and Irish cognoscenti, and these the most venerable and enlightened members of the community, to the total exclusion of needy foreign sharpers, women of intrigue, and fashionable idlers of either

sex.

But to form a competent notion of English greatness, we must contemplate the state of literature in this country; a subject which demands a more minute examination than it is in my power to give it. Even those diurnal productions, the Newspapers of London, afford a most entertaining, instructive, and faithful picture of the public mind. Although many in number, they are nearly of equal celebrity ; yet, without wishing to disparage any, I believe I may venture to say that the Morning-Post is in highest estimation for the pure style and patriotic spirit of

its political department, and the matchless beauty of its poetical articles: the Courier, little inferior to it in these respects, is still more admired for the excellence of its print. But that I may not appear partial from what I have just insinuated, and to let you more into the spirit of these ephemeral performances, I shall here give you a few extracts from the Morning-Chronicle, a paper somewhat different in principle from those before named, by which you will obtain a view of the pleasant and sportive hostility affected by Opposition Prints towards such as are supposed to be in the interest of Government, and its adherents. The following, however various the subjects treated of, are thought to be all from one pen.

To the Editor of the Morning-Chronicle.

SIR,

Yesterday evening, having taken my usual place in a much frequented public room, not far from Covent-Garden, I was a good deal amused by the conversation of the surrounding company, which consisted of more than twenty persons of different ages, and apparently such as are commonly called Gentlemen: that is to say, Lawyers' clerks, shopkeepers, naval and military men on half-pay, a squire or two from the country, some five or six collectors of intelligence for the daily Papers, and a few of such as are said to live by their Wits. Among the latter, Mr. Editor, I class myself; and could you behold my threadbare coat and

meagre limbs, you would scarcely dispute my title to the rank I assume.

At my entrance, and while I

remained, a most astonishing variety of topics underwent discussion at one and the same time, in voices equally loud, and each speaker seemingly addressing his observations to all the rest.

This reminded me of a very

jocose paper in some part of Goldsmith's works, and suggested the thought of supplying your numerous readers with as accurate a report of this instructive. conversazione, as I can, in the humble hope, not only of contributing to their entertainment, but of transmitting to future generations (through the medium of a paper which will surely reach their hands,) a sketch of the leading subjects

that at present engage our attention in the Capital of this enlightened country. Upon my-sole and oyster

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sauce-I cannot possibly conceiveCatalani be d-d-a brown bitch lostand a bad peace, which is worse than no peace at all-Lord Castlereagh, Mr. Canning and Mr.Perceval--three th..... an union of virtue-castile soap-bad grammar, and-Tal-Talleyrand—the Devil on two sticks-written by-Sir Richard Phi-who never eats any thing except-pale ink and bluish paperwith mustard and a leetle cayenne-Sir William Curtis-sailed-in a basin of turtle soup-like the man in the playshadowed with laurels of which, to my certain knowledge, there are two kinds -in the island of Walcheren-cursed hard running-a famous cure for a bone spavin-Lord Wellington-look in the