is truly valuable, will soon discover the fraud, and an author should never arrogate to himself any share of success, till his works have been read at least ten years with satisfaction.

A man of letters at present, whose works are valuable, is perfectly sensible of their value. Every polite member of the community, by buying what he writes, contributes to reward him. The ridicule, therefore, of living in a garret might have been wit in the last age, but continues such no longer, because no longer true. A writer of real merit now may easily be rich, if his heart be set only on fortune; and for those who have no merit, it is but fit that such should remain in merited obscurity. He may now refuse an invitation to dinner, without fearing to incur his patron's displeasure, or to starve by remaining at home. He may now venture to appear in company with just such clothes as other men generally wear, and talk even to princes with all the conscious superiority of wisdom. Though he cannot boast of fortune here, yet he can bravely assert the dignity of independence.-Adieu.

LETTER LXXXV.

To the same.

I HAVE interested myself so long in all the concerns of this people, that I am almost become an Englishman; I now begin to read with pleasure of their taking towns or gaining battles, and secretly wish disappointment to all the enemies of Britain. Yet still my regard to mankind fills me with concern for their contentions. I could wish to see the disturbances of Europe once more amicably adjusted: I am an enemy to nothing in this good world but war; I hate fighting between rival states; I hate it between man and man; I hate fighting even between women!

I already informed you that, while Europe was at variance, we were also threatened from the stage with an irreconcilable opposition, and that our singing women were resolved to sing at each other to the end of the season. O my friend, those fears were just! They are not only determined to sing at each other to the end of the season, but, what is worse, to

sing the same song; and, what i more insupportable, to make us p hearing.

If they be for war, for my part, Is advise them to have a public congres there fairly squall at each other. signifies sounding the trumpet of de at a distance, and calling in the to fight their battles? I would have come boldly into one of the most ope frequented streets, face to face, and try their skill in quavering.

However this may be, resolved that they shall not touch one single of silver more of mine. Though I ears for music, thanks be to Heaven are not altogether ass's ears. What! and the Pickpocket to-night, Polly at Pickpocket to-morrow night, and and the Pickpocket again! I want pati I'll hear no more. My soul is out of all jarring discord and confusion. rest, ye dear three clinking shillings i pocket's bottom; the music you ma more harmonious to my spirit, than ca rosin, or all the nightingales that chirruped in petticoats!

But what raises my indignation to greatest degree is, that this piping not only pester me on the stage, but i punishment in private conversation. W is it to me, whether the "fine pipe" of one or the "great manner" of the o be preferable? what care I, if one ha better top or the other a nobler botte how am I concerned, if one sings from stomach or the other sings with a sa Yet, paltry as these matters are, they m a subject of debate wherever I go; this musical dispute, especially among fair sex, almost always ends in a v unmusical altercation.

Sure the spirit of contention is mò with the very constitution of the peopl Divisions among the inhabitants of cl countries arise only from their higher a cerns, but subjects the most contempt are made an affair of party here; the sp is carried even into their amusement The very ladies, whose duty should se to allay the impetuosity of the oppesi sex, become themselves party champa engage in the thickest of the fight, so at each other, and show their courage, en

the uty.

There are even a numerous set of poets > help to keep up the contention, and te for the stage. Mistake me not; I not mean pieces to be acted upon it, panegyrical verses on the performers, or that is the most universal method of ting for the stage at present. It is the siness of the stage poet, therefore, to tch the appearance of every new player his own house, and so come out next y with a flaunting copy of newspaper s. In these, nature and the actor by be set to run races, the player always ng off victorious; or nature may miske him for herself; or old Shakespeare put on his winding-sheet, and pay him sis; or the tuneful Nine may strike up eir harps in his praise; or, should it pen to be an actress, Venus, the beauqueen of love, and the naked Graces, ver in waiting: the lady must be hergoddess bred and born; she mustyou shall have a specimen of one of poems, which may convey a more se idea.

