plicate, 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 falfehood, and detected the disproportion of parts which artificial veils had been contrived to cover. Thus furnished 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 steady light of the torch of TRUTH, and when her examination had convinced her, that the laws of just writing had been obferved, the touched it with the amaranthine end of the fceptre, and configned it over to immortality. But it more frequently happened, that in the works which required her inspection, there was fome imposture 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 use 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 refused the touch which conferred the fanction of immortality, and, when the errors were frequent and grofs, reverfed the fceptre, and let VOL. IV. C drops drops of lethe diftil from the poppies and cyprefs, a fatal mildew, which immediately began to waste the work away, till it was at laft totally destroyed. There were fome compofitions brought to the teft, in which, when the ftrongest light was thrown upon them, their beauties and faults appeared fo equally mingled, that CRITICISM ftood with her. fceptre poifed in her hand, in doubt whether to shed lethe, or ambrofia, upon them. These at last increased to fo great a number, that fhe was weary of attending fuch doubtful claims, and, for fear of ufing improperly the fceptre 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 themfelves fecure by a fhort forbearance, have funk under his fcythe, as they were pofting down with their volumes in triumph to futurity. It was obfervable that fome were deftroyed by little and little, and others crushed for ever by a fingle blow. CRITICISM having long kept her eye fixed fteadily upon TIME, was at laft fo well fatisfied with his conduct, that fhe withdrew from the earth with her patronefs ASTREA, and left PREJUDICE and FALSE TASTE to ravage at large as the affociates of FRAUD and MISCHIEF; contenting herfelf thenceforth to fhed her influence from far upon fome felect minds, fitted for its reception by learning and by virtue. Before her departure fhe broke her fceptre, of which the fhivers, that formed the ambrofial end, were caught up by FLATTERY, and those that had been been infected with the waters of lethe were, with equal hafte, feized by MALEVOLENCE. The followers of FLATTERY, to whom fhe diftributed her part of the fceptre, 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 vifible, With these fragments of authority, the flaves of FLATTERY and MALEVOLENCE marched out, at the command of their mistreffes, to confer immortality, or condemn to oblivion. But the fceptre had now loft its power; and TIME paffes his fentence at leifure, without any regard to their determinations. : NUMB. 4. SATURDAY, March 31, 1750. Simul et jucunda et idonea dicere Vitæ. And join both profit and delight in one. HOR. CREECH. HE works of fiction, with which the pre TH fent 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 easy 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 caftles. 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 lilies 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 vanish, if you deprive them of a hermit and a wood, a battle and a shipwreck. Why this wild strain 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 loofe his invention, and heat his mind with incredibilities; a book was thus produced without fear of criticifm, without the toil of study, without knowledge of nature, or acquaintance with life. The task of our prefent writers is very different; it requires, together with that learning which is to be gained from books, that experience which can never be attained by folitary diligence, but must arife from general converfe and accurate obfervation of the living world. Their performances have, as Horace expreffes it, plus oneris quantum venia minus, little indulgence, and therefore more difficulty. They are engaged in portraits of which every one knows the original, and can detect any deviation from exactness of refemblance. Other writings are safe, except from the malice of learning, but thefe are in danger from every common reader; as the flipper ill executed was cenfured by a fhoemaker who happened to ftop in his way at the Venus of Apelles. But the fear of not being approved as juft copiers of human manners, is not the most important concern that an author of this fort ought to have before him. These books are written chiefly to |