the prolixity of the work. When the reader has taken the trouble to go through the book, we shall leave him to determine whether the critic be insensible, or the author occasionally dull." This sneering critic (for he at length appears in the singular case, speaking grammatically) affects to be unwilling to accuse me of practising the art of book-making, and of inserting every piece of information which came in my way relative to the manuers of London; but really "we would willingly have dispensed with many of his details, in which there is nothing either to edify or

amuse."

The single critic, or congregated critics, which the reader pleases, next introduces the following quotation: "Then, says Mr. Malcolm, (meaning before the invasion of Cæsar) the hardy native stood erect in the full dignity and grace of nature, perfect from the hands of the Creator, and tinted with those pure colours which vary with the internal feelings. Cæsar, doubtless, found the males muscular and full of energy, the females graceful in their forms, and both wild and unrestrained in his estimation of manners; though probably they were such as we now admire in the Savage, sincerity unpolished and kindness roughly demonstrated."

I shall make no comments on this passage, which the reader of the Review is requested by the critic to take as a "specimen of that affected, stiff, and verbose style in which Mr. M. sometimes thinks proper to indulge, and on which the critic or critics would fail in their duty to the publick if they did not fix the seal of their utter reprobation."-" Perspicuity and ease are

among

among those constituent principles of good writing, which we should be unwilling to sacrifice for any of the starched refinements and elaborate perplexities of modern composition."-"When Mr. M. tells us that Cæsar found the Aborigines of Britain' tinted with those pure colours which vary with the internal feelings, he seems to have forgotten that Cæsar himself tells us (B. G. lib. v.) that he found these hardy natives' bedizened with a coat of paint. And we leave our modern fine ladies to inform Mr. M. whether this artificial discoloration were likely to serve as a mirror for the varying emotions of the breast."

It may be presumed that he who undertakes to criticise the language of another should himself be⚫ perfect in the arrangement of his ideas, and of words to express them, and capable of composing similies that shall bear some reference to the subject illustrated. Whether the author of the Review in question is qualified for the employment he has undertaken, will appear in the elegant extracts which follow: "agreeable dishes," " savoury ingredients," "confused medley," "nicely selected," "culled as much matter," "his own head and tail pieces," "traversing the pages," "bulky volume," "squeamishness of appetite," "to go through the book," "affected, stiff," "starched refinements," "elaborate perplexities," "bedizened," and "discoloration were likely to serve as a mirror." Surely, if he asserts my style to be affected, stiff, and starched, I may venture to pronounce his extremely vulgar, incorrect, and confused,

I had

I had not forgotten that Cæsar found the natives of England stained with the juices of plants, and partially covered with coloured earths; still I maintain that Nature had perfected her work, and given the fluids that due circulation, improved by exercise and temperance, which renders the complexion florid and beautiful. Extraneous matter at times defaced her operations; but luxury, disease, and enervation, had not dried the channels of the blood of the Aborigines, as it has those of the fine lady I am referred to, whose discoloration is to serve as a mirror to show my own folly.

"In p. 4. Mr. M. tells us what we suppose he discovered after many nights of sleepless meditation, that, 6 There are in every human circle persons whose patriotism may be lulled; [the words between lulled and and, "such may be taught by invaders to execrate their chiefs or governors" are shamefully omitted by the Reviewer as well as the beginning of the first sentence] and glittering ornaments of dress, and indolence, soon produce unfavourable comparison between the former and a naked limb, and the exertions of what is termed savage and the more refined conceptions of quiet life.' Without staying to make any remarks on the phraseology or the structure of this sentence, we shall proceed to shew Mr. M. as a collector of curious anecdotes and amusing details, in which hẹ appears to much more advantage than as a philosopher or a rhetorician."

Is it possible that an author can feel himself injured by such absurd and ridiculous spleen as those four

lines

lines and an half produced in the breast of this miser▾ able Reviewer?

Contemptible and futile as my information is considered by the writer, he has deigned to compress nearly the whole matter of my Anecdotes of Charity for his own purposes; and, although he denies me any share of his charity, he is delighted with the instances of it I have introduced to his notice of that of others. For once he agrees with me in opinion as to the general improvement of manners; and occupies from the 3d to the 9th page in contradicting himself in almost all the positions he has endeavoured to establish as to my incompetency for the present undertaking.

"Mr. M's 4th chapter is intituled Eccentricity proved to be sometimes injurious, though often inoffensive.' We could willingly have spared Mr. Malcolm the necessity of exhibiting any proofs on this ocasion; most of the Anecdotes which he has scraped together are destitute of interest." The writer has been much my friend in this instance, though certainly without intending it; for he could not have more effectually convinced the publick of his incapability. Can he suppose it possible that, in describing the Manners of the Metropolis, the eccentricities of its inhabitants should be omitted? It is as impossible as that any person should agree with him in all his absurdities. As to exciting of interest, the very nature of eccentricity is such, that pity alone must predominate in the breast of the considerate reader. The sneer that my specimens of eccentricity will make the Anecdotes "a favourite of the Circulating Libraries,"

came

came from the same hand that could write “a bushel of coals" instead of a chaldron of coals allowed by James Austin to boil his pudding fourteen days.

The loyal reader shall comment for himself on the following extract from this admirable Review: "In 1736, a laudable attempt was made to suppress the excessive use of Gin; and the resentment of the populace became so very turbulent, that they even presumed to exclaim in the streets, No Gin, no King.' Whatever respect we may have for the exclamation,

No Bishop, no King,' we do not think that either monarchy or any other government needs the support of this pernicious distillation." This is what the Reviewer tells us,' and I suppose the discovery was made "after many nights of sleepless meditation ;" indeed the same degree of intense thought seems to have produced another sapient piece of philosophy or rhetoric, which is offered to our consideration in p. 11 of the Review. "When a bull gives permission to a greater brute than himself to bait him to death with dogs, we will allow that something like a sanction is given to the sport." Surely these specimens of deep cogitation are almost equal to my "novel observation that 'partnerships too frequently produce dissention and a struggle for individual power' ;" and the Reviewer's own words, "Mr. M. might have added to the spirit and interest of his work by omitting such superfluous details." These superfluous details, good reader, relate to the disputes between Messrs. Harris and Colman in 1768, which, having excited great interest amongst those who frequented the Theatre, could not, and ought not to be omitted to gratify an invisible

individual,