the town may learn certainly, when and how far they ought to be pleased. "S. It is submitted, whether it would not be proper to distinguish the council of six by some particular habit or gown of an honourable shape and colour, to which may be added a square cap and a white wand. 66 9. That to prevent unmarried actresses making away with their infants, a competent provision be allowed for the nurture of them, who shall for that reason be deemed the children of the society; and that they may be educated according to the genius of their parents,' the said actresses shall declare upon oath (as far as their memory will allow) the true names and qualities of their several fathers. A private gentleman's son shall at the public expense be brought up a page to attend the council of six a more ample provision shall be made: for the son of a poet, and a greater still for the son of a critic. "10. If it be discovered, that any actress is got with child during the interludes of any play, wherein she hath a part, it shall be reckoned a neglect of her business, and she shall forfeit accordingly. If any actor for the future shall commit murder, except upon the stage, he shall be left to the laws of the land; the like is to be understood of robbery and theft. In all other cases, particularly in those for debt, it is proposed that this, like the other courts of Whitehall and St. James's, may be held a place of privilege. And whereas it has been found, that an obligation to satisfy paltry creditors has been a discouragement to men of letters, if any person of quality or others shall send for any poet or critic of this society to any remote quarter of the town, the said poet or critic shall freely pass and repass, without being liable to an arrest. 11. The forementioned scheme, in its several regulations, may be supported by profits arising from every third-night throughout the year. And as it would be hard to suppose, that so many persons could live without any food (though from the former course of their lives a very little will be deemed sufficient) the masters of calculation will, we believe, agree, that out of those profits the said persons might be subsisted in a sober and decent manner. We will venture to affirm farther, that not only the proper magazines of thunder and lightning, but paint, diet-drinks, spitting-pots, and all other necessaries of life, may in like manner fairly be provided for. "12. If some of the articles may at first view seem liable to objections, particularly those that give so vast a power to the council of six (which is indeed larger than any entrusted to the great officers of state) this may be obviated by swearing those six persons of his majesty's privy council, and obliging them to pass every thing of moment previously at that most honourable board." Vale, et fruere, MAR. SCRIB. VIRGILIUS RESTAURATUS: SEU MARTINI SCRIBLERI SUMMI CRITICI, CASTIGATIONUM IN ÆNEIDEM SPECIMEN. ENEIDEM totam, amice lector, innumerabilibus penè mendis scaturientem, ad pristinum sensum revocabimus. In singulis fere versibus, spuriæ occurrent lectiones, in omnibus quos unquam vidi codicibus, aut vulgatis aut ineditis, ad opprobrium usque criticorum, in hunc diem existentes. Interea adverte oculos, et his paucis fruere. At si quæ sint in hisce castigationibus, de quibus non satis liquet, syllabarum quantitates, wpoλeyóμɛva nostra libro ipsi præfigenda, ut consulas, moneo.. Ir is very easy, but very ungrateful, to laugh at collectors of various readings, and adjusters of texts, those poor pioneers of literature; who drag forward A waggon load of meanings for one word, To the indefatigable researches of many a Dutch commentator and German editor, are we indebted for that ease and facility with which we are now enabled to read. "I am persuaded," says Bayle, "that the ridiculous obstinacy of the first critics, who lavished so much of their time upon the question, whether we ought to say Virgilius or Vergilius, has been ultimately of great use; they thereby inspired men with an extreme veneration for antiquity, they disposed them to a sedulous inquiry into the conduct and character of the ancient Grecians and Romans, and that gave occcasion to their improving by those great examples." Dict. Tom. v. p. 795. I have always been struck with the following words of a commentator, who was also a great philosopher, I mean Dr. Clarke; who thus finishes the preface to his incomparable edition of Homer. "Levia quidem hæc, et parvi forte, si per se spectentur momenti. Sed ex elementis constant, ex principiis oriunter, omnia: Et ex judicii consuetudine in rebus minutis adhibita, pendet sæpissimè in maximis vera atque accurata scientia." Real scholars will always speak with due regard of such naines, as the Scaligers, Salmasiuses, Heinsiuses, Burmans, Reiskiuses, Marklands, Gesners, Heyne, Toups, Bentleys and Hares. "Sans se qu'on appelle les erudits," says Marmontel, very sensibly, nous serions encore barbares. C'est grace aux lumières qu'ils ont trans mises, que leurs écrits ne sont plus de saison." Jortin used frequently to mention this attempt to discredit emendatory criticisms, with strong marks of derision; and I have now before me, a letter from Toup to Mr. Thomas Warton, in the same strain. Dr. WARTON 66 (99) VIRGILIUS RESTAURATUS. I. SPECIMEN LIBRI PRIMI, Ver. I. ARMA Virumque cano, Trojæ qui primus ab oris Litora. Multum ille et terris jactatus et alto, Arma virumque cano, Trojæ qui primus ab aris Littora. Multum ille et terris vexatus, et alto Ab aris, nempe Hercæi Jovis, vide lib. ii. ver. 512, 550-flatu ventorum Eoli, ut sequitur-Latina certe littora cum Æneas aderat, Lavina non nisi postea ab ipso nominata, lib. xii. ver. 193-jactatus terris non convenit. II. VER. 52. Et quisquis numen Junonis adoret ? Longe melius, quam, ut antea, numen, et proculdubio sic Virgilius. III. VER. 86. Venti, velut agmine facto, Qua data porta ruunt Venti, velut aggere fracto, |