arrived at the age of thirteen, my indignation was foolishly roused. I long'd for the trumpeter's sword, and in the first ebullitions of rage, idly made use of some very hasty ex, pressions. It was lucky for both parties, but more es pecially for myself, that I had nothing in my hand but a small flexible switch. However, my anger was momentary; I soon collected all my lost philosophy, repeating those lines of Horace, to which theorists often have te course -animum rege! qui nisi paret Imperat: hunc frœnis, hunc tu compesce catena. But it was too late, I had provoked the boys to resentment. Several now ran to the head of my beast. Nex Saxa, nec ullum Telorum interea cessat genus, Many pieces of mud and and some stones were thrown, notwithstanding I advanced safe under cover of my nose, still quizzed and still pelted, till my quadrupede arrived opposite the schoolgate. I looked round for a master in vain: No black gown was to be seen. At length an arch boy, with dark brown hair, which hung in ringlets down his back, took up a thistle, which unfortunately lay in the road, and put it under my horse's tail. Can I with temper describe the fatal catastrophe which ensued?→My longtailed white steed, which is called Surrey, nervous and mettlesome to a degree, immediately began to plunge, putting his head between his legs, neighing, and doing I know not what besides. I strove strenuously to keep my seat-but Oh! vain boast, IVho can controul his fate? To be brief, my length was measured upon the ground, and I cut a place in the back part of my head, an inch and an half in length; my brown wig was full of blood, and my light blue coat was so stained, that I have never been able to cover my hump with it again. However, my ludierous appearance was soon forgotten, and I was carried into a neighbouring shop. Many of the scholars crowded about, offering their services, which I knew not how to decline, though at first, I feared to trust them; but the unfeigned humanity and attention that were now conspicuous, soon convinced me their conduct was void of duplicity. Some of the larger boys, and one in particular, lifted up his hand to chastise the young criminal who had applied the thistle, but, upon my intercession, politely desisted. White Surry, after being eased of his burthen, had galloped up Slough-road; however he was brought safe back in a few minutes, my head was bound up, I remounted, and proceeded towards London. A sight of one of your periodical papers, induced me to address a letter to you, hoping, partly upon a public, and partly upon a private motive, that it may be perused within the walls of the college. I am confident that you, Mr. Gregory Griffin, was not one of the spectators who beheld my downfal, or it would not have escaped immediate censure from so able a pen:not that I would be thought one of those starch unconscionable gentlemen who expect to see youth blessed with all the benefit of experience; well knowing that it would be as impossible to prescribe limits to the winds, as to forbid a second form boy now and then to smoke a quiz. All I request is, that next time my nose and I come through Eton, the thistle may be omitted; and as missile weapons are now out of fashion among civilized nations, I particularly deprecate the dirt and stones. Eton has long been the distinguished seat of politeness as well as learning. One lash from you may perhaps have more effect in softening these last remains of barbarism in your republic, than all the birch within ten miles of the precincts of the college. We may all be easily convinced that external appearance is by no means a just criterion by which the merit of a man can be judged. You Mr. Gregory Griffin, well know, that Alexander the Great, although conqueror of the world, had a personal defect; that Demosthenes had not an agreeable figure; that Mr. Pope was awry; that Horace was a short punch bellied fellow, in short a tough one; that Voltaire was a good one; and that Socrates himself was a quiz. London, May 4. I have the honour to be, Şir, Your most obedient humble servant, My Correspondent's complaint is by no means without foundation; and as Censor General, it is a subject which would not so long have escaped my animadversion, had I not considered that it would come with more propriety from one who had materially suffered from it, and could therefore more feelingly point out its ill consequences. Every nation has its peculiar antipathies, political or re ligious; which on the smallest commotion of the body politic, may be observed to take the lead, and in a great measure direct the fury of the multitude; as in the natural body, the constitutional disease is roused from its dormant state, and is the first to evince its malignity, when the irregularity of the blood gives advantage to its attacks. But these may generally be traced to their origin; a long series of wars; the dissension of families; a bigoted persecution; and frequently natural rivalship, have established the most rooted aversion for each other, in the very genius of nations apparently at peace; and hereditary hostilities have been kept up in the minds of the populace, by connecting them with every idea which naturally has the strongest hold on their feelings. The strange antipathies of our republic to the inoffensive race of Quizzes can be attributed to none of these causes; and it is impossible to account for the persecution of these beings, unless we suppose, that nonresistance only sharpens that rage which ugliness originally provoked. The Quiz, like the Eskimaux, generally seems contented with his humble lot; he eats, drinks, and sleeps, and has, no doubt, in some respects a reasonable soul, which is a privilege many naturalists have denied to the latter. But, alas, I fear it is more than a Herculean labour to undertake the justification of a bottle nose; or rescue a sait of dittos from revilings! the populace will still be what it always was, and in spite of the admonitions of Gregory Griffin, a Jackass and a Quiz be persecuted with the same unrelenting severity. No. 30. MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1787. FR Quanto rectius hic. How much superior he, &c. HORACE. ROM the time that I first promised my fellow-citizens I would point out a set of books to their observation, from the perusal of which, if substituted in the place of novels, they might derive at least equal advantage and entertainment, there has scarce a day passed, in which some attempt has not been made by different correspondents, either by letters of enquiry or conjecture, to forestall my good advice, and anticipate my intended recommendation. Some have been so good-natured, as to cloak counsel under the garb of conjecture, and under pretence of guessing my intentions, have recommended their own favourite studies to my notice, as fit objects for my recommendation to the notice of my fellow-citizens; and furnished me with arguments for the support of their own propositions. Others have contented themselves with forming a variety of conjectures; and some of them have so far piqued themselves on their sagacity, that they have confidently offered me wagers of ten to one, which I can assure my readers, I expect no small applause for not having accepted; when they consider, that had my views been at all mercenary, I might here have taken the opportunity to pick up a very comfortable sum in a very honourable way. Others again have been so conscious of their unbounded attachment to the study I have laboured |