municates to public opinion. Their confciences may fuggeft their duty truly, and they may afcribe these fuggestions to a moral fenfe, or to the native capacity of the human intellect, when in fact they are nothing more than the public opinion reflected from their own minds; an opinion in a confiderable degree modified by the leffons of Chriftianity. Certain it is, fays Dr. Clark, and this is a great deal to fay, that the generality even of the meanest and most vulgar and ignorant people, have truer and worthier notions of God, more just and right apprehenfions concerning his attributes and perfections, a deeper fense of the difference of good and evil, a greater regard to moral obligations and to the plain and moft neceffary duties of life, and a more firm and univerfal expectation of a future ftate of rewards and punishments, than, in any heathen country, any confiderable number of men were found to have had.

Now, fir, if there be any found reasoning in these paffages, it muft apply with particular force to the cafe of a metropolis, where fo great a ftand is continually made for the support of the moral fyftem, and where a confcioufnefs of the existence of a vaft concentrated mafs of evil has induced good men in all ages, and we find, by history, in regular progreffion, to obviate that evil by placing against it every means of public inftruction. What if my partiality to London fhould lead me farther, and even to ftate that it is here only where daily and hourly accefs may be had to religious worship! Yet I may affert this without the risk of contradiction. How many large diftricts are there in Great Britain nearly as poorly supplied in this respect as the countries where Christianity never entered! This is a fact which has long been lamented, and for which of late years fome remedies have been propofed and adopted. But it is in London only, where religious inftruction is rendered fo convenient as to leave them withcut all excufe who reject it.

Of late we have been alarmed for the existence of religious principles. Revelation has been attacked in various fhapes. But the alarm, I truft, has little foundation, and the mischief will be very inconfiderable. If able enemies have affailed it, more able defenders have appeared, and the effentials remain upon too folid a foundation to be shaken by a revival of arguments long ago refuted, or by fneering and contempt, which betray the want of all argument.

But not to digrefs too far, I proceed to the fecond refpect in which this city evinces a goodness which, I hope, will plead for it againft the mafs of enormity faid to exift.-This is, the number of inftitutions of a charitable nature. Having extended my letter farther than I intended, I must be brief on this fubject. Omitting, therefore, minute calculations, I am enabled to ftate, upon the authority of the author already mentioned, that no less a fum than feven hundred and fifty thousand pounds are expended annually in the city of London, in legal affeffments and voluntary contributions for the poor, and in benevolent inftitutions and establishments for their comfort and convenience, including private charities. In this statement are reckoned one hundred and twentytwo afylums (under various names) for the indigent and helplefs; seventeen hofpitals for fick, lame, and difeafed, and for pregnant women; thirteen difpenfaries for the fame pur-pofes, and one hundred and fourteen inftitutions for charitable and humane purposes of various defcriptions, including the public companies of London, who give in charity above feventyfive thousand pounds per annum.

Thefe are circumftances, fir, that ought to be generally known, and that for want of being known, occafion many to dwell too much on the fhadowy fide of human conduct. It is. in vain to fay that much abufe prevails in the diftribution of fuch charities, and that the fyftem of fome of them is bad. This cannot abate the praise due to the benevolent contri

tors; and it is from that I argue in favour of the prefent ftate of fociety in the metropolis. From a fociety thus connected by beneficence on the one hand, and gratitude on the other, much good may be expected to flow, if we will only be fenfible of fuch advantages, reflect on the great fource of the wisdom and goodness which prevails, and be careful not to neglect thofe means of moral and religious improvement, which are so much more in number and importance than in any other part of the known world.

Sir,

IT

Ι

hope, too, as I have derived greatpleasure and fatisfaction to myself from collecting these estimates, I may impart fome part of that fatisfaction to your readers, relax fomewhat of the feverity of those who are difpofed to' view the fociety of a metropolis in a bad light, and who have allowed their minds to dwell too long upon one fide only of the question, without, perhaps, having an opportunity to furvey the other. I am, fir, LONDINENSIS.

T has always ftruck me as a very extraordinary thing, and indeed as a phenomenon wholly unaccountable upon any known principles, that there fhould be imperfection in the perfons or works of man; or, to express myfelf, perhaps, more intelligibly, that feeing there are fo many ingenious perfons, whofe talents are eminently cal-. culated for the detection of error, there fhould fill remain among us innumerable errors, faults, failings, defects and imperfections, either things which are wrong, and improper, or things that ought not to exist. To account for this, I fay, is impoffible, and the only affistance we can receive from conjecture (that very popular fubftitute for knowledge) is, that certain persons are too deeply enamoured of their imperfections, to relinquith the pursuit of them, while others are too closely wedded to faults, ever to think of any feparation fhort of a divorce, which gives them the power to wed another.