Jove,

as joy and endless blisses all around,

i rocks forgot their hardness at the sound. en, first, at last e'en Jove was taken in,

d felt her charms, without disguise, within. And yet think not, my friend, that I ve any particular animosity against the ampions who are at the head of the bsent commotion; on the contrary, I aid find pleasure in the music, if served at proper intervals; if I heard it only proper occasions, and not about it erever I go. In fact, I could patronize m both; and as an instance of my concension in this particular, they may ne and give me a song at my lodgings,

You perceive I have not read the seventeen books of Chinese ceremonies to no purpose. I know the proper share of respect due to every rank in society. Stageplayers, fire-eaters, singing women, dancing dogs, wild beasts, and wire-walkers, as their efforts are exerted for our amusement, ought not entirely to be despised, The laws of every country should allow them to play their tricks at least with impunity. They should not be branded with the ignominious appellation of vagabonds; at least they deserve a rank in society equal to the mystery of barbers or undertakers, and, could my influence extend so far, they should be allowed to earn even forty or fifty pounds a year, if eminent in their profession.

I am sensible, however, that you will censure me for profusion in this respect, bred up as you are in the narrow prejudices of Eastern frugality. You will undoubtedly assert, that such a stipend is too great for so useless an employment. Yet how will your surprise increase, when told that, though the law holds them as vagabonds, many of them earn more than a thousand a year! You are amazed. There is cause for amazement. A vagabond with a thousand a year is indeed a curiosity in nature; a wonder far surpassing the flying fish, petrified crab, or travelling lobster. How. ever, from my great love to the profession, I would willingly have them divested of their contempt, and part of their finery: the law should kindly take them under the wing of protection; fix them into a corporation, like that of the barbers; and abridge their ignominy and their pensions. As to their abilities in other respects, I would leave that entirely to the public, who are certainly, in this case, the properest judges-whether they despise them or no.

Yes, my Fum, I would abridge their pensions. A theatrical warrior, who conducts the battles of the stage, should be cooped up with the same caution as a bantam cock that is kept for fighting. When one of those animals is taken from its native dunghill, we retrench it both in

the quantity of its food and the number of its seraglio: players should in the same manner be fed, not fattened; they should be permitted to get their bread, but not eat the people's bread into the bargain; and, instead of being permitted to keep four mistresses, in conscience they should be contented only with two.

Were stage-players thus brought into bounds, perhaps we should find their admirers less sanguine, and consequently less ridiculous, in patronising them. We should be no longer struck with the absurdity of seeing the same people, whose valour makes such a figure abroad, apostrophizing in the praise of a bouncing blockhead, and wrangling in the defence of a copper-tailed actress at home.

I shall conclude my letter with the sensible admonition of Mé the philosopher: "You love harmony," says he, " and are charmed with music. I do not blame you for hearing a fine voice when you are in your closet, with a lovely parterre under your eye, or in the night time, while perhaps the moon diffuses her silver rays. But is a man to carry this passion so far as to let a company of comedians, musicians, and singers, grow rich upon his exhausted fortune? If so, he resembles one of those dead bodies, whose brains the embalmer has picked out through its ears."—Adieu.

LETTER LXXXVI.

To the same.

Of all the places of amusement where gentlemen and ladies are entertained, I have not been yet to visit Newmarket. This, I am told, is a large field, where, upon certain occasions, three or four horses are brought together, then set a-running, and that horse which runs swiftest wins the wager.

This is reckoned a very polite and fashionable amusement here, much more followed by the nobility than partridge fighting at Java, or paper kites in Madagascar: several of the great here, I am told, understand as much of farriery as their grooms; and a horse with any share of merit can never want a patron among the nobility.

