I am very far from apprehending that any propofal for the attainment of fo defirable an end, will be rejected by this inquifitive and enlightened age, and fhall therefore lay before the public the project which I have formed and matured by long confideration, for the inftitution of a fociety of commentators upon this infcrip

tion.

I humbly propofe, that thirty of the moft diftinguished genius be chofen for this employment, half from the inns of court, and half from the army, and be incorporated into a fociety for five years, under the name of the SOCIETY OF COMMENTATORS.

That great undertakings can only be executed by a great number of hands, is too evident to require any proof; and I am afraid all that read this scheme will think that it is chiefly defective in this respect, and that when they reflect how many commiffaries were thought neceffary at Seville, and that even their negociations entirely miscarried, probably for want of more affociates, they will conclude that I have propofed impoffibilities, and that the ends of the institution will be defeated by an injudicious and ill-timed frugality.

But if it be confidered, how well the perfons I recommend must have been qualified by their education and profeffion for the provinces affigned them, the objection will grow lefs weighty than it appears. It is well known to be the conftant study of the lawyers to difcover in acts of parliament, meanings which efcaped the committees that drew them up, and the fenates that paffed them into laws, and to explain wills into a fense wholly contrary to the intention of the teftator. How

eafily may an adept in these admirable and useful arts, penetrate into the most hidden import of this prediction? A man accustomed to fatisfy himself with the obvious and natural meaning of a fentence, does not eafily fhake off his habit; but a true-bred lawyer never contents himself with one fenfe, when there is another to be found.

Nor will the beneficial confequences of this fcheme terminate in the explication of this monument; they will extend much farther: for the commentators having sharpened and improved their fagacity by this long and difficult course of ftudy, will, when they return into public life, be of wonderful service to the government, in examining pamphlets, fongs, and journals, and in drawing up informations, indictments, and inftructions for fpecial juries. They will be wonderfully fitted for the posts of Attorney and Solicitor General, but will excell above all, as licensers for the stage.

The Gentlemen of the army will equally adorn the province to which I have affigned them, of fetting the discoveries and fentiments of their affociates in a clear and agreeable light. The lawyers are well known not to be very happy in expreffing their ideas, being for the moft part able to make themselves understood by none but their own fraternity. But the geniuffes of the army have fufficient opportunities, by their free access to the levee and the toilet, their conftant attendance on balls and affemblies, and that abundant leifure which they enjoy beyond any other body of men, to acquaint themfelves with every new word and prevailing mode of ex

preffion,

1

preffion, and to attain the utmost nicety and most polished prettiness of language.

It will be necessary, that during their attendance upon the fociety, they be exempt from any obligation to appear on Hyde-Park; and that upon no emergency, however preffing, they be called away from their studies, unless the nation be in immediate danger by an infurrection of weavers, colliers, or fmugglers.

There may not perhaps be found in the army fuch a number of men, who have ever condefcended to pass through the labours and irksome forms of education in use among the lower claffes of people, or fubmitted to learn the mercantile and plebeian arts of writing and reading. I must own, that though I entirely agree with the notions of the ufeleffness of any fuch trivial accomplishments in the military profeffion, and of their inconfiftency with more valuable attainments; though I am convinced, that a man who can read and write becomes, at least, a very disagreeable companion to his brother foldiers, if he does not abfolutely fhun their acquaintance; that he is apt to imbibe from his books odd notions of liberty and independency, and even fometimes of morality and virtue, utterly inconfiftent with the defirable character of a pretty Gentleman. Though writing frequently stains the whiteft finger, and reading has a natural tendency to cloud the afpect, and depress that airy and thoughtlefs vivacity, which is the diftinguishing characteristic of a modern warrior; yet on this fingle occafion, I cannot but heartily wish, that by a strict fearch there may be discovered in the army fifteen men who can write and read.

I know that the knowledge of the alphabet is fo difreputable among thefe Gentlemen, that thofe who have by ill fortune formerly been taught it, have partly forgot it by difufe, and partly concealed it from the world, to avoid the railleries and infults to which their education might make them liable: I propofe therefore, that all the officers of the army may be examined upon oath one by one, and that if fifteen cannot be felected who are at prefent fo qualified, the deficiency may be fup plied out of those who having once learned to read, may perhaps, with the affiftance of a master, in a fhort time refresh their memories.

It may be thought, at the firft fight of this propofal, that it might not be improper to affign to every commentator a reader and fecretary; but it may be easily conceived, that not only the public might murmur at fuch an addition of expence, but that by the unfaithfulnefs or negligence of their fervants, the difcoveries of the fociety may be carried to foreign courts, and made ufe of to the disadvantage of our own country.

For the refidence of this fociety, I cannot think any place more proper than Greenwich-Hofpital, in which they may have thirty apartments fitted up for them, that they may make their obfervations in private, and meet once a day in the painted hall to compare them.

If the establishment of this fociety be thought a matter of too much importance to be deferred till the new buildings are finished, it will be neceffary to make room for their reception, by the expulfion of fuch of the feamen as have no pretenfions to the fettlement there, but fractured limbs, lofs of eyes, or decayed conftitutions, who

have lately been admitted in fuch numbers, that it is now scarce poffible to accommodate a nobleman's groom, footman, or poftilion, in a manner fuitable to the dignity of his profeffion, and the original defign of the foundation.

The fituation of Greenwich will naturally difpofe them to reflection and ftudy; and particular caution ought to be used, left any interruption be fuffered to diffipate their attention, or diftract their meditations: for this reason, all vifits and letters from ladies are strictly to be prohibited; and if any of the members fhall be detected with a lap-dog, pack of cards, box of dice, draughttable, fnuff-box, or looking-glafs, he fhall for the first offence be confined for three months to water-gruel, and for the second be expelled the fociety.

Nothing now remains, but that an estimate be made of the expences neceffary for carrying on this noble and generous defign. The falary to be allowed each profeffor cannot be less than 2000l. a year, which is indeed more than the regular ftipend of a commiffioner of excife; but it must be remembered, that the commentators have a much more difficult and important employment, and can expect their falaries but for the fhort space of five years; whereas a commiffioner (unless he imprudently fuffers himself to be carried away by a whimsical tenderness for his country) has an establishment for life.

It will be neceffary to allow the fociety in general 30,000l. yearly for the fupport of the public table, and 40,000l. for fecret service.

Thus