Nevertheless, as fome wife men have told us, that it is our duty to be as perfect as poffible, fo nature feems to have implanted in us a difpofition to discover the errors of each other, to

gether with a very strong propenfity to communicate that knowledge. Shining, therefore, and being thus fhone upon, the refult ought to be one great blaze of illumination, not a patent lamp, an Argand of the mind, dazzling by novelty, and difgracing its neighbouring glimmerings; but fuch an equal diffufion of, and fuch a ftrong impreffion from every ray, as to create an uniform fplendour. But this is not the cafe. Very unfortunately the refult of our discoveries in error relate only to another, not to ourselves; and perhaps the fophift who maintained there was no heat in fire, though heat came from it, was not the greatest blockhead of ancient or modern times.

The improvement of mankind evidently depends upon, and ought to proceed from two caufes, the predominance of which both in the closet and parlour has long been confeffed, fcandal and criticism. I give the names that are commonly in use, because they are most familiar, and because I have neither leisure nor difpofition to coin others, that might in fome refpects fuit my purpose better. Indeed, for I will not be affectedly

modeft, I wish to join the two in one, criticism, and divide that into two kinds, criticism of men and of books. The first regards man, or woman, in their perfonal, domeftic, fingle or matrimonial capacity. The fecond belongs to writings of all forts from the elaborate folio on the table, to the light pamphlet in the hand. Now they being both guided, directed and influenced by the fame principle, I wish to get rid of the word fcandal, for the fame reason that had weight with the modern divine who fought to difcard the word hell, because he thought it a naughty, indelicate and unfathionable word, and not fit for the ears of a polite and genteel audi

ence.

As I am well convinced that there are many perfons who object to criticifm in both kinds, it may not be amifs to fuggeft to fuch, that we can never amend our faults, without knowing them; and as no man knows his own faults, what can be more agreeable or convenient than to have a perfon (perhaps juft at hand, or in the next houfe or freet) who difcovers and difclofes them with a polite freedom? Befides, as there is in fome minds, a nearness of fight, for which as there is no remedy in the mechanical powers of the optician, nature, or rather cuftom, has enabled every one's next door neighbour to furnish a glafs of fuch wonderful magnifying powers, that the leaft fpeck appears like a mountain. I wish that thofe philofophers, who have written against Rouffeau's predilection in favour of a folitary life, had brought this argument to fupport a flate of fociety, namely, that we are made to fee more and clearer with the eyes of other people than with our own.

Valuable, however, as the criticism of men is (for on that only I mean at prefent to offer a few remarks) it has not yet been reduced to any regular fyltem. It depends very much on the ingenuity of a few perfons accidentally met together, and without fome inftructions it is rather difficult to be

acquired, and may poffibly in another century be entirely loft to the world. I fhall, therefore, prefume to offer a few hints, which being improved upon, may ferve to retain among us a true tafte for the criticifm of men, or perfonal criticifm, heretofore known by the name of fcandal.

Al

In the first place I would recommend the ftudy of anatomy, not indeed with the minuteness of a Malphighi, or a Monro, nor with the eagernefs of a Hewfon, or a Hunter, for too much ftudy is unfavourable to the eyes. that 1 contend for, is a general knowledge of the component parts of the human body, and a facility in diffecting them, all which, by a little practice, becomes very eafy, and, as the authors of fyftems fay, may be adapted to the meaneft understanding.

From this science, we may be able to discover a fpeck in the clearest eye, a fquint in the most perfect vifion, a crookednefs, where nature has placed the line of beauty; and that the limbs which ignorant people deem fhort or long, may be either the one or the other, in proportion as we know how to take them to pieces. We acquire alfo a better notion of the imperfections of the human figure, and are led at once to discover, that though a lady may have good teeth, the may have bad eyes; and though her forehead may be finely arched, her fhoulders may be moft prepofterously narrow; that with the prettiest Chinese foot, fhe may be curfed with the raw beef vulgarity of a Wapping landlady's hand, and that though her hair may be of the finest auburn, her complexion may be rank faffron; nay, with all these gifts in full perfection, we may yet pronounce that there is a fomething about her which we cannot bear.?

