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wanders only from the general usages of the world, because he thinks them wrong, or because they are unproductive of any amusement to himself. The humourist is also an autocrat,' and competent to the production of his own happiness; and therefore does not depend on others for his enjoyment of life, but trusts to his own feelings, and his own exertions, for his happiness and his reputation. If such a man adds uncommon vivacity to the peculiarities of his character, he is called a madman; though his more sagacious neighbours will allow that there is a " method in his madness."

Commentators unqualified for their Tasks. Nothing seems more necessary to the critic, who attempts to explain a bard of "elder time," than a knowledge of the phraseology of the contemporary writers in the author's age. Addison has been so unsuccessful in enumerating the words with which Milton has enriched our language, as perhaps not to have named one of which Milton was the author; and Dr. Bentley has yet more unhappily praised him as the introducer of those elisions into English poetry which had been used from the first essays in versification among us, and which Milton was indeed the last that practised.

Proposals for printing the Dramatic Works of“

Shakespeare, 1756, by Samuel Johnson.

Philosophy of Proportion.

A well-built edifice pleases, as the well-formed figure of a man or woman, from the nice proportion of parts to each other, and because such a person is (to use a word of Aristotle's Poetics) EUVOTlos, or to be seen at once; whilst an unwieldy figure of a man or woman must be looked at several times, in order to comprehend its various and varying parts. The same analogy prevails in a Grecian or Palladian edifice; and the poet with much taste and elegance has spoken of the Pantheon at Rome

Mark, how the dread Pantheon stands,
Amid the domes of modern hands;

Amid the toys of idle state,

How simply, how severely great.

Akenside's Ode to Lord Huntingdon.

Flattery.

When persons say that they do not love flattery, they can only mean that they do not approve of praise, when it is excessive, or in their opinions ill bestowed; otherwise they are rejecting what ought to be the reward of virtue. Shakespeare has, in his best manner, described this coquettishness with regard to praise, as well as the general influence of it.

He loves to hear,

That unicorns may be betray'd with trees,
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers :
But, when I tell him he hates flatterers,
He says, he does; being then most flattered.

Julius Cæsar, Act 2, scene 1.

Shakespeare and other Dramatists.

When we read a play in Shakespeare, whether it be tragedy, or whether it be comedy, we seem to be in company with real persons, who speak and use the language of persons under the influence of circumstances around them. In other writers of dramatic fame, we read the opinions, 'the language, and the sentiments only of the author. Let any one peruse the scenes of Corneille and Racine, and he will no doubt admire these fine orators, and be pleased, if he be not tired, with their long and ingenious speeches; but he will seldom, as in reading our great bard, suppose himself conversing with real characters, but with the authors themselves.

Bibliomania. An Anecdote.

A century since, this rage for book-buying prevailed in France, and among very ignorant persons, whom wealth permitted to be foolish. Even the

East was ransacked for curious MSS. A lot of them arrived at the house of the purchaser, who shewed them with great ostentation to his visitors of all descriptions. Some admired the silken leaves, and their beautiful ornaments, &c.: an Arabian scholar at length inspected them. Risum teneatis amici? The MSS. so valuable, so far fetched, and so dear, proved to be the ledger book of accounts belonging to an Arabian merchant.-Melanges d'Histoire et Litterature.

This anecdote would have suited Dr. Young, as an instance, when he described a literary dunce.

On buying books Lorenzo long was bent,
And found at length that it reduc'd his rent.
His farms were flown, when lo! a sale comes on,
A choice collection; what is to be done?

He sells his last, for he the whole will buy,
Sells e'en his house, nay, wauis whereon to lie ;

So high the gen'rous ardour of the man

For Romans, Greeks, and Orientals ran.

Whcu terms were drawn, and brought him by the clerk,
Lorenzo sign'd the bargain with his mark.

Love of Fame, Satire 2d.

Bishop Berkeley

Uses a very beautiful illustration, to state the inefficacy of vain philosophy and cavillings against revelation. "To tax and strike at this divine doctrine, on account of things. foreign and adventitious, the speculations and disputes of curious

men, is in my mind an absurdity of the same kind as it would be to cut down a fine tree yielding fruit and shade, because its leaves afforded nourishment to caterpillars, or because spiders now and then weaved cobwebs amongst the branches.-Alciphron, or the Miuute Philosopher. 8vo. Dialogue 6, p. 322.

N. B. Alcipbron is a most elegant model of dialogue writing, and a most able defence of the Christian religion.

A noble Compliment to the Bishop of Cloyne. Bishop Atterbury was desirous of seeing Berkeley, and was introduced to him by the Earl of Berkeley. After he had left the room, "What does your Lordship think of my cousin?" said the Earl, "Does he answer your Lordship's expectations?" The Bishop, lifting up his bands in astonishment, replied, So much understanding, so much knowledge, so much innocence, and so much humility, I did not think had been the portion of any but angels, till I saw this gentleman.'-- Duncombe's Letters. Dr. Warton, Essay on the Genius of Pope, vol. ii. p. 259, note.

Malebranche.

Bishop Berkeley, in his travels, visited this great French metaphysician, and their discourse fell on the Bishop's celebrated system of the non

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