We have a description of this enter

tainment almost every day in some gazettes, as for instance: "On such the Give and Take Plate was between his Grace's Crab, his Lord Periwinkle, and Squire Smackem merkin. All rode their own h There was the greatest concourse bility that has been known here for s seasons. The odds were in fave Crab in the beginning; but Slam after the first heat, seemed to hav match hollow: however, it was soo that Periwinkle improved in wind, at last turned out accordingly; Cra run to a standstill, Slamerkin was kn up, and Periwinkle was brought in universal applause." Thus, you Periwinkle received universal app and, no doubt, his Lordship came some share of that praise which w liberally bestowed upon Periwinkle. of China! how glorious must the se appear in his cap and leather bree his whip crossed in his mouth, and coming to the goal, amongst the s of grooms, jockeys, pimps, stable dukes, and degraded generals!

From the description of this pri amusement now transcribed, and the great veneration I have for the racters of its principal promoters, I n no doubt but I shall look upon a he race with becoming reverence, pred sp as I am by a similar amusement, of w I have lately been a spectator; for now I happened to have an opportu of being present at a cart race.

Whether this contention between t carts of different parishes was prom by a subscription among the nob or whether the grand jury, in o assembled, had gloriously combine: encourage plaustral merit, I cannot : upon me to determine; but certain t the whole was conducted with the utm regularity and decorum, and the com.. which made a brilliant appearance, w universally of opinion, that the sport high, the running fine, and the r influenced by no bribe.

It was run on the road from Lo to a village called Brentford, bet turnip-cart, a dust-cart, and a dung each of the owners condescend

unt, and be his own driver. The odds starting were, Dust against Dung, five our; but, after half a mile's going, the wing ones found themselves all on wrong side, and it was Turnip against field, brass to silver.

Soon, however, the contest became re doubtful; Turnip indeed kept the y, but it was perceived that Dung had ter bottom. The road re-echoed with : shouts of the spectators. Dung ainst Turnip! Turnip against Dung!" snow the universal cry; neck and ck; one rode lighter, but the other had re judgment. I could not but parrly observe the ardour with which fir sex espoused the cause of the ferent riders on this occasion: one was amed with the unwashed beauties of ung; another was captivated with the cary aspect of Turnip; while, in meantime, unfortunate gloomy Dust, came whipping behind, was cheered yte encouragement of some, and pity fal

The contention now continued for some without a possibility of determining hom victory designed the prize. The ng post appeared in view, and he drove the turnip-cart assured himof success; and successful he might been, had his horse been as ambitious ; but upon approaching a turn from ad, which led homewards, the horse y stood still, and refused to move a farther. The dung-cart had scarce to enjoy this temporary triumph, it was pitched headlong into a ditch the way-side, and the rider left to Cow in congenial mud. Dust, in the antime, soon came up, and not being from the post, came in, amidst the ats and acclamations of all the spechrs, and greatly caressed by all the ality of Brentford. Fortune was kind ly to one, who ought to have been ourable to all; each had peculiar merit, th laboured hard to earn the prize, and th richly deserved the cart he drove. I do not know whether this description not have anticipated that which I ended giving of Newmarket. I am d, there is little else to be seen even Te. There may be some minute dif

ferences in the dress of the spectators, but none at all in their understandings: the quality of Brentford are as remarkable for politeness and delicacy as the breeders of Newmarket. The quality of Brentford drive their own carts, and the honourable fraternity at Newmarket ride their own horses. In short, the matches in one place are as rational as those in the other; and it is more than probable, that turnips, dust, and dung are all that can be found to furnish out description in either.

Forgive me, my friend; but a person like me, bred up in a philosophic seclusion, is apt to regard perhaps with too much asperity those occurrences which sink man below his station in nature, and diminish the intrinsic value of humanity. Adieu.

LETTER LXXXVII. From Fum Hoam to Lien Chi Altangi. You tell me the people of Europe are wise; but where lies their wisdom? You say they are valiant too; yet I have some reasons to doubt of their valour. They are engaged in war among each other, yet apply to the Russians, their neighbours and ours, for assistance. Cultivating such an alliance argues at once imprudence and timidity. All subsidies paid for such an aid, is strengthening the Russians, already too powerful, and weakening the employers, already exhausted by intestine commotions.

