakespear may put VOL. III. Ꮓ

on

on his winding-fheet and pay him a vifit; or the tuneful nine may ftrike up their harps in his praise; or fhould it happen to be an actrefs, Venus, the beauteous queen of Love, and the naked Graces are ever in waiting: the lady must be herself a goddefs bred and born; she must-but you fhall have a fpecimen of one of thefe poems, which may convey a more precife idea.

**'

On feeing Mrs. perform in the character of ****

To you, bright fair, the nine addrefs their lays,
And tune my feeble voice to fing thy praife.
The heart-felt power of every charm divine,
Who can withstand their all-commanding fhine?
See how the moves along with every grace,

While foul-brought tears steal down each fhining face.
She fpeaks, 'tis rapture all and nameless blifs,
Ye gods, what tranfport e'er compar'd to this.
As when in Paphian groves the queen of Love,
With fond complaint addrefs'd the liftening Jove,
'Twas joy, and endless bliffes all around,
And rocks forgot their hardness at the found.
Then firft, at last e'en Jove was taken in,
And felt her charms, without disguise, within.

And yet think not, my friend, that I have any particular animofity against the champions who are at the head of the prefent commotion; on the contrary, I could find pleafure in their mufic, if ferved up at proper intervals; if I heard it only on proper occafions, and not about it wherever I go. In fact, I could patronize them both; and as an inftance of my condefcenfion in this particular, they may come and give me a fong at my lodging, on any evening when I am at leifure, provided they keep a becom ing diftance, and ftand, while they continue to entertain me, with decent humility at the door.

You perceive I have not read the feventeen books of Chinese cerenomies to no purpofe. I know the proper

proper fhare of respect due to every rank in fociety. Stage-players, fire-eaters, finging women, dancingdogs, wild beafts, and wire-walkers, as their efforts are exerted for our amufeinent, ought not entirely to be defpifed. The laws of every country fhould allow them to play their tricks at leaft with impunity. They fhould not be branded with the ignominious appellation of vagabonds; at least they deferve a rank in fociety equal to the mystery of barbers, or undertakers, and could my influence extend fo far, they fhould be allowed to earn even forty or fifty pounds a year, if eminent in their profeffion.

I am fenfible however that you will cenfure me for profufion in this refpect, bred up as you are in the narrow prejudices of Eaftern frugality. You will undoubtedly affert, that such a stipend is too great for fo ufelefs an employment. Yet how will your furprize increase, when told, that though the law holds them as vagabonds, many of them earn more than a thousand a year. You are amazed. There is caufe for amazement. A vagabond with a thoufand a year is indeed a curiofity in Nature; a wonder far furpaffing the flying fifh, petrified crab, or travelling lobster. However, from my great love to the profeffion, I would willingly have them divefted of part of their contempt, and part of their finery; the law fhould kindly take them under the wing of protection, fix them into a corporation, like that of the barbers, and abridge their ignominy and their penfions. As to their abilities in other refpects, I would leave that entirely to the public, who are certainly in this cafe the propereft judges-whether they despise them or no.

Yes, my Fum, I would abridge their penfions. A theatrical warrior, who conducts the battles of the stage, fhould be cooped up with the fame caution