use. They are now at the mercy of the world, and cannot be recalled. They stand before the impartial reader with all their imperfections; and from them will the Author's humble capacity for Essay-writing be judged, in spite of all he can say. Some may wonder at his rashness; some sneer at his stupidity; and many, who never tried themselves what it is to proceed in so perilous a task, may be surprised at the utter failure of his attempts.

The author, morbidly alive as his first feelings are to disappointment or neglect, has learned to endure, with tolerable fortitude, the consequences of committing himself to the public view, and if he cannot always sufficiently moderate his emotions at insult or neglect, nor suddenly recover from the blight of ungenerous discouragement, he has taught his mind to subside gradually into a calmness which can abide the results of his adventurous love of fame. Some friends he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has secured by these Essays, and of some noble minds he has had the good fortune to acquire the praise, whose approbation replaces him in humour with himself, and makes him amends for many mortifications.

To Mr. Lofft THE RUMINATOR is indebted for some pieces of valuable poetry. One other friend only has he to thank for aid in these Essays. To the nephew and biographer of a lady of celebrated

learning and genius lately deceased he is obliged for several papers composed at his desire, which, if not the most numerous, are the most valuable of the series.

For the fate of those which remain, the writer cannot suppress his solicitude: for from them it will probably hereafter be determined, whether he has justly aspired to some qualities of the minds of which the deficiency will hereafter cloud the recollection of him which he is so anxious should survive

the grave.

May 21, 1809.

POSTSCRIPT. This Paper has been suffered to stand in the words in which it appeared at the close of the Essays, on their first publication in the CENSURA LITERARIA. This reprint has been augmented in its papers at least a fourth, principally by the kind and delightful contributions of my eloquent and highly valued friend, the truly poetical author of CHILDE ALARIQUE.

July 12, 1813.

THE END.

T. ensley. Painter,

Belt-Court, Fleet Street, London.

INDEX OF SUBJECTS.

ADULATION of the great, i. 186.

Allegorical style of poetry, ii. 45.

Apparitions, on, ii. 186.

Armorial bearing on the shields of the Grecian chiefs,

ii. 31.

Biography, on the proper objects of, i. 47.

lives of literary men abundant in materials

for, ii. 224.

Birth, on, ii. 81.

Bloomfield, lines by, on his mother's spindle, ii. 89.

Books, on, i. 140.

Books,-see Genius.

Book-making, on, ii. 57.

Browne, W.'s Pastorals, ii. 116.

Carter, Mrs. Eliz. on her letters, i. 144.
Castara,-see Habingdon.

Censura Literaría, on the conduct of, i. 123.

Christian morality,—see Heathens.
Collins, his allegories, ii. 37.
Complaint, on the impolicy of, ii, 86.

Conversation,-see Reserve.

Cotemporaries, their envy and prejudice cannot suppress

well-founded fame, ii. 111.

Cowley, on the Latin poems of, i. 272, 280.
Cowper,-see Homer.

Criticism, fashionable, on the severity of, i. 183.
Criticism and Censure, on the improper dread of, ii. 166,

Delight of books of genius, ii. 1.

Dreams, on, i. 136.

Eccentric character, story of, i. 223, 232, 240, 245, 255.

Emblems,-see Quarles.

ii. 178.

Endowments, high, unfit for ordinary society, ii. 215.
Eton College, Greek Ode on, ii. 14.
Expectations, inordinate in life, on, ii. 245.

Fame, on the love of, ii. 69.

posthumous, on the passion for, ii. 234.

on posthumous, ii. 249.

-see Literature.

Fame,-

Families, ancient English, i. 111.

Fancy, on the pleasures and uses of, ii. 169.

Farewell of the Ruminator, ii. 314.
Feudal,-see Warrior.

Fragments, poetical, i. 266.

Fugitive, see Poetry.

Genius, when properly exerted, how far it brings its own
reward with it, i. 65.

i. 87.

poetical, on the traits and concomitants of

few books animated by, ii. 1.

on the maladies of, ii. 191.

Genius,- -see Taste.

Gray, the poet, traits in the character of, i. 177.
Gray's Elegy, Latin translation of, ii. 143.

Grotius, on the theological writings of, i. 216.

Habingdon's Castara, character of, with extracts, i. 190.

Habington, Wm. memoir of, ii. 92.

Happiness, human, on the state best adapted to, i. 23.

Happiness, see Martial.

Heathens, on the imperfect morality of, i. 290.

History, how far it is true, i. 157.

Historians of Civil Wars,-see Warburton.

Homer, passage of, elucidated, i. 102.

translations by Pope and Cowper, ii. 138.

Honour, on false, ii. 133.