I cannot avoid beholding the Russian empire as the natural enemy of the more western parts of Europe; as an enemy already possessed of great strength, and, from the nature of the government, every day threatening to become more powerful. This extensive empire, which, both in Europe and Asia, occupies almost a third of the old world, was, about two centuries ago, divided into separate kingdoms and dukedoms, and, from such a division, consequently feeble. Since the times, however, of Johan Basilides it has increased in strength and extent; and those untrodden forests, those innumerable savage animals, which formerly covered the face of the country, are now removed, and colonies of mankind planted in their room. kingdom thus enjoying peace internally,

A

possessed of an unbounded extent of dominion, and learning the military art at the expense of others abroad, must every day grow more powerful: and it is probable we shall hear Russia, in future times, as formerly, called the Officina Gentium. It was long the wish of Peter, their great monarch, to have a fort in some of the western parts of Europe: many of his schemes and treaties were directed to this end, but, happily for Europe, he failed in them all. A fort in the power of this people would be like the possession of a floodgate; and whenever ambition, interest, or necessity prompted, they might then be able to deluge the whole western world with a barbarous inundation.

Believe me, my friend, I cannot sufficiently contemn the politicians of Europe, who thus make this powerful people arbitrators in their quarrel. The Russians are now at that period between refinement and barbarity, which seems most adapted to military achievement; and if once they happen to get footing in the western parts of Europe, it is not the feeble efforts of the sons of effeminacy and dissension that can serve to remove them. The fertile valley and soft climate will ever be sufficient inducements to draw whole myriads from their native deserts, the trackless wild, or snowy mountain.

History, experience, reason, nature, expand the book of wisdom before the eyes of mankind, but they will not read. We have seen with terror a winged phalanx of famished locusts, each singly contemptible, but from multitude become hideous, cover like clouds the face of day, and threaten the whole world with ruin. We have seen them settling on the fertile plains of India and Egypt, destroying in an instant the labours and the hopes of nations; sparing neither the fruit of the earth nor the verdure of the fields, and changing into a frightful desert landscapes of once luxuriant beauty. We have seen myriads of ants issuing together from the southern desert, like a torrent whose source was inexhaustible, succeeding each other without end, and renewing their destroyed forces with unwearied perseverance, bringing desolation wherever they came, banishing men and animals,

and, when destitute of all subsisten heaps infecting the wilderness which had made! Like these have bee migrations of men. When as yet sa and almost resembling their brute pa in the forest, subject like them only instincts of nature, and directed by h alone in the choice of an abode, how we seen whole armies starting wi once from their forests and their Goths, Huns, Vandals, Saracens, T Tartars, myriads of men, anima human form, without country, wi name, without laws, overpowerin numbers all opposition, ravaging overturning empires, and, after h destroyed whole nations, and s extensive desolation, how have we them sink oppressed by some new e more barbarous and even more unk than they !--Adieu.

LETTER LXXXVIII.

From Lien Chi Altangi to Fum Heam, President of the Ceremonial Academ Pekin in China.

As the instruction of the fair sex in country is entirely committed to the of foreigners; as their language mas music masters, hair frizzers, and ge nesses, are all from abroad, I had s intentions of opening a female acad myself, and made no doubt, as I quite a foreigner, of meeting a favour reception.

In this I intended to instruct ladies in all the conjugal mysteri wives should be taught the art of mar ing husbands, and maids the skill properly choosing them; I would te a wife how far she might venture to sick, without giving disgust; she sho be acquainted with the great benefit the cholic in the stomach, and all thorough-bred insolence of fashia maids should learn the secret of t distinguishing every competitor; th should be able to know the differt between a pedant and a scholar, a ciand a prig, a squire and his horse, a b and his monkey; but chiefly, they sh be taught the art of managing their s from the contemptuous simper to the laborious laugh.