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Letter from the Authores of The Progrefs of Romance. 117

fpectacles of learning on his nofe: if he has not the candle of good fenfe burn. ing by him, he will be never the bete ter." I recollect, in a pocket edition of "Hudibras," published about the beginning of this century, a cut put at the end of feveral of the cantos, of a monkey in fpectacles, fitting between two candles, reading, and making remarks with his pen. This amufement of my childish hours I little thought of applying to modern hypercriticifm, into the conftitution of which enters fo large a portion of felf-fufficiency, pedantry, and scepticism. Yours, &c. R. S.

I

MR. URBAN,

Ipfwich, Feb. 10. FIND myfelf called to the difagreeable talk of fpeaking publicly in my own defence, in anfwer to a very extraordinary letter that appeared in your Magazine of laft month, p. 16, in which I am treated very cavalierly, and in a way that is perfectly new to me.

Had the writer of that letter only imputed to me an error in judgement, I might have fat down in filence under the charge, which has been extended to many writers of abilities infinitely fuperior to mine, and is indeed cominon to human nature. But this unmerciful critic charges me with difingenuoufnefs, and a defign to miflead the judgement of others; a fault of a much higher nature, which I thall not take to myself while I have the power to prove myfelf innocent of it. He fays, "that I have, againft my own judgement, praifed Mr. Richardfon's firft and loweft work, and depreciated his fuperior ones, in order to injure his reputation as a writer." I truft that the manner in which he has treated me will, in fome degree, defeat his intention; for his malevolence is but too apparent, notwithstanding his, panegyric on the " English Baron," which he ufes as a fhield, behind which he may, with furer aim, direct his arrows of cenfure and calumny. It is better to err in judgement than to have

a bad heart. I could forgive and pafs by any injuftice to my abilities as a writer, but I maft feel an attack upon my moral character; though it is not uncommon for any author, who has been favoured by the public, to meet with many falfe and illiberal attacks upon both. After having thrown out his reflections in a general way, he draws his argument to a point, that clearly the s his injurious intention in one or both the alternatives he gives me. "No perfon (fays he) of any perception or judgement could think Pamela' fuperior to Grandifon' or 'Clariffa. No perfon defective in thefe points could have written the English Baron;' cither then that work is not written by Clara Reeves, or elfe fhe is convicted of a defign to miflead the public." I am well aware of the oblique infinuation, as well as the direct attack; but I truft that I cannot be hurt by either, because I have means in my own hands by which I can eafily difprove them both. I fhall offer one proof only of my integrity and veracity; but it fhall be plain and fimple, and it fhall carry conviction with it.

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"Now mark how plain a tale fhall put you down." SHAKSPEARE.

I have lived many years in intimate friendship with a daughter of Mr. Richardfon, the only one now living, a lady of fuperior understanding, found judgement, great reading, and uncommon modefty and humility. Through her I am known to many others of that refpected family. I would not lift up the veil of retirement that conceals her from impertinent and obtrufive obfervers, but to bear witnefs to the truth of what I fha!! communicate to you, Sir. I have thewed most of my writings to this dear lady; I have asked her opinion of them, and cften, very often, have preferred her judgement to my She faw the " own. English Baron" in every ftage of it, from firft to lait. She faw likewife every fheet of the "Progrefs of Romance" before it went to prefs. I asked her opinion of the whole, but particularly that part which fpeaks of her revered father., "Are you fatisfied with what i have written (faid I); is there any thing you would with to` have altered?" She antwered, "No, fhe had no objection to make; that fome others thought as I did; and that I had a right to fpeak my true opinion. Is it likely that the daughter and defcendant of Mr. Richardton

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118 Letter from Clara Reeve.-Miscellaneous Remarks and Queries.

thould be lefs jealous of his reputation than a stranger, who takes, uncalled upon, the liberty to defend what has never been called in queftion? Of this any impartial perfon may be convinced who will refer to the "Progrefs of Romance," where he will find the text very different from the commentary, where every token of refpect, even to veneration, is fhewn to Mr. Richardfon; and what I have given as my own opinion (which I do not retract) is with all deference and liberality to that of others. I fhall only recite the concluding fentence, which will properly finish the fubject.