Next to anatomy, I would recommend a perfect knowledge of all the concomitants of man or woman, which I have already ftated, in a general way, to be domeftic, fingle or matrimonial. Thefe imply a knowledge of certain fciences and trades, but the

whole, perhaps, had better be illuftrated by a few familiar examples.

fo

If A. be the most agreeable man living, it may be fairly objected to him that he is not married. If B. be the charmingeft fellow in existence, C. his wife is a moft difagreeable creature. If D. is a moft amiable woman, her husband E. is a moft intolerable brute. F. has one of the fweetest country-refidences within twenty miles of London, yet his temper is horribly bad. G. has a delightful voice, and a perfect knowledge of mufic, but her ftature is infinitely too low for a handfome woman. H. is one of the best whift-players you know, but then fhe is fo tall that the is not fit to dance with any body but one of the Irish giants from Bartholomew fair. I. is a man of great learning, and a most accomplished claffical fcholar, and speaks all the modern languages in perfection, but then he is fo awkward at quadrille, and makes many blunders, that there is really no playing a pool with him. K. certainly has an attachment to L. and L. to K. but why should the be fuch a fool as to throw herself away upon a man who has no fortune? M. is a very generous and liberal man, but it is fo odd that he will never be of any party of pleasure, go where they will. N. is a most charitable woman, and quite the lady Bountiful of the parish, but it is past all comprehenfion why he never wears powder, nor fubfcribes to the opera. O. is one of the most fenfible girls we know, and really handfome, but nobody can bear her in a morning cap. P. is one of the moft lively men in the world in converfation, and has an infinite deal of wit, but it is abominable that he don't fee company in the front parlour, which looks to the river. 2. always entertains her friends in an elegant hofpitable manner, but then that the curtains fhould not match the chairs is downright odious. R. has the most splendidly furnished houfe in town, but how can that poffibly apologize for a man's always fitting down

S. dances

to dinner at three o'clock. with uncommon grace and agility, but her china is much too old fashioned, and nothing like the Worcester. T. may be a very fenfible man, very affectionate to his family, and very ufeful to the public in general, but it is fhocking that his houfe has not a wider ftaircafe. U. has fome knowledge of the world, and has travelled a good deal; he is a fkilful player too, and a fellow of genteel addrefs, but that he don't keep a carriage is beyond all human patience. V. will have a prodigious fortune when fhe comes of age; but there is no bearing her mother. W. has certainly made a very prudent match, the lady is rich, good tempered and amiable, but in all reafon and confcience that mole on her left cheek is past endurance. X. has made a very proper will among his relations and friends, but after all he has not died worth half fo much as he might. r. is a lady who has fuffered a great many misfortunes with remarkable firmnefs and conftancy, but he would be far more agreeable if she had not that particular caft in her eyes. Z. is a very rich man, and has more good qualities than moft men breathing; every body loves him, but it is quite horrid to live fo far out of town.

an

Thus I have attempted to explain and enforce the two kinds of knowledge, moft neceffary to perfonal criticifm, or the art of discovering imperfections. I need not enlarge on its ufes. But as there are many wellmeaning, though prejudiced people, who may condemn it as calculated to give uneafinefs, I muft remove obloquy that would at once disfigure the beauty of criticifm, by adding, that as the book and play critics conceal themselves carefully from the knowledge of the author whom they are diffecting, fo perfonal critics, to avoid all fufpicion of ill-will, and all ground for quarrel, exercise themfelves only on fubjects which are abfent. I am, fir,

G.

Anthonio.

IN footh, I know not why I am so fad ; It wearies me; you fay, it wearies

you;

But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,

What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn ;

And fuch a want-wit Sadness makes of , me,

That I have much ado to know myself.

In this opening of the play, Shakspeare evinces an inimitable knowledge of human nature. The forebodings or prefentiments of evil, natural to the human mind, are here ftrongly pointed out. It were in vain,' fays Mrs. Griffith, to attempt the inveftigation of this matter from philofophy, any more than that of prophetic dreams: fo that all we have to do, is fimply to acquiefce in the fact itself, which repeated experience has fufficiently avouched, in too many remarkable inftances, to be imputed to common cafualty. Salarino and Salanio attempt to account for this depreffion of fpirits in their friend, in a very natural manner, imputing it to his anxiety for the fafety of his rich fhips then at fea, in which his heart was entirely wrapped up. Thus:

Şalarino. Your mind is toffing on the

ocean;

There, where your argolies, with portly fail,

Like figniors and rich burghers on the flood,

Or as it were the pageants of the fea,

Do

overpeer the petty traffickers,

That court'fy to them, do them reverence, As they fly by them with their woven wings.

Salanio. Believe me, fir, had I fuch venture forth,

The better part of my affections would
Be with my hopes abroad. I fhould be ftil!
Plucking the grafs †, to know where fits
the wind;

Peering in maps, for ports, and piers, and roads;

And every object, that might make me Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt, fear

Would make me fad.

Salarino. My wind, cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague, when I thought

What harm a wind too great might do at

fea.

The name of one of his fhips.