he might have had at least one strong motive not to degrade his high office by the acceptance of a bribe. It may however be remarked upon the above quotation, with more justice, that by perfons of quality the great chancellor must mean perfons whofe quality lies in their mind; not our mob of perfons of quality, who are moft commonly, if you will excufe a pun, perfons of no quality at all.

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INDIFFERENCE for vulgar fame therefore will do well to difcriminate from indifference for genuine praife of the true flavour. The former certainly belongs to a mind that can ftand upon its own bafis without the props of adventitious opinions. The latter, I will be bold to fay, is the parent of every vice. What will the world fay? is a reflection that has ftifled many a bad inclination in the breafts of those who are either above, or below, every other motive. Want of fhame, and total profligacy, follow like a flood if you remove this bank, which excluded them. It is true, this principle has done as much harm as good in the world; a false respect for the opinion of others having destroyed many a virtue, because

it

it did not happen at that time to float upon the stream of fashion. Such effect has falfe fame upon a little mind: and the force of the true upon a large foul is yet more ftrong. The praise of the few fwells and invigorates it to its most complete perfection, at the fame time that it fhrinks from multitudinous glory.

For what is glory but the blaze of fame,
The people's praise, if always praise unmixt?
And what the people but a herd confused,
A miscellaneous rabble, who extol

Things fingular; and, well weigh'd, fcarce worth the praise.

They praife, and they admire, they know not what,
And know not when; but as one leads the other.
And what delight to be by fuch extoll'd,
To live upon their tongues, and be their talk,
Of whom to be despised were no small praise?
His lot who dares be fingularly good.

Milt. Par. Reg.

An author in particular, who has any regard for his fame, fhould beware of building it upon fuch a fandy foundation as the applause of the mob. The popular gale, as Horace phrases it, is eternally veering: but in no clime does it

vary more than in that of literature. Fashion, after exerting her power upon most other subjects, has at laft chofen literary reputation to difplay the utmoft caprices of her fway. Sometimes it happens wonderfully that she blunders right; but most commonly her favours are unworthily beftowed. Thefe fafhionable fcriblers, who are now fo common, are however by no means to be envied, for, in the course of a year, of a month, of a day, the public may fee the deception; and, as it happens when we treat a stranger with respect who, we afterwards find, deferves our fcorn, their warmest admirers most frequently revenge the infult, they have themselves imposed on their own understandings, by commencing their bitterest enemies.

THERE is a grievance juft now reigning in this capital, of which you in the country can fcarcely have an idea. After being bleft with a variety of swindlers in all occupations, we have at last got literary fwindlers: people who fteal reputation in order to steal money. As the character must be new to you, I will give you fome outlines of it.

A LITERARY fwindler is a fcribler who regards fame as only a road to the temple of wealth of confequence, fo he can get what is here called reputation, he cares not by what means. His first step is to form an intimacy with the printers of newfpapers, of magazines, of reviews, and other periodical works. Thro these channels he gravely communicates to the public what are here emphatically denominated puffs, or praises of himself and his writings, the more bombaftic the better. Thofe who know the trick laugh at his effrontery: but as they are but few, in comparison of the others, he minds not their derifion. The mob, who know nothing of the matter, ftare, and wonder they have not heard of fuch a celebrated writer. Every one, not to appear ignorant, whether he has read the work puffed, or not, calls it admirable; tho, were he to trust his own judgement, he would call it the fillieft nonfenfe that ever fell from a goofe's quill. The fcribler in the mean time goes on puffing as fast as he can; writes anecdotes of himfelf; fends letters from the country telling of his being fo happy as to be in the company of himself, and what a modeft and wonderful

man

man he himself is. At length by thefe, and fuch tricks, he gets what is called a reputation; and perhaps makes a fortune by it, ere the knavery is revealed.

No confideration can make a man of reflection more deaf to popular approbation, than the view of fuch a character as the above. He will perceive that the fame he purfued, as a chafte bride, is no better than a common prof titute; and abandon the fuit with fcorn and indignation.

LET