Every popular government seems calculated to last only for a time, it grows rigid with age, new laws are multiplying, and the old continue in force, the subjects are oppressed, burthened with a multiplicity of legal injunctions, there are none from whom to expect redress, and nothing but a strong convulsion in the state can vindicate them into former liberty: thus the people of Rome, a few great ones excepted, found more real freedom under their emperors though tyrants, than they had experienced in the old age of the commonwealth, in which their laws were become numerous and painful, in which new laws were every day enacting, and the old ones executed with rigour. They even refused to be reinstated in their former prerogatives, upon an offer made them to this purpose; for they actually found emperors the only means of softening the rigours of their con stitution. The constitution of England is at present possessed of the strength of its native oak, and the flexibility of the bending tamarisk; but should the people at any time, with a mistaken zeal, pant after an imaginary freedom, and fancy that abridging monarchy was increasing their privileges, they would be very much mistaken, since every jewel plucked from the crown of majesty, would only be made use of as a bribe to corruption; it might enrich the few who shared it among them, but would in fact impoverish the public. As the Roman senators by slow and imperceptible degrees became masters of the people, yet still flattered them with a show of freedom, while themselves only were freee; so is it possible for a body of men, while they stand up for privileges, to grow into an exuberance of power themselves, and the public become actually dependant, while some of its individuals only governed. If If then, my friend, there should in this country ever be on the throne a king who through goodnature or age, should give up the smallest part of his prerogative to the people, if there should come a minister of merit and popularity-but I have room for no more. Adieu. LETTER L. TO THE SAME. AS I was yesterday seated at breakfast over a pensive dish of tea, my meditations were interrupted by my old friend and companion, who introduced a stranger, dressed pretty much like himself. The gentleman made several apologies for his visit, begged of me to impute his intrusion to the sincerity of his respect, and the warmth of his curiosity. As I am very suspicious of my company, when I find them very civil without any apparent reason, I answered the stranger's caresses at first with reserve; which my friend perceiving, instantly let me into my visitant's trade and character, asking Mr. Fudge, whether he had lately published any thing new? I now conjectured that my guest was no other than a bookseller, and his answer confirmed my suspicions. "Excuse me, Sir," says he, "it is not the seabooks have their time as well as cucumbers. “I would no more bring out a new work in summer, "than I would sell pork in the dog-days. Nothing "in my way goes off in summer, except very light goods indeed. A review, a magazine, or a ses❝sions paper may amuse a summer reader; but all our stock of value we reserve for a spring and win 66 son; "ter 66 “ter trade." I must confess, Sir, says I, a curiosity to know what you call a valuable stock, which can only bear a winter perusal. “Sir,” replied the bookseller, "it is not my way to cry up my own goods; but "without exaggeration I will venture to show with "any of the trade; my books at least have the pe"culiar advantage of being always new; and it is my way to clear off my old to the trunk-makers 66 every season. I have ten new title pages now "about me, which only want books to be added "to make them the finest things in Nature. Others "may pretend to direct the vulgar; but that is not "my way; I always let the vulgar direct me; "wherever popular clamour arises, I always echo "the million. For instance, should the people in "general say that sucha man is a rogue, I instantly "As give orders to set him down in print a villain ; "thus every man buys the book, not to learn new "sentiments, but to have the pleasure of seeing his "own reflected." But, Sir, interrupted I, you speak as if yourself wrote the books you publish; may I be so bold as to ask a sight of some of those intended publications which are shortly to surprise the world? "to that, Sir," replied the talkative bookseller, "I only draw out the plans myself; and though I "am very cautious of communicating them to any, "yet, as in the end I have a favour to ask, you "hall see a few of them. Here, Sir, here they "are, diamonds of the first water, I assure you. Imprimis, a translation of several medical precepts for the use of such physicians as do not un"derstand Latin. Item, the young clergyman's art "of placing patches regularly, with a dissertation "on the different manner of smiling without dis"torting the face. Item, the whole art of love "made perfectly easy by a Broker of 'Change Alley. Item, the proper manner of cutting black 46 "lead "lead pencils, and making crayons; by the Right Hon. the Earl of ***. Item, the muster-master "general, or the review of reviews-" Sir, cried I, interrupting him, my curiosity with regard to titlepages is satisfied, I should be glad to see some longer manuscript, an history or an epic poem. "Bless me,' cries the man of industry, "now you speak of an "epic poem, you shall see an excellent farce. Here "it is; dip into it where you will, it will be found 'replete with true modern humour. Strokes, Sir; "it is filled with strokes of wit and satire in every "line." Do you call these dashes of the pen strokes, replied I, for I must confess I can see no other? "And pray, Sir," returned he, "what do you call "them? Do you see any thing good now-a-days that " is not filled with strokes-and dashes? -Sir, a "well placed dash makes half the wit of our writers "of modern humour*. I bought last season a piece "that had no other merit upon earth than nine hun❝dred and ninety-five breaks, seventy-two ha ha's, "three good things, and a garter. And yet it played off, and bounced, and cracked, and made "more sport than a fire work." I fancy then, Sir, you were a considerable gainer? "It must be owned "the piece did pay: but upon the whole I cannot "much boast of last winter's success; I gained by "two murders, but then I lost by an ill-timed "charity sermon. I was a considerable sufferer by "my Direct Road to an Estate, but the Infernal "Guide brought me up again. Ah, Sir, that was "a piece touched off by the hands of a master, 66 * This idea is well ridiculed by our late excellent poet Cowper, who in his Table Talk has given the following admirable description of "A Prologue interdash'd with many a stroke, "So that the jest is clearly to be seen, "Not in the words-but in the gap between." "filled 66 "filled with good things from one end to the other. "The author had nothing but the jest in view; no " dull moral lurking beneath, nor ill-natured satire "to sour the reader's good-humour; he wisely con"sidered that moral and humour at the same time were quite over-doing the business." To what purpose was the book then published? cried I. "Sir, the "book was published in order to be sold; and no "book sold better, except the criticisms upon it, "which came out soon after; of all kinds of wri"tings that goes off best at present; and I generally "fasten a criticism upon every selling book that is "published. "I once had an author who never left the least "opening for the critics! close was the word, al"ways very right, and very dull, ever on the safe "side of an argument; yet, with all his qualifica"tions, incapable of coming into favour. I soon perceived that his bent was for criticism; and as " he was good for nothing else, supplied him with 66 pens and paper, and planted him at the beginning "of every month as a censor on the works of others. "In short, I found him a treasure, no merit could 66 escape him: but what is most remarkable of all, "he ever wrote best and bitterest when drunk." But are there not some works, interrupted I, that from the very manner of their composition must be exempt from criticism; particularly such as profess to disregard its lans. "There is no work whatsoever but he can cri"ticise," replied the bookseller; " even though you "wrote in Chinese he would have a pluck at you. Suppose you should take it into your head to publish "a book, let it be a volume of Chinese letters for "instance; write how you will, he shall shew the "world you could have written better. Should you, "with the most local exactness, stick to the manners "and customs of the country from whence you come; "should |