1

TO THE

REVEREND AND PROFOUNDLY LEARNED

JOSEPH GOODALL, D. D.

HEAD MASTER OF ETON COLLEGE,

THIS VOLUME,

THEIR FIRST LITERARY EFFORT,

I S,

WITH ALL THE

VENERATION DUE TO SUCH A MASTER,

GRATITUDE TO SUCH AN INSTRUCTOR,

AND

ESTEEM TO SUCH A MAN,

INSCRIBED

BY HIS MOST RESPECTFUL SCHOLARS,

THE AUTHORS.

!

CONTENTS.

No.

I.

NTRODUCTION.-The Author's

INTR

motives for writing.-The treat-
ment he expects to receive.

II. Remarks on Novels and Romances.-

-

Receipt for a Modern Romance.

III. Reflections on the gradual progress of

Nations, from Barbarism to Civiliza-

tion.

Page

1

13

23

IV. Reflections on the rapid decline of

Manners, and relapse into Barbarism. 33

V. The restlessness of the Human Mind.—
The attainment of its wishes only
opening the way to new Desires il-
lustrated by a Vision.

VI. Plagiarism.--Laws against that of-

45

VII. Contradiction.-Letter from Anthony

Absolute.-Cure for his Malady.

73

No.

Page

VIII. Description of the state of modern
Poetry.Advertisement of Peter

Poeticus.-Ode to the Rainbow.

83

IX. Soliloquists.-The advantages enjoy-

ed by them.-A Club of them described. 99

X. A Visit to a Pedant.-His Character

contrasted with that of Philomusus.-

Letter from Misoleros on Novels.

XI. Letter from a Cockney, describing his

Trip to Windsor.-Bad Effects of

Quizzing.

XII. Various sorts of Prejudice, national

and local.

XIII. Effects of a mistaken Ambition.-

110

121

134

Characters of Atticus, Trebius, Rusti-

cus and Rufillus.-Pugilism- censured. 143

XIV. Death. The effects of its consider-

ation on a young mind.-The opini-

ons of the Ancient Philosophers.-

Superiority of Revelation,

XV. Letter on the want of uniformity in

the Human Mind.-A person in quest

of charitable contributions.

XVI. State of Theatrical Exhibitions in this

156

166

Country. Constituent parts of mo-

dern Tragedies, Comedies, Ballets, &c. 176