by a string of observations on the illiberality of some of the professors of the liberal arts. The learned doctor has endeavoured to do the same: with what success, can, without a reference to the work, only be gathered from the subsequent morsel, which we have extracted, just to give the reader a taste of the style, and induce him to endeavour to guess at the subject. Reflecting on what I have written, and considering impartially the number and weight of my arguments, with the force as well as novelty of many of my observations, I am unable to suppress the feelings of self-complacency that arise from the contemplation of the good that is likely to result from these exertions. To dispel the fogs of ignorance and prejudice that have so long enveloped an intime number of invaluable minds; to tear up by the roots errors that time has almost incorporated with the very nature of man; to subdue habits that have long tyrannized over the human race; are really performances of such a Herculean cast, that I almost look upon my own acts as fabulous, and fear that I am deceiving myself; that an excess of zeal, or (which is not impossible) too great a partiality for what I consider as my own, imposes upon my understanding, and plays the juggler with my fondness and credulity." In which latter suggestion we fully coincide. To this serious inquiry is appended a "Fragment of ancient History; containing a circumstantial and faithful -Account of the musical Contest between Apollo and Pan, before Midas, King of Phrygia; wherein is given at length the celebrated Speech of the King, and also that of Apollo, with divers other Particulars respecting that important Event, hitherto but imperfectly known. The whole Narrative being now first collected and published entire." "The doctor, although the gravest, was the most mischievous dog of the whole set," says Fielding. So we say. What the devil is he about? Would he wish to cut the branches or tear up connoisseurship by the roots? What then must become of the syren who quavers us out of ten thousand a-year; who has taught us not only to exchange our property, but our senses, FOR A SONG? What must become of every thing dependant upon taste or fashion, folly and caprice? What must become of theBut, in short, it is ridiculous to ask questions which it is impossible to an * Joseph Andrews. ་ swer; we shall, therefore, to end more learnedly than our author, give our opinions in the language of Horace, Hoc fonte derivata clades Tales and Fables, in Verse: with moral Reflections adapted to the Capacities of Children. To which are added, some short and familiar Pray rs, &c. By the Author of Youth's Instructor, The Unnatural Uncle, &c. &c. THOUGH true, it is not very generally known, that when the late Dr. Goldsmith lodged in Green-arbour-court, his chief books adapted to the capacities of chilemployment was the composing small drea, and his chief patron the gentleman whom, in the Vicar of Wakefield, he distinguishes by the appellation of the philanthropic bookseller in St. Paul's Church-yard. The writer of this article has, in his juvenile years, seen the doctor devote himself entirely to the children of the families where he visited, seeming to prefer their conversation to that of the rest of the company. He had something peculiar in his manner of addressing the infant race; some tale, fable, or poem, serious of comic, ever ready to attract their attention; and not unfrequently in his pockets cates mo substantial to please their palates: he was, in fact, in his respect, the character of Bichell, heightened and identified by a manner peculiarly his own. We well know it was the opinion of Dr. Goldsmith, that the infant mind was capable of a much more extended degree of comprehension than had at that period been generally ascribed to it; nay, it will be observed, that many, even of his larger works, were intended to foster the expansion of juvenile talents; and therefore we are inclined to date the era when rational literature for children triumphed over those nonsensi cally wonderful productions which had rather weakened than informed their / minds, from the first endeavours of the doctor to introduce common sense into our nurseries. Since the period to which we have alluded, a great number of men of learning and genius have seemed tacitly to agree, that the teaching "The young idea how to shoot," F 34 An Address to the Auctioniers of the Metropolis.-A Reply to the same Works is a matter of more importance than has generally been imagined. Consequently, the publications calculated properly to expand the infantile intellect have been numerous, and no point seems to have been neglected that could form the minds, or set the dawning passions of the juvenile race on the side of truth and virtue. Impressed with this idea, the author of this small volume, to which we now call the attention of our readers, has seized upon a most important object, and in a well-written series of tales and fables in verse, has, in the first instance, inculcated, as a moral obligation, upon which is founded the principal virtue that can adorn the human character, tenderness to the animal crea tion. The necessity that this should be strongly impressed upon the infant mind, appeared to Hogarth, and induced him to sketch his design of the first print of the Four Stages of Cruelty. We do not believe that he intended to carry the subject farther, till it was suggested to him, that this was but the first step of a series of crimes which expanded at length into the most diabolical turpitude. The author of this book, in his address to the public, seems fully sensible of the gradations of cruelty; though, in order to make the stronger impression, he begins with some of the most flagitious instances, from which he deduces appropriate observations, and concludes his address with the following passage, which will, in a few, much better than we can in many words, shew the nature and tendency of the work which we would recommend to the attention of the public. "And here let me exhort you, my dear children, for whose benefit the present publication is chiefly intended, to fear the Almighty God, to love your parents, and all good people; and should you ever feel the least indication to give even the slightest pain to any of the dumb creation, oh, pause a moment, and consider whether ye should like to feel the torture