city, and one day more, if they have the good fortune to serve in leap year.' The letter proceeds to a very humorous and severe attack of Lord Chatham, and the Ministry which he had formed. It had very great influence in lessening the popularity of that statesman and his supporters. Sir John Hawkins expressed to Johnson his wonder that Burke procured a seat. Sir John was not a man fitted to see extraordinary powers and acquirements previous to their production of fame and admiration. He knew Burke to be a man of very uncommon talents, when all the world joined in that opinion: Johnson, who had, from the first meeting, penetrated into his intellec tual character, answered, that Burke would soon be known to be the first man in the house, as he would be in any society. He was now well known in the fashionable world, and as much liked for the pleasingness of his address and conversation, as ad mired for his genius and acquirements. He became the intimate friend of Sir Joshua Reynolds, whose house was the receptacle of genius, learning, taste, and politeness. Mrs Montague courted his acquaintance. She was herself literary, and had written an essay on Shakspeare, to which Johnson, according to his biographer, did not do justice. He condemned it as deficient in general philosophical criticism; when it was intended for a special object, merely to vindicate Shakspeare from the misrepresentation of Voltaire, by shewing that his observations, however witty, were not justified by the writings of our dramatic bard. It is rather a narrative of facts, and refutation of false assertions, than an investigation of principles; and was useful in undeceiving those readers who judged from what Voltaire said of Shakspeare, instead of judging from Shakspeare himself. There are gradations in criticism, as in other branches of literature, from the verbal annotations of a grammarian to the investigation of a philosopher. Many are the useful and agreeable performances, which are far short of Burke's Sublime, Aristotle's Rhetoric and Poetics, Johnson's Preface to Shakspeare and Lives of the Poets. Mrs. Montague's essay has, besides, the merit of being clearly and elegantly expressed; and shews that its fair author had devoted much of her attention to literature and composition. Sir Joshua Reynolds, and many other men of taste and letters, highly esteemed Mrs. Montague, and even Burke thought favourably of her literary talents. Mrs. Montague and several other ladies, about this time, had evening assemblies, in which, instead of cards, they participated in the conversation of literary and ingenious men. One of the most eminent members, when the societies commenced, was Mr. Stillingfleet, who always wore blue stockings. As his conversation was very entertaining, they, when he was absent, used to say, we can do nothing without the blue stockings; and by degrees the assemblies were called blue stocking clubs. From that time those ladies, who are, or pretend to be, learned, or are in the fashionable circles supposed to be learned, are called blue stockings. Burke frequently mingled in these societies, and was a great favourite, as his pleasing, unassuming manners, and apparent deference, made them suppose that he thought them as great scholars as they thought themselves. Johnson also frequently attended, was generally not impolite, and seldom shocked them by flat contradictions, or by exposing flimsy arguments. In Scotland, about the same time, many ladies had a similar eagerness to enjoy the conversation of literary men; but there, abstract divinity had the most attractive charms of all species of knowledge. A lady, with this propensity, was one day in company with Mr. Adam Ferguson, a Perthshire clergyınan, of great strength of understanding and eminence in the church. The lady, addressing herself to him, said, ' Mr. Ferguson, I have dipt into predestinarian con • I must troversy.' Mr. Ferguson replied, praise your prudence, Madam, in having only dipt into it, and recommend that mode in your other theological studies.' Burke also became intimate with the highest society in the political circles; besides the Marquis of Rockingham, with the Duke of Portland, Mr. Dunning, Sir George Saville, and many others. He was ever ambitious to connect himself with men of high rank, though from such HE could derive no lustre. He retained his seat in the club, which had now increased its numbers. The conversation of Burke there, as every where else, shewed a man much superior to ordinary scholars, whilst his engaging manners prevented his intellectual superiority from being offensive. He exemplified the perfect compatibility of the wisdom of a philosopher with the urbanity and elegance of a polished gentleman. He was no enemy to that enlivener of social parties, wine. One evening he observed that a hogshead of claret, which had been sent them as a |