"That all Richardfon's works are of capital merit is indifputable; but it feems to me that 'Pamela' has the most originality; Grandifon,' the greateft regularity and equality; Clariffa,' the higheft graces, and the most defects."

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I fhall need fay but little on the other fubject, viz. the remarks upon Rouffeau's "Eloifa." A good-natured critic would have obferved, that they pro ceed from the mouth of Hortenfius; into whofe character I have thrown all fuch obfervations as are not properly my own, and for which I am obliged to my friends. I hope, in repelling this illiberal attack, I have kept in view that temper and candour which no injury fhould make any perfon lofe fight of. I fhould be ashamed to use fuch language as I have received: ridiculous, abfurd, fenfelefs, are the epithets which my polite critic has thrown at me. While he is fhooting his arrows at me and others, let him take heed that none of them recoil upon himfelf, who has indeed, with " unbathful forehead," cenfured the writings of others in a more unjuft and uncandid manner than that he condemns.

I had rather have been excufed this appeal to my friends; but, thus called upon, I dare affirm that I am above the bafe motive imputed to me, and alfo equally above the meannefs of malice or revenge.

You may think

I who command myfelf have brib'd a fool
To be my herald;-yet a modeft mind,
T'oppofe the darts of calumny, may wear
Its innocence in fight; a fafer fhield
Than adamant or gold.

FENTON'S Mariamme.

You will pleafe to oblerve, Sir, that I have addrefied my reply as to a man; for I cannot conceive it poffible that to much malevolence, with fo intle del cacy, could proceed from the pen of one of my own fx. CLARA REEVE.

Ask Thus Luv's UDE quas not received.

MR. URBAN,

N your Magazine for 1737, P. 45%, you mention one La Boiffiere, an aftrologer, then refident in Dublin, which reminds me of an epigram which he gave the original caufe for, which has not ever (that I know of) been made public, and feems too good to be configned to total oblivion. This Peter La Boiffiere, and John Watson, were compofers of rival almanacs in Dublin, and had both printed lifts of the peers of Ireland. Watfon, however, had the precaution to procure leave from the houfe of peers for his publication; but La Boiffiere, unfortunately neglecting that measure, was committed to prifon by the houfe for a contempt. This tranfaction gave occafion to the following lines, written by Arthur Dawson, efq. afterwards one of the barons of the court of Exchequer in Ireland; author of feveral pieces of like nature, which I fear no perfon has been at the pains of preferving; the fong called "Búmper Squire Jones" being the only one of his works that I know printed. The lords have imprifon'd poor La Boishere For printing the name and the style of each

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Your Obituary, P. 919, wants correction, yet not fuch as your corre perfon mentioned in the former place fpondent fuggefts in p. 1024. was Sir James Stratford (not Strafford) Tynte. The name of Stratford was derived from his mother, who was a

daughter of the late Earl of Aldborough. Sir Charles Kemy's Tynte is of a Somerfetfhire family. The anceftors of Sir James were long fettled in

Ireland.

STEPHEN SLOUCH.

P. S. With your correfpondent, p. 939, I much with to fee Welfted's

Hymn to the Creator," and alfo his "Ode to the Right Hon. Lieut. Gen. Wade, on his difarming the Highlands, imitated from Horace; with the fourth Ode from the fourth Book of the fame Author." Qu. When were they publifted, and are they in being? S. S.

**In the TRIFLER, No. I. p. 38, 1. ult. after " many fcenes of amufement may be contained," inert" and from it many useful," &c.

