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 moft malignant of thefe 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 watchfulness 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 by the foft notes of flattery.

Though the nature of my undertaking gives me fufficient reafon to dread the united attacks of this 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 ministers 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

diflin

diftinguished by the celeftials, for her uncommon qualities, fhe was appointed the governefs 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 vifit this lower world, they came accompanied by CRITICISM, to whom, upon her descent from her native regions, JUSTICE gave a fcepter, 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 complicate, or FOLLY could confound, was, upon the first gleam of the torch of TRUTH, exhibited in its diftinct parts and original fimplicity; it darted through the labyrinths of fophiftry, and fhewed at once all the abfurdities to which they ferved for refuge; it pierced through the robes, which rhetorick often fold to falfhood, and detected the difproportion of parts, which artificial veils had been contrived to

cover.

Thus furnifhed for the execution of her office, CRITICISM came down to furvey the performances of those who profeffed themselves the votaries of the MUSES. Whatever was brought before her, fhe beheld by the fteady light of the torch of TRUTH, and when her examination had convinced her, that the laws of juft writing had been obferved, she touched it with the amaranthine end of the scepter, and configned it over to immortality.

But

But it more frequently happened, that in the works, which required her infpection, there was fome impofture attempted; that falfe colours were laboriously laid; that fome fecret inequality was found between the words and fentiments, or fome diffimilitude of the ideas and the original objects; that incongruities were linked together, or that fome parts were of no ufe but to enlarge the appearance of the whole, without contributing to its beauty, folidity, or usefulness.

Wherever fuch difcoveries were made, and they were made whenever these faults were committed, CRITICISM refufed the touch which conferred the fanction of immortality, and, when the errors were frequent and grofs, reverfed the fcepter, and let drops of lethe diftil from the poppies and cyprefs, a fatal mildew, which immediately began to wafte the work away, till it was at laft totally destroyed.

There were fome compofitions brought to the teft, in which, when the strongest light was thrown upon them, their beauties and faults appeared fo equally mingled, that CRITICISM food with her fcepter poised in her hand, in doubt whether to fhed lethe, or ambrofia, upon them. These at laft increased to fo great a number, that he was weary of attending fuch doubtful claims, and, for fear of ufing improperly the fcepter of JUSTICE, referred the cause to be confidered by TIME.

The proceedings of TIME, though very dilatory, were, fome few caprices excepted, conformable to juftice and many, who thought themselves fecure by a fhort forbearance, have funk under bis fcythe, as they were pofting down with their volumes in triumph to futurity. It was obfervable that some were deftroyed by little and little, and others crufhed for ever by a fingle blow.

CRITICISM having long kept her eye fixed fteadily upon TIME, was at laft fo well fatisfied with his

4

conduct,

conduct, that she withdrew from the earth with her patronefs ASTREA, and left PREJUDICE and FALSETASTE to ravage at large as the affociates of FRAUD and MISCHIEF; contenting herself thenceforth to fhed her influence from afar upon fome select minds, fitted for its reception by learning and by virtue.

Before her departure, the broke her scepter, of which the fhivers, that formed the ambrofial end, were caught up by FLATTERY, and those that had been infected with the waters of lethe were, with equal hafte, feized by MALEVOLENCE. The followers of FLATTERY, to whom the diftributed her part of the fcepter, neither had nor defired light, but touched indifcriminately whatever PoWER or INTEREST happened to exhibit. The companions of MALEVOLENCE were fupplied by the FuRIES with a torch, which had this quality peculiar to infernal luftre, that its light fell only upon faults.

No light, but rather darkness visible

Serv'd only to difcover fights of woe.

With these fragments of authority, the flave to FLATTERY and MALEVOLENCE marched out at the command of their miftreffes, to confer immortality, or condemn to oblivion. But the fcepter had now loft its power; and TIME paffes his fentence at leifure, without any regard to their determinations.

NUMB

NUMB. 4. SATURDAY, March 31, 1750.

Simul et jucunda et idonea dicere Vitæ. HOR.

And join both profit and delight in one. CREECH.

TH

HE works of fiction, with which the prefent generation feems more particularly delighted, are fuch as exhibit life in its true ftate, diverfified only by accidents that daily happen in the world, and influenced by paffions and qualities which are really to be found in converfing with mankind.

This kind of writing may be termed not improperly the comedy of romance, and is to be conducted nearly by the rules of comick poetry. Its province is to bring about natural events by eafy means, and to keep up curiofity without the help of wonder: it is therefore precluded from the machines and expedients of the heroick romance, and can neither employ giants to fnatch away a lady from the nuptial rites, nor knights to bring her back from captivity; it can neither bewilder its perfonages in deferts, nor lodge them in imaginary castles.

I remember a remark made by Scaliger upon Pontanus, that all his writings are filled with the fame images; and that if you take from him his lillies and his rofes, his fatyrs and his dryads, he will have nothing left that can be called poetry. In like manner, almost all the fictions of the laft age will vanifh, if you deprive them of a hermit and a wood, a battle and a fhipwreck.

Why this wild ftrain of imagination found reception fo long, in polite and learned ages, it is not -eafy to conceive; but we cannot wonder that, while readers could be procured, the authors were willing to continue it for when a man had by practice gained fome fluency of language, he had no further care than to retire to his clofet, let loose his inven