It is the fage advice of Epictetus, that a man, fhould accuftom himself often to think of what is moft fhocking and terrible, that by fuch reflections he may be preserved from too ardent wishes for feeming good, and from too much dejection in real evil. There is nothing more dreadful to an author than neglect, compared with which reproach, hatred, and oppofition, are names of happiness; yet this worst, this meanest fate, every one who dares to writę has reason to fear. I nunc, et verfus tecum meditare canoros. Go now, and meditate thy tuneful lays. ELPHINSTON. It may not be unfit for him who makes a new entrance into the lettered world, fo far to fufpect his own powers, as to believe that he poffibly may deferve neglect; that nature may not have qualified him much to enlarge or embellish knowledge, nor fent him forth intitled by indifputable fuperiority to regulate the conduct of the reft of mankind; that, though the world must be granted to be yet in ignorance, he is not deftined to difpel the cloud, nor to. shine out as one of the luminaries of life. For this fufpicion, every catalogue of a library will furnish fufficient reafon; as he will find it crowded with names of men, who, though now forgotten, were once no less enterprifing or confident than himself, equally pleased with their own productions, equally careffed by their patrons, and flattered by their friends. But though it should happen that an author is capable of excelling, yet his merit may pafs without notice, huddled in the variety of things, and thrown into the general mifcellany of life. He that endeavours after fame by writing, folicits the regard of a multitude fluctuating in measures, or immersed in bufinefs, without time for intellectual amufements; he appeals to judges prepoffeffed by paffions, or corrupted by prejudices, which preclude their approbation of any new performance. Some are too indolent to read any thing, till its reputation is established; others too envious to promote that fame which gives them pain by its increase. What is new is opposed, because most are unwilling to be taught; and what is known is rejected, because it is not sufficiently confidered, that men more frequently require to be reminded than informed. The learned are afraid to declare their opinion early, left they fhould put their reputation in hazard; the ignorant always imagine themselves giving some proof of delicacy, when they refufe to be pleased: and he that finds his way to reputation through all these obftructions, must acknowledge that he is indebted to other causes besides his industry, his learning, or his wit. NUMB. 3. TUESDAY, March 27, 1750. VIRTUS, repulfa nefcia fordida, Intaminatis fulgent honoribus, Nec fumit aut ponit fecures Arbitrio popularis auræ. Undifappointed in defigns, With native honours virtue fhines; Nor takes up pow'r, nor lays it down, HOR. ELPHINSTON. HE tafk of an author is, either to teach what THE is not known, or to recommend known truths by his manner of adorning them; either to let new light in upon the mind, and open new fcenes to the profpect, or to vary the drefs and fituation of common objects, fo as to give them fresh grace and more powerful attractions, to fpread fuch flowers over the regions through which the intellect has already made its progress, as may tempt it to return, and take a fecond view of things haftily paffed over or negligently regarded. Either of these labours is very difficult, because that they may not be fruitless, men must not only be perfuaded of their errors, but reconciled to their guide; they must not only confefs their ignorance, but, what is ftill lefs pleasing, muft allow that he from whom they are to learn is more knowing than themselves. It might be imagined that fuch an employment was in itself fufficiently irkfome and hazardous; that that none would be found fo malevolent as wantonly to add weight to the ftone of Sifyphus; and that few endeavours would be used to obstruct those advances to reputation, which must be made at fuch an expence of time and thought, with fo great hazard in the mifcarriage, and with fo little advantage from the fuccefs. Yet there is a certain race of men, that either imagine it their duty, or make it their amusement, to hinder the reception of every work of learning or genius, who ftand as centinels in the avenues of fame, and value themselves upon giving IGNORANCE and ENVY the first notice of a prey. To these men, who diftinguish themselves by the appellation of CRITICKS, it is neceffary for a new author to find fome means of recommendation. It is probable, that the most malignant of these perfecutors might be fomewhat foftened, and prevailed on, for a fhort time, to remit their fury. Having for this purpose confidered many expedients, I find in the records of ancient times, that ARGUS was lulled by mufick, and CERBERUS quieted with a fop; and am, therefore, inclined to believe that modern criticks, who, if they have not the eyes, have the watchfulnefs of ARGUS, and can bark as loud as CERBERUS, though, perhaps, they cannot bite with equal force, might be fubdued by methods of the fame kind. I have heard how fome have been pacified with claret and a fupper, and others laid asleep with the foft notes of flattery. Though the nature of my undertaking gives me fufficient reafon to dread the united attacks of this virulent virulent generation, yet I have not hitherto perfuaded myself to take any measures for flight or treaty. For I am in doubt whether they can act against me by lawful authority, and fufpect that they have prefumed upon a forged commiffion, ftiled themselves the minifters of CRITICISM, without any authentick evidence of delegation, and uttered their own determinations as the decrees of a higher judicature. CRITICISM, from whom they derive their claim to decide the fate of writers, was the eldest daughter of LABOUR and of TRUTH: fhe was, at her birth, committed to the care of JUSTICE, and brought up by her in the palace of WISDOM. Being foon diftinguished by the celeftials, for her uncommon qualities, she was appointed the governess of FANCY, and impowered to beat time to the chorus of the MUSES, when they fung before the throne of JUPITER. When the MUSES Condefcended to visit this lower world, they came accompanied by CRITICISM, to whom, upon her defcent from her native regions, JUSTICE gave a fceptre, to be carried aloft in her right hand, one end of which was tinctured with ambrofia, and inwreathed with a golden foliage of amaranths and bays; the other end was incircled with cyprefs and poppies, and dipped in the waters of oblivion. In her left hand, fhe bore an unextinguishable torch, manufactured by LABOUR, and lighted by TRUTH, of which it was the particular quality immediately to fhew every thing in its true form, however it might be disguised to common eyes. Whatever ART could com plicate, |