Of writing a better Poem than Milton's immortal Epic, verses worse than those of Haley, Bowles, or Lord Strangford, and prose as bad as Pratt's, or that of the Editor of the Satirist.

Of having heard Doctor Duigenan make a polite speech in favour of toleration, and Mr. Secretary C..... a good one on any occasion.

Of being dead and alive, at

the same moment.

Of wishing the failure of the

Petition for Catholic Emancipation.

Of going to the country,

when no one goes there; and staying in town, when every one has left it.

Of being more corpulent

than the late Mr. Daniel Lambert, and

as thin as the edge of a razor.

Of bearing what is intoler

able; keeping my temper when out of humour, and being silent whenever I speak!

It is, Sir, by no means un

usual to hear a fellow swear that I can swim on dry land, pay my debts without money, and eat, at one meal, twice as much pudding as I can get.

I am said to have more wit

and genius than Mr. Sheridan, and also to be as thick-headed as Earl C

...

or the Marquis of S.

It is, at one and the same

time, averred that I look more like a

Tom Cat than the Baron de G and yet that with a bull-face and bandy legs, I am genteel and handsome.

I am acknowledged by seve ral to excel Kemble in playing the chas racters of Shakspeare, and to sing better than Catalani; and notwithstanding, it is asserted that I have a worse conception of chaste acting than Liston, and such a knife-grinder's voice as Taylor.

Sound Lam also said to be in two places at once; and to be exceedingly partial to the present incomparable Administration. Not to encroach top much on your indulgence, I shall, for the present, take my leave; assuring you, Sir, that the writer of this is infinitely more a friend to you than to

Swan-Tavern, Hear St. Martin's-lane. Azonb

Aug. 1811.

G

In ascending from the con

sideration of Newspapers, to that of Books, it will not be expected that I should particularize all the eminent works of the present fertile period, which indeed are too numerous even to be counted: the Monthly and Quarterly Reviews must be referred to as the safest guides in these paths of research; conducted on principles of the utmost liberality, and displaying nothing but disinterested criticism, and profound erudition, these works do honour to British genius. Two or three of these productions especially deserve attention: the Edinburgh Review is remarkable for the gentleness of its strictures, and the modesty which is conspicuous in its pages; and still more for not containing any irrelevant matter, nor any long, sapless, and wearisome treatises, introduced to swell the volume, and

show off the learning of those who read and write for it. The Antijacobin Review is distinguished for its freedom from party-bias, as the Title proves, because political partialities or prejudices have no connection with questions of literature. Nor must I omit the Scourge and the Satirist: monthly performances totally devoid of vulgar acidity, personal abuse, indelicacy of phrase, and coarse, ungrammatical style.

In speaking of literary excellence, it may be thought natural that I should insert the names at least of some of the great living Authors, whose labours at this hour amuse and enlighten their fellow-citizens. I tremble at the notion of doing this, however sparingly, through fear of giving pain to such as I should neglect to notice; and to de