6 The Works of Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS,' superintended by Mr. MALONE, in two volumes quarto, made their appearance in 1797. An admirable biographical memoir of the illustrious author has been prefixed by the ingenious. editor. No. 67, which contains the Journal of a scholar, was written by BENNET LANGTON, Esq. of Langton, near Spilsby, in Lincolnshire. Mr. LANGTON was long the familiar and intimate friend of Dr. JOHNSON, and was regarded by him with a warm affection. Having read the RAMBLER, while yet a youth, in the country, he came to London purposely to seek the acquaintance of the author who had so delighted him. They continued inseparable_till_death divided the connexion. No. 67 is Mr. LANGTON's only contribution to the IDLER, though he was so capable, as from this specimen may be perceived, of enriching his friend's collection with a fund of desirable things. Mr. LANGTON died on the 18th of December, 1801. Of numbers 15, 54, 42, and 98, the authors are beyond discovery. They are all superior essays. No. 22, on the rigorous Imprisonment of Debtors, with many humane remarks, and even striking hints for an Insolvent Act, was substituted on the close of the IDLER, it does not sufficiently appear why. The cancelled paper; which came out in the original series, is appended to this volume. It is on the Ratioci nation and communicable Powers of the brute creation; and it is difficult to determine which of these essays is most worthy of the immortal moralist. That, in the form of appendix, is a sublime satire upon the Savageness of Man. JOHNSON revised his IDLERS, as he did his RAMBLERS and ADVENTURERS, with the greatest care. The first and last papers are those that were most considerably changed. Mr. BOSWELL notices the remarkable deficiency of mottos in this volume, and does not comprehend why that usual trapping of periodical papers' is furnished so scantily to the IDLER. Whether this omission were designed, or accidental, it is alike unaccountable, for JOHNSON commended the custom.' BosWELL'S conjecture apud Mrs. Piozzi, that he forbore his mottos, the more effectually to conceal his identity, is babyish. How could JOHNSON conceal himself, is the pertinent inquiry of Mr. CHALMERS? Not by forbearing his Latin: his marks were too vernacular. The great raciness and popularity of the IDLERS having occasioned them to be frequently copied into contemporary prints, without any acknowledgment of such a furtive appropriation, the following singular and most humorous Caveat from the pen of JOHNSON deserves to be recorded as a curiosity. 'London, January 5, 1759. ADVERTISEMENT. The Proprietors of the paper, entitled "The IDLER," having found that those essays are inserted in the newspapers and magazines. with so little regard to justice or decency, that the Universal Chronicle, in which they first appear, is not always mentioned, think it ne cessary to declare to the publishers of those collections, that however patiently they have hitherto endured these injuries, made yet more injurious by contempt, they have now determined to endure them no longer. They have already seen essays for which a very large price is paid, transferred with the most shameless rapacity, into the weekly or monthly compilations, and their right, at least for the present, alienated from them, before they could themselves be said to enjoy it. But they would not willingly be thought to want tenderness even for them by whom no tenderness had been shewn. The past is without remedy, and shall be without resentment. But those who have been thus busy with their sickles in the fields of their neighbours, are henceforward to take notice, that the time of impunity is at an end. Whoever shall, without our leave, lay the hand of rapine upon our papers, is to expect that we shall vindicate our due, by the means which justice prescribes, and which are warranted by the immemorial prescriptions of honourable trade. We shall lay hold, in our turn, on their copies, degrade them from the pomp of wide margin and diffuse typography, contract them into a narrow space, and sell them at an humble price; yet not with a view of growing rich by the confiscations, for we think not much better of money got by punishment than by crimes: we shall, therefore, when our losses are repaid, give what profit shall remain to the Magdalens : for we know not who can be more properly taxed for the XXXIII. d support of penitent prostitutes, than prostitutes in whom there yet appears neither penitence nor shame.' We have already observed, that a considerable pecuniary compensation, independent of the profits of a co-editor, seem to be pointed at in this paper. What effect so extraordinary a document produced, we have not the means of knowing but it is more than probable that these periodical pirates were not much intimidated by a threat of reprisals. THE IDLER. No 1. SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1758. Vacui sub umbrâ THOSE who attempt periodical essays seem to be often stopped in the beginning by the difficulty of finding a proper title. Two writers, since the time of the Spectator, have assumed his name, without any pretensions to lawful inheritance; an effort was once made to revive the Tatler; and the strange appellations, by which other papers have been called, shew that the authors were distressed, like the na tives of America, who come to the Europeans to beg a name. It will be easily believed of the Idler, that if his title had required any search, he never would have found it. Every mode of life has its conveniences. The Idler, who habituates himself to be satisfied / with what he can most easily obtain, not only escapes labours which are often fruitless, but sometimes succeeds better than those who despise all that is within their reach, and think every thing more valuable as it is harder to be acquired." If similitude of manners be a motive to kindness, the Idler may flatter himself with universal patronage. There is no single character under which such numbers are comprised. Every man is, or hopes to |