ye are about inflicting on an animal that, though it cannot speak and tell its sufferngs, can feel as acutely as yourselves. So shall you gain the approbation of angels and of good men, and insure your happiness, not only in this world but in that which is to con.e." An Address to the Auctioniers of the Metropolis; containing Proposals for pamphlet, pp. 16. Asperne, price 6d. We have given the titles of both these publications, though, as the title of the first very fully explains the tendency of its contents, which have elicited the very spirited and ingenious reply that forms the subject of the second, we might, with great safety both to the credit and the interest of the proprietor of Garraway's coffee house, have left the author of the address in the hands of his respondent, convinced that the public would have soon discovered the motive that produced the former publication; and we certainly should have done so, but that we conceive his address, though he was, perhaps, unconscious of the mischief he was about to propagate, has a tendency in a great measure subversive of the object that he appears most anxious to promote, destructive to the ancient freedom of BARGAIN and SALE, and, consequently, prejudicial to the commercial interests of the country. It requires less mercantile knowledge than, perhaps, even the addresser possesses, to be convinced, that from the earliest age, from the period of the first sale of land that is to be found upon record, which we take to be that of the hour, the urgency of traffic, the wants of field of Macphela,* down to the present mankind, and the necessity, upon many occasions, of a speedy conversion of laud, goods, and chattels, into cash, have rendered public sales a medium of transition which has, in all ages and nations, been encouraged, and, in those where commerce flourished, engendered Bought by Abraham for four hundred shekels of silver current money with the mer chants; a purchase which was warranted to him in the presence of all the people. [Genesis, chap, xxii.] Consequently was a public sale. a system of vendition that has long been considered as absolutely necessary. These sales, both in the ancient and modern worlds, were always carried on in the most central and conspicuous parts of their several emporiums; and although the manner of conducting them - in different nations, and at different times, was dissimilar, all seem to have agreed in these important particulars, viz. that speculation and monopoly were the bane of trade, and that the formation of companies, to engross domestic traffic, and to quell commercial opposition, were measures that repressed public energy, and threw a power into the hands of a body of men, which, either in cases of urgency or of distress, no body of men should be allowed to exercise. Impressed with these sentiments at the time that we were ardently engaged in sedulous, though perhaps feeble endeavours to promote the commerce and manufactures of our country, it was with concern that we viewed the numerous advertisements inviting the people to pursue those bubbles that were lately afloat, and with honest anxiety that we stated two propositions which the addresser of the auctioniers cannot controvert, namely, that "Let an establishment be ever so extensive, it is liable to be annihilated by combinations, perhaps we should have said CONSPIRACIES. No trade in this country can stand against the association of fifty pounds subscribers and the accumulated opposition of fifty pounds sharers.' business with an attention to the in terest and accommodation of the public, and a regard to the multifarious concerns of individuals which come under his inspection, that have obtained the unequivocal respect and approbation of the mercantile world, and have constantly caused his experience and knowledge to be resorted to as sources of commercial intelligence. This kind of office the addresser would wish to suppress; and forgetting that all the great auction-rooms at the other end of the town, such as Prestage's, Langford's, Spring Gardens, &c. &c. &c. have declined, and that the substantial business of those has been attracted to Garraway's, he would facilitate the decline of that also, by placing (probably on its site) a splendid fabric, which might, perhaps, make an excellent ASSEMBLY-ROOM, or might dine more persons than either of the London Taverns, or Merchant Tailors' Hall; but for the purposes of commerce, as a mart of bargain and sale, as an emporium of immediate traffic, we will venture to assert, would, in the first instance, be useless, and, secondly, in a very short period, would be totally neglected, as something of the same kind was in our times in a great.commercial city, where the merchants chose rather to transact their business in the street, than resort to the splendid arcades and apartments of a new-fangled building, which had been erected by subscription. Though we are not, in general, very This observation brings us more im- fond of following schemers through their mediately to the subject matter of the nonsensical vagaries, we cannot help address to the auctioniers, &c. in the pre-wasting a few more words on the adface to which, the author condoles with several members of the profession, under the pressure of grievances which never existed; and asserts, that they have it in agitation to adopt speedy measures for their relief, in cases which do not require any. In consequence of these chimeras,' which the ingenious addresser has conjured up, and which, in fact, prevail no where but in his beated imagination, he has chosen, first, to attack that cen.tral. useful, and highly respectable establishment, Garraway's coffee-house; secondly, the proprietor of it, Mr. Howell, who (and we can remember him as long as he has had any thing to do with it) has always conducted the * Vestiges, No. 64, Vol. LII. p. 424. dresser, because we find, that after he This society called themselves also UNDERTAKERS, because they undertook land, transactions, from the disposal of the largest estates to the bargaining fyr grave. We believe that Sir Richard Steele had, at first, some concern in the scheme; though, when he disagreed with the company about Yorkbuildings, he said, they might be undertakers, but they certainly were not performers. 