symptoms are often confirmed under this injudicious course, till they arrive at a degree of real and most melancholy madness.

I have pointed out some peculiar evils in the man ners of the metropolis with two intentions: one is, to prevent, in some degree, the prevailing practice of emigrating from the country, from the seats of health and comparative innocence, to that sink of sin, and that grave of the human race, a city too crowded with people, and over-run with every abo mination. The other is, to suggest a hint which may alleviate that part of the evil which admits a remedy. The love of money, of distinction, of plea sure, will probably frustrate the former purpose; but the latter, in a day of national distress, or under other circumstances favourable to virtue, may pos sibly be accomplished.

To promote a reformation of manners, additional authority and efficiency must be given to the clergy and magistrates of London. Both of them are at this time looked upon by the vulgar, both high and low, with some degree of contempt. The churches are left to curates, or poor incumbents, who in a place where riches are idolized, hold a rank scarcely equal to the keeper of an alehouse or an oil-shop. Are the London clergy, who labour strenuously in their vocation, and on whom so much of the state of morals and christianity depends, particularly coun tenanced by the ministry or the bishops? It is parliamentary or borough interest which procures mitres, and stalls, and livings; and though a city curate, or incumbent, should convert millions from the error of their ways, he would still be suffered to

elbow his way along Cheapside in his thread-bare coat and tattered gown; pointed out and lashed at by every apprentice mounted on his Sunday Bit of Blood. The common people will not discriminate. They will despise religion and morals when they see the teachers of them poor, mean, and neglected.

Is it not injurious to the cause of religion, that a London clergyman, who has promoted every charity, and probably reformed great numbers, during thirty or forty years, shall be suffered to live and die with nothing but a curacy and a beggarly lectureship? and that, in the mean time, he who is related to a lord, or connected with members, of parliament, though he never preached, and can hardly read, shall be loaded with dignities and pluralities ? He who would reform the capital, I repeat, must render the clergy respectable in the eyes of the vulgar, and the magistrates at once honourable and formidable.

NO. CXXXII. ON PHILELPHUS AND THEODORE GAZA, POLITE SCHOLARS OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY,

THOUGH the admirer of elegant letters will find his sweetest, most solid, and most constant pleasures of the learned kind, in the writings of the Augustan age; yet he will often feel his curiosity powerfully excited, and amply rewarded, by those among the revivers of learning who are distinguished by the politeness of their literary accomplishments. I was lately amusing myself in this pleasant walk of classical literature, when I accidently met with the Epistles of Philelphus. Though they were not with

out a few expressions which mark the barbarism of his times, they possess a considerable share of elegance, and partake much of the graces which shine so agreeably in the epistles of Pliny and Cicero.

Philelphus was born at Tolentino, in Italy, in the year 1398; a very early period for so uncommon an instance of proficiency. He died at Florence in -1480, after having filled a long life with the most laborious application. Let it be remembered, that printing was unknown at that time, and that not only the books which were composed, but which -were also read, were often painfully transcribed by -the student.

Philelphus was no inconsiderable poet, and was crowned with laurel, according to the fashion of the times, by Alphonso king of Naples. He wrote five different works in verse; and, according to his own account in one of his letters, they consisted of ten books of satires, five books of miscellaneous poems, the Sfortiad in eight books, ten books of epigrams, and three of Greek poems. The number of verses in the whole, as calculated by himself, amounted to thirty-three thousand eight hundred. He has omitted in this computation, his Nicholaus, a poem in two books, and in sapphic verse, which he composed in honour of Pope Nicholas the Fifth, by whom he was greatly esteemed, and who had invited him, by a large present, to undertake the translation of Homer into Latin., He was scarcely less volumi, nous in prose, but less original, as his prosaic works consist chiefly of translations from Lysias, Aristotle, Xenophon, Hippocrates, and Plutarch; though he has also written two books of Convivia, three en

titled Commentationes Florentinæ, five on Moral Discipline, and the Life and Exploits of Francis Sfortia, in compliment to whom the Sfortiad, which has been mentioned already, was composed. There are also Orations, of which Erasmus speaks rather unfavourably in his Ciceronianus.

But the only work of Philelphus which I have had an opportunity of inspecting, is the Epistles, of which this prolific author, in the course of a long life, has written no fewer than thirty-seven books. These abound with eloquence, and with such literary anecdotes and particulars, as cannot but afford amusement to the curious scholar. Though Morhoff rather slights them, yet Erasmus, a much better judge, acknowledges that they resemble Cicero.

I present the reader with an extract from one of them, which I happen to be reading at the time I am writing, and which characterizes the spirit of the author, and the great attachment which he had to books. Cardinal Bessario, the patriarch of Constantinople, had applied to him, desiring him to sell his 'copy of Homer's Iliad; to which request Philelphus thus replies: "That copy of Homer's Iliad which

the very learned Theodore Gaza has written out ❝for me, I value so much, that I would not part

with it to any man, for all the treasures of Crœsus. I am really surprised that you should think that I, "who always had the character of generosity, should be so much changed as to be capable of avarice. I have learned to give away many things, but to sell nothing; particularly books; than which I "esteem nothing of greater value. But this book "" of Homer is so dear to my heart, and affords me

"so much pleasure, that life itself can furnish no "thing more delightful. Therefore pardon me in "this one thing. If I can gratify you in any thing ❝else, you may command me, and shall not be dis"appointed." My paper will not admit a number of citations, and I will therefore content myself with reserving the lover of elegant latinity and literary anecdotes to the original collection.

It is a circumstance which adds to our surprise in contemplating this example of literary industry, that Philelphus was very much engaged in wars and in embassies; so true is it, that the greatest exertions of mind are compatible with the most active life. His writings are not free from faults, or from that inaccuracy which proceeds from haste; but he is still a stupendous instance of diligence and excel-lence. Who but must lament, that, after having done so much to enlighten a dark age, and enjoyed the friendship of princes and pontiffs, he should die in his eighty-second year so poor, that his bed, and the utensils of his kitchen, were sold to pay the expences of his funeral? But few men of real genius love money; and of the liberality of Philelphus, the fragment which I have inserted is an ample testimony.

I hope it will not be tedious or disagreeable to the reader, if I mention a few circumstances relative to the friend and contemporary of Philelphus, Theodore Gaza, of whom he speaks in his epistle, as having transcribed for him a very fine copy of Homer's Iliad.

Theodore Gaza was born at Thessalonica, but re