to his fondness, I shall readily acknowledge the real parent. For their own fakes, as well as mine, I request that my readers of both fexes will endeavour to acquire a habit of committing their thoughts to paper. There is no one act of the mind, by which it ftrengthens itself so much, as by compofition. It gives a facility of arranging the ideas, and forming the expreffion. Nay, in the very attempt, we find new lights breaking in on the fubject; and while we strive to impart our sentiments to others, we extend and improve them in ourselves. Nor do its good effects reft here; for it infenfibly transfufes correctness, fluency and elegance into common converfation. YOUNG very juftly fays, Good fenfe will ftagnate; thoughts but up want air; And Spoil like bales unopen'd to the Sun. Mere readers are, in fact, no more than pupils, or apprentices to knowledge; nor will they ever be better, if they have not spirit enough to reach their hands to the materials, and attempt to give them fome form. The first efforts may be laborious next will be eafier; and the pleafure gradually fpringing from every happy ftroke of the pen will foon repay their toil, and give them fpirit to pro ceed. the Let it not be faid that fubjects are exhaufted. The beft established truths may be placed in new lights, and receive additional beauty from variety. In every science, a boundless field of inquiry lies open; and to works of fancy no limits can be affigned. There is no place, nor time that does not afford a peculiar growth of little foibles and follies, for the gentle hand of good natured raillery to pull up; and every ufeful ufeful art admits of daily improvements, which not only deserve, but demand, to be made public. In the midft of fuch abundance, it is impoflible that my scheme fhould ftarve. I am convinced I shall be chearfully supported, nor have I the leaft doubt, but that the name of FLYN will become as eminent in the annals of literature, as that of DODSLEY OF RICHARDSON. L. ******* Thursday, March 29, 1770. No. 2.. Non ufitata, nec tenui ferar Penna, biformis per liquidum æthera Vates; neque in terris morabor HOR. ** AM convinced there is not in the world fo happy a creature as a young author. The mifer over his gold, the victor in his triumph, nay, the lover with his mistress, are nothing to him. He feels a kind of inftinctive delight in his productions, fuperior to that of the fondeft parent; and at the fame time a degree of pride and exultation, which no other state can afford. For my part, I confefs myfelf fo happy, that I make no doubt but my circumstances will be hurt, and my conftitution ruined by it. I do not recollect to have slept two hours fince the publication of my first paper, nor have I taken four ounces of food. I am told I look very thin, but then I am so alert, fo civil, fo inconfiftent, fo good-humoured, and so abfent, that nothing can be like it. The one dear idea takes entire poffeffion of me, and keeps me in the constant complacency placency of a happy lover. Ifpend the day in reading, and the night in reviewing, comparing, and digesting in my mind, the materials for future fpeculations. A tinder-box lies always by my bed-fide, and the moment a lucky thought occurs,. I leap out, ftrike a light, and inftantly commit it to paper. This however, happens fo frequently in the course of a night, that my wife, who has no share in my raptures, complains of being half killed by them. When I accoft any one, especially thofe of my own fraternity, I feel an unfpeakable sensation of conscious fuperiority, and while I fmile with the complacency of a man of letters, I fwell with all the inward dignity of an author. My first production is for ever in my pocket,. and I have perused it fo often that I have fairly worn out a dozen copies. In fhort, I am rapt in that happy enthusiasm which keeps me, as it were, in the air, above the heads of the crowd. I am in a kind of delicious dream, from which no confideration should tempt me to awake, and which, I hope, the kind: fupport of my friends will enable me to preserve. Since my acceffion to this eminent station, I have received feveral letters of congratulation and compliment, but filled with fentiments too flattering for my modefty to publifh. One only, as it contains: other matters, I fhall present to my readers. “SIR, To Mr. FLYN. "Your taking poffeffion of the author's chair, af"fords univerfal fatisfaction to the town, and the fpirit with which you begin, gives us full affurance "that you will fill it with the utmost dignity. It might have long continued vacant, had you not, like "another CROMWELL, emerged from your privacy, ánd ་་ and vaulted boldly into the feat. We falute and congratulate you, Sir, on this event, and hail you "protector of the republic of letters, under whofe 66 aufpices we foresee the revival of tafte and genius! nor will we be content with mere formal affurances, but prove our attachment to your administra"tion, by our zealous fupport of it, and a chearful payment of those just tributes and affistances, which you so graciously require of us." 66 66 "Yet permit us, Sir, to mention that the want of "fecrecy in the method of conveyance is a great dif 66 couragement to many of your friends, who have a ftrong inclination to try their hands at writing. "A maiden author is full of fears and wishes. Con"fcious of his clandeftine intercourfe with wit, he "thinks that every eye is on him ; and while he pants to be happy, he dreads detection. We therefore "request you will be pleased to confider the premif"es, and appoint fome public refervoir for our con"tributions, where we may depofite them without "apprehenfion." "Old Neftor Ironfides, of famous memory, erected "for this purpose, at Button's coffee-house, a lion's "head, with his jaws open for the reception of litera 66 ry nourishment. The produce of that animal's sto"mach was fo well digested, that we humbly recom"mend the experiment to you, and hope you will oblige us, by exhibiting fome fuch creature, in a "place where he may be fed by stealth, and his be"nefactors remain unknown. We fubmit this expe"dient, with all due deference, to your confideration, and are, Sir, &c. A. B. C. D. &c. &c." This propofal took immediate poffeffion of my brain; but I foon faw many objections to it. In the firft place it was an imitation too fervile for my abilities. My taste too was offended, as I did not see either nature or allegory preferved, in making a letterbox of a lion's maw. Befides, I thought that an ammal fo ferocious, was fitter to be crammed with battles, duels, and bloody murders, than with the foft complaints of love, the gay flights of fancy, or the calm pacific difquifitions of morality, criticism, or metaphyfics. On the whole, therefore, I determined against the lion.. How to do better was now the question. Many fchemes occurred and were rejected. But at laft, two gentlemen who came into my fhop, happening to mention a curious antique which was found in the ruins. of Herculaneum, ftarted a thought that went to bed with me, and kept me awake all night. I purfued it through a variety of improvements, until, a little before day, I fixed upon this plan. I will provide thought I, a kind of quadruple figure ca one intire block, fomething like this antic confift of a Satyr, a Medufa, a am placed back to back, and m municate with a drat on a neat pedestal in the Excuan ho My of Satyr's ears fhall be perforated fore rece |