THE

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THE TRIFLER, N° II. Man is not born to continue merely an

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individual feparate from the reft of his fpecies, but thould look upon himself as the member of one common body. It is not enough for him that he has neither corrupted nor diminished the republic of letters, but he must make additions of his own. What excufe can be pleaded for him whofe abilities

derably high in the esteem of the publick, for not exercising those abilities in the general improvement of mankind, and, though he has the power, has not the will to be a profitable member of fociety? Such a man as this is, will be found highly culpable in the eye of Reafon, for defects and prejudices which, in thofe whom Providence has only endowed with a common fhare of underftanding, would have been at least excufed, if not guiltlefs. The fpirit of malignity will fall upon him with greater acrimony for refufing, like a dark lanthorn, to extend the rays of that light which others might have fhared with him, without any diminution of his own luftre, beyond the narrow circle of his own conceptions, than if, in total ignorance of every enjoyment except ruftic folitude, he had

IT is the duty of every man, in what would have readily placed him confiever ftation of life he is placed, to render himself as fubfervient to his fellow-creatures as lies in his power; if he is the favourite of fortune, to cheer up the hearts of all who are drooping with age, want, or infirmity; but more efpecially those who have been the miferable objects of accidental poverty. If he is bleft with talents to please and infruct, it should be his firft care to cultivate thofe talents with application and perfeverance, that in time he may be able to exert them fuccesfully in the feveral caufes of Virtue, Learning, Liberty, and Religion. These are the four grand points upon which the hap pinefs of mankind principally depends; and fince the poffeffion of thefe is not diftributed equally amongst us, but is enjoyed by fome in a greater degree of perfection than by others, in this paper I intend to encourage thofe who, though they are gifted with folid and extenfive abilities, have been prevented from ex-. ercifing them by the dread of difappointment, or the stubbornness of selfish vanity, and whofe modefty or pride ftill forbids to call them forth as the friends and champions of letters.

A defire of being admired is the first principle that actuates a man to affume the character of an author; it is this that nourishes him in the toilfome act of compofition, that animates him to purfue, patiently, the endlefs mazes of literature, that gives life and vigour to his fentiments, and it is the accomplishment of his defign that instantly infures him monumentum are perennius-eternal glory. It would indeed be impoffible to enumerate all thofe who have en bewildered in their eager purfuit after fame, and have difcouraged others by attempting to establish their own repu tation. But however frequently this paffion of applause may be baffled in its attempt to break through the clouds that obfcure it; when raifed by public and difinterested motives, it is highly worthy of attention, and, though it fhould fail in its firft attempts, fo far from difcouraging others, fhould excite them to the fame laudable example,

"Liv'd unregarded, unlamented died." It would be difficult to determine whether this kind of fingularity is the effect of modesty or pride; I hope more frequently from the former than the latter. That may in time be worn off, as a man's literary merit gradually steals upon the world, without his knowing the reafon; and as foon as the aura popularis, the gale of applaufe, hath wafted it beyond the borders of private converfation and domeftic occurrences, his wonder will be excited while his contequence is eftablished. Careffes from the great, and praifes from all, will crowd the ideal world; favours and rewards will prefent themselves to his mental eye, and he will catch every opportu nity to call forth the latent fparks of genius and folidity, nor blush to countenance a rifing reputation.

But when this proceeds from pride or caprice, neither the careffes of the great, nor the praises of all, will be fufficient to lure him from his long-frequented paths of vanity and idleneís. He will amufe himfelf with the flattering idea of a confcious fuperiority over the rest of mankind; exclaim with.aftonishment becaufe man ftill continues to wander amidst fuch a world of errors, expofed to thoufands of temptations, and weak

enough

enough to be captivated by every charm that dazzles only to allure, and allures only to ruin. He will expofe the vices and defects of mankind without being willing to correct them, and cenfure thofe frailties which himself is moftly to be blamed for. This fort of men may be deemed rather an evil than a bleffing to fociety, and it had been much better for themselves, and all about them, if their parents had taught them fome honeft trade, instead of the pedantry of school-boys and the vanity of affected philofophy.

