THE MINIATURE. NUMB. I. MONDAY, April 23, 1804. Præcepta canam, celabitur auctor. My precepts I fhall willingly reveal, A YOUNG actor making his début upon the ftage, especially if endeavouring to fupport any celebrated and admired character, feels the most painful fenfations of embarrassment, and uneafinefs he indeed hopes for, but cannot expect a favourable reception; he pants for fame, but fears to hazard the attempt; he wishes to avoid an appearance of boldnefs, and at the fame time to overcome diffidence; in fhort, he throws himself upon the mercy of his audience. Thus a youthful, and unexperienced author must be affected by the fame emotions, difcouraged by fimilar fears, and tremble through the apprehenfion of not B giving fatisfaction, when he confiders the boldness of his defign, the number of his judges, and that he is about to fubmit himself, his fentiments, and his abilities to the fevere, and fcrutinizing eye of criticism; when he remembers the world to be his theatre. Were he to throw off every fhadow of modefty, and to intrude himself upon the public patience, with all the freedom and confidence of an acknowledged Genius, fuch behaviour might juftly be deemed impertinent: if on the contrary he were to come forward with a thousand apologies, and to proteft that he conceived his capacity. unequal to the task which he had impofed upon himself, he might be rejected as an infufficient blockhead, unqualified for his character, and deftitute of the smallest pretenfions to notice or fayour. If this be true, a confideration naturally arifes which path it may be safer to pursue; but I confefs myself inclined to follow neither; I will not affume an air of importance; I will not promife a fumptuous entertainment. Let thofe, whom it may please, come to my table; I only engage to amuse them to the extent of my ability. Some one may perhaps inquire the reason of this intrufion, and with what view I have dared to enter the lifts of literary fame. The degene racy (if I may fo exprefs myself) of Eton has long been the subject of converfation, and its present ftate, perhaps unjustly, depreciated. Without prefumption, therefore, it fhall be my endeavour to wipe away this reproach, without vanity to hope for fuccefs. Should the following writings be honored with the public approbation, the point is proved; fhould they fail, oblivion only is intreated. I confider myself as one who takes a picture from real life, who attempts to catch the refemblance, or pourtray the features of existing objects, so that the representation may impartially, and exactly defcribe the perfections or defects, beauties or deformities of the original. It is not for me to attempt the bolder ftrokes, and nervous outlines which the pencil of Raphael exhibit, nor can I expect that my portraits should glow with the vivid colouring which a Titian might exprefs. My attempts will follow the style of a MINIATURE, and while the touches are lefs daring, while less force, and richness of imagination may be confpicuous in the following sketches, they may perhaps derive fome merit in an humbler scale, from correctness of defign, and accuracy of reprefentation. This ftyle indeed will be the more appropriate, as it is in the leffer theatre of life that it will be employed, and as juvenile folly, or merit will often be the fubjects of my lucubrations. Did I indeed, with the extravagant fancy of the novel struck age, give credit to the terrific apparition in the fields of Hammersmith, or the headlefs phantom of St. James's Park; (allied no doubt to the laborious fcratchings of the Cock lane Nymph) well might I conceive the departed spirits of my great predeceffors, defcending from the bright manfions of their literary paradise, to appear before me, checking my eager but imprudent defires, and damping my ardent but delufive expectations. First the ancient ISAAC BICKERSTAFF in all the terror of cenforial dignity, commands me to deliver myself and writings into his inexorable court, as being in danger of acting upon fome as a deadly foporific; upon others as a stimulant to paffion, anger, and contempt; and diffusing their infectious stupidity to all, and thereby 66 DIS TURBING THE HEALTH, AND PEACE OF HIS MAJESTY'S WELL-BELOVED SUBJECTS, &c. &c." For the prevention of which evils, an edit is iffued for the total banishment of my papers from every shop, except that of the grocer, and pastry cook, and myself to be deprived of the use of pen, ink, and paper for the space of one month, as an impertinent and pernicious coxcomb. Next, might I figure to myself the placid, though majeftic form of the SPECTATOR diffuading me from attempting with idle curiofity, and boyish impotence to afcend those blisful regions, which fo few men, with the united force of a lively genius, fteady induftry, and unerring judgement have ever been able to attain. The NESTORIAN LION with louder than his accustomed roar; the romantic ADVENTURER fresh from eaftern ground, would reiterate the fame advice, the fame diffuafions. The ponderous dignity of the RAMBLER, would with exacerbated severity lament the fad degeneracy of the prefent day, when boys affect the man, and men put themfelves on a level with boys. Thus would the images of thefe illuftrious men, in conjunction with thofe, who now living have enjoyed a character which is rarely gained, even after death, exclaim against my feeble efforts to direct, instruct, and amuse our little community. Even admidft the enjoyment of a more local fame, the spirit of our revered forefather CREGORY GRIFFIN might accufe me as a degenerate child, as heir of but a fmall part, at beft, of |