36 Free and impartial Thoughts on the Dangers to be apprehended from Sectaries. country, and the meaus of existence to hundreds of industrious individuals in the san e proportion. Upon the public spirit as well as the ingenuity of this plan, we congratulate him. At this period it seems to be most peculiarly ap propriate, and only to be equalled by one that was, some years since, carried into effect, which, by a combinations annihilated the DAILY ADVERTISER, and substituted in its place a series of democracy and nonsense, which has ever since disgraced our diurnal press. The insidious proposal of making Mr. Howell one of the committee to consult with skilful architects' about allering Garraway's, appears to us just in the same light as if the ingenious addresser had put a crow or pickaxe into that gentleman's hands, and told him to demolish his bar, and knock all his properly about his own ears. These things have appeared in nearly the same points of view to the author of "the Reply to the Address to the Auctioniers of the Metropolis," that they have to us. He has, much better than we could have done, developed hisnefarious designs, and refuted his calumnious assertions. He very justly observes, that "On public questions, it is well known and admitted, that an extent of latitude must be allowed for discussion; but in describing the character of a private individual, no one expression or inference that may hurt his feelings or injure his reputation, should be suffered to be advanoed but at the peri! of the author." He then proceeds to the examination of the address, and'in every point of it shews that the author has been, to speak in the mildest terms, mistaken; that the conduct of the proprietor of Garraway's has been through life, what every one knows it to have been, exemplary; that there is no plea, either of consistency, policy, convenience, or common sense, for a new establish ent; that such a measure would be injurious to commerce, and only tend to promote monopoly that from the opposition of interests in every business, much benefit arises to the public; and, therefore, that this address seems to be in a greater degree levelled at that laborious and meritorious individual, Mr. HowELL, than framed to promote any laudable purpose; except the author of the scheme, may deem that purpose a laudable one which, as we have observed, destroyed a literary journal which had,. with the highest reputation and advantage to trade, existed near a century, and planted in its room an abominable monopoly, that certainly does more harm than good. Free and impartial Thoughts on the Dangers to be apprehended from the Increase of Sectaries in this Kingdom, and the Evils arising from the Want of Places of Worship for the lower Order of the Community. By a cordial Approver of the Doctrines of the Church of England, &c. We have read this pamphlet with satisfaction. It appears to be written with a good intention, and calculated to produce beneficial effects. The author represents the serious consequences that may arise to the church and state from the prodigious increase of religious visionaries, enthusiasts, and fanatics; and confutes their wild notions by arguments drawn from reason and scripture. He pointedly remarks, and laments, that large parishes in the environs of the metropolis, especially Maryla-bønne and St. Pancras, have tle or no accommodation for the inferior members of society in their churches and chapels. He earnestly conjures the Bishop of Durham, and other benevolent characters, now most laudably exerting themselves in causing a pious education to be communicated to helpless children, who would otherwise be leit victims to ignorance and vice, to extend their charitable regards to the adult poor, and afford them the inestimable advantage of hearing the precepts and doctrines of God's holy word. He proposes, that every overgrown parish should be di vided into two or three, and that additional churches should be built without delay; or, if such divisions are not practicable, that chapels strictly parochial, and by no means private property, to which the lower classes of society may have free access, should be erected. He exhorts the legislature, also, not to graut licenses to men of all, even the most servile, occupations, to become gospel preachers, as they are called, with that facility which it at present does, but subject every one's tenets and principles to an examination by competent and authorised judges of his pretensions, before he is permitted to assume the office of a spiritual director and guide, square. On the death of Mr. Travers, his will, being disputed by surviving relations, was thrown into Chancery, and was not confirmed for nearly a century. On this account the commission was reserved for the employment of a modern artist. This statue is of the same general dimensions as that at Charing-cross; the whole is in bronze, and is about half an inch in thickness, the legs of the horse only excepted, which are solid. As this statue has been supposed by some persons to be one of the works left unfinished by the late Mr. Bacon, it is proper to add, that it has been executed entirely since the death of that artist, by a separate contract entered into with the present Mr. Bacon, on whose premises, in Newman-street, the whole was cast. into my house, my wife (who is an admirable manager, and turns every thing to good account) declared the scarf and hatband were perfectly worthless; that the former contained a great many, but not very venerable marks of antiquity, and had, most likely, graced the shoulders of many a mute, and beca stationary at many a door, for the space of a couple of years; and that the lat ter was constituted of such very flimsy materials, as to be nearly worn to tatters, by being once applied as an appendage to the hat. I wrote to the person who presided as conductor of the ceremonies on the melancholy occasion, and he had the very great politeness to return no answer. My wife, who had formerly purchased articles of uphol stery of him, called, and introduced herself by observing, that she was an old customer. A young man, with a pretty countenance, a delicately white hand, a silver tongue, and every requisite to exhibit the beauties of a bonnet, or expatiate up on the elegances of a cap as a man-milaner, received her with that servile cringe and adulatory fawn which the ofodities only certif the sight of a promising purchaser of species of tradesmen to adopt. |