Plurimum enim intererit, quibus artibus, et
quibus bunc tu

Moribus inftituas.

"For much it boots which way you train

66 your boy,

"The hopeful object of your future joy." We fhould think it almoft impoffible to find even an individual of this ftamp, were we to reflect for a moment upon the aftonishing propenfity which man difcovers to be careffed and applauded; with what raptures of imaginary blifs he clafps the dazzling charm of popufarity in his arms, and what blafts of malignity he will endure, without fhuddering at the danger, merely to continue in the enjoyment of his darling favourite! But that there are fome of this ftamp I am fully perfuaded, and my own knowledge of the world has brought me acquainted even with the perfons and characters of them. To difpute their abilities, would be as abfurd as to imitate their practice. But if these abilities are fuffered to lie dormant and forgotten, from a want of courage or inclination in the poffeffor to exert them, we are certainly not obliged to reward them as though they were exerted, nor esteem them as fufficient to make up for thofe crimes which can only be afcribed to himfelf. We may impute to him the lofs of many additions and improvements to the republic of letters, and refufe to treat him as a member of that body which the ftubbornness of his nature refufes to or

nament.

Perhaps one reafon (and that a ftrong one too) why thefe kind of men object to appear in a more public character is this: that, being conicious of a reputa. tion already eftablished, fo as not easily to be loft, and diffident of their abilities when expofed to the rigour of partial criticifm, and the cavils of every fcribbling puppy, they would prefer a name built upon a temporary foundation to the honours of immortality and the ves

neration of pofterity. What à mortifying reflection must this be, that, as soon as their laft breath fhall leave them, just on the brink of annihilation, their popularity muft inftantly cease, and that merit which, when living, was fo applauded and careffed, be buried in fudden oblivion, without leaving a fingle trace of its existence behind!

principles of their absurdity upon the Perhaps there are many who fix thể custom of the ancients, and, defpifing whatever is modern and prevalent, hold nothing good and worthy of imitation but what the remoteft periods of antiquity have recorded as the then prefaying of a Latin poet (Virgil), that vailing opinion. I remember an old will account at once for all the prejudices and faults which I have been cenfuring. He fays, that a man's knowledge is worth nothing, if he communicates what he knows to any one befides. However ftrange this may appear, we have convincing proofs that it met with a very cordial reception among the ancients.

We are told that Alexander was angry with his tutor Ariftotle for publifhing thofe lectures which had been delivered to that prince in private. If this had been the only inftance handed down to us, we might have treated it as the chimera of a fabling poet; but out of many others which I have read and heard of, I fhall conclude this paper with the story of Rofierufias's Sepulchre.

"A perfon having occafion to dig fomewhat deep in the ground where this philofo pher lay interred, met with a small door, have ing a wall on each fide of it. His curiofity, and the hopes of finding fome hidden tread door. He was immediately furprifed by a fure, foon prompted him to force open the fudden blaze of light, and difcovered a very fair vault. At the upper end of it was the and leaning on his left arm. He held a trun ftatue of a man in armour, fitting by a table, cheon in his right hand, and had a lamp burning before him. The man had no fooner fet one foot within the vault, than the ftatue, erecting itself from its leaning poffure, flood bo -upright, and, upon the fellow's advanc ing another ftep, lifted up the truncheon in its right hand. The man fill ventured a third step; when the ftatue, with a furious blow, broke the lamp in a thousand pieces, Upon the report of this adventure, the counand left his guest in a sudden darknets.try people foon came with lights to the fepulchres and difcovered that the ftatue, which piece of clock-work, and that the floor of the was made of brafs, was nothing more than a vault was all loofe, and underlaid with feveral fprings, which, upon any man's entering naturally produced what had happened.”

MR. URBAN,

IN

Hiftorical Account of Milton Abbas School.

Bristol, Jan. 24. N the biographical anecdotes of the rev. Mr. Hutchins, author of the Hiftory of Dorfet (in Bibl. Topog. Britann. NoXXXIV.) a fhort account is given of the foundation of Milton Abbas school in that county. The author of the anecdotes has very properly obferved, that the account inferted in Mr. Hutchins's Hiftory is fo very inaccurate, that one can hardly fuppofe it to have been the work of Mr. Hutchins. A hint is given, that the manufcript was interpolated after it went out of Mr. Hutchins's hands. Whether that was, or was not the cafe, let thofe who are acquainted with the business speak out. It is not my prefent intention to examine the errors of Mr. Hutchins, or his tranfcribers, but to prefent the public, by means of your Magazine, a fuller relation of the foundation and endowment of the fchool than has hitherto appeared.

The fchool of Milton Abbas was founded by William Middleton, abbot of Milton, in the twelfth year of Hen. VIII. About the fame time he purchafed of Thomas Kirton the manor, farm, and free chapel of Little Mayne in the county of Dorfet, with which he endowed the school. The founder of the fchool was alfo a great benefactor to his convent, and his rebus may be feen in the fouth aifle of Milton church, in which parish he was probably born. By a deed, dated 10th Feb. 12th Hen. VIII. under the common feal of the abbey of Milton, the faid abbot, with the confent of his convent, granted the faid manor of Little Mayne to Kirton, which he had before purchafed of him, upon truft that Kirton fhould convey the fame unto Giles Strangways, knt. Thomas Arundell, knt. Matthew A. rundell his fon and heir apparent, Thomas Trenchard, knt. John Horfey, knt. George De La Lynde, efq. John Rogers, efq. Thomas Huffey, Robert Martin, Thomas Moreton, Robert Coker, Robert Strode, Henry Afhley, John Frampton, Thomas Trenchard, John Williams, and Walter Grey, efqrs. and others, to the intent to maintain a free grammar-fchool in the town of Milton, and to employ the profits of the faid manor to the maintenance of the said school, and of a schoolmafter, for the term of 97 years: but if within that time licence night be obtained to alien the faid manor in mortmain, that GENTS MAG. Feb. 1786.

121

then the abovementioned feoffees fhould grant the fame manor to the use of the faid fchool; but, if fuch licence could not be obtained, that then the fcoffees, after the expiration of the faid term, fhould fell the faid manor, and employ the money arifing therefrom in the maintenance of the fchool, as long as might be. In purfuance of which, Kirton conveyed the fame manor, farm, and free chapel, to the beforementioned feoffees, for the purposes abovementioned. \

The chief defign of the foundation was, without doubt, for the education of the novices of the abbey. The purchase-money for the farm, with which the fchool was endowed, was paid out of the abbey stock, and, as far as we can learn, the monks were interefted in it as much as the abbot. It is well known that the fons of gentlemen were often inftructed in the monafteries; and perhaps, before the foundation of this fchool, there was no one belonging to, or near the monaftery of Milton, to which the neighbouring gentlemen might fend their children. On which account this fchool might be confidered as not only beneficial to the abbey, but also to the whole adjoining country.

In a late fuit between the lord of the manor of Milton and the fcoffees of the fchool, it was infified on by the plaintiff, that the school was not intended for grammar learning, but for teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic, to the poor inhabitants of Milton. It will require no great ftrength of reafoning to refute fo idle au hypothefis. The probable intention of the foundation I have mentioned above; and fhall only obferve, that the fervice of the church, the regifters of abbies, and most acts of law, were at that time written in Latin. Even in common letters the Latin lan. guage was generally ufed. Would an abbot then found a fchool for teaching English only? Of what fervice could that be either to the abbey or the fiate? Befides, it was not for the intereft of the religious to diffufe learning amongit the laity they knew too well that the pillars of fuperftition must be fhaken when the people were as intelligent as themfelves. Add to this, that the fervile tenauts in moft of the manors be longing to the monafteries were not purmitted to put their children to fchool without confent of their lords; the rea

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