: 
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7”: 808.] _ Remarks on the Titles 
cannot be a more palpable burlesque, 
than for a company revelling over the 
pleasures of the table, and amidst a_pro- 
fusion of wine, and sing-song, soft, en- 
chanting, adulatory verse, to wipe their 
mouths with a delicate handkerchief, 
and to congratulate themselves on the 
wondrous generosity of dispensing two! 
three! and five guinea bounties, to men 
with feelings and education, perhaps tor- 
mer habits, similar to their own; men, 
some of whom may have sacrificed time, 
health, every thing held most valuable in 
life, to the irresistible desire of the acqui- 
sition and propagation of that knowledge, 
of such inestimable benefit to the human 
race. There need be no wonder at the 
frequent remark, that literary men, who 
can. condescend to expose themselves 
to scrutinies and enquiries, not always 
conducted with the utmost delicacy or 
¢aution, and to the hazaril of refusal after 
all, must bein a state of acute distress in- 
deed; in which, a few guincas must bea 
miserable and tantalizing — alleviation. 
Some years ago, I have heard, these small 
sums were accepted with dissatisfaction, 
but the poverty of the fund in those days, 
was certainly a fair apology—a far better 
than one which is reported to have been 
made since. On a certain day, no appli- 
_ cant could be relieved, because the ma- 
nager had that day purchased too large a 
sum,.of three per cent ‘consols! In fine, 
the hint in the Society’s book, of the pre- 
ference to be given to the supporters of. 
_ religion, and the caveat against the au- 
thors of impious works, are too much in 
the narrow language of party, and more 
adapted to bigotted Anti-Jacobins, than 
toa liberal and enlightened Society, whose 
grand object ought to be the discovery 
and propagation of truth, which alone is 
utility. For the honour of the country 
it is to be lamented, that sentiments of 
this degrading nature have been acted 
Be, In the name of all that is just, and 
-ail that relates to commonsense, is a inan’s 
honour, his character, worth, utility, to 
fe measured and decided upon, by the de- 
ees of his belief in histories, which de- 
Scribe transactions, two or three thousand 
: eat! Is this country, with such 
. 
1 
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‘ 
’ 
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4 
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¢ 
“- 
og 
de 
igh pretensions to light and liberty, to 
‘the lastin Europe to quit such ahomi- 
Mable and cruel follies? 
_ Ttrast, Sir, you will give insertion 
this, at a crisis when the need of 
“B Literary Fund, upon the broadest 
ig a of liberality, niust be more 
than ever apparent. You ‘have. alreaily 
nounced, in your Magazine, the em- 
_ Monrary Mac., No, 175, 
s. 
and Pretensions of Reviews. 129. 
bargo upon literature. Nor will the so- 
ciety itself, composed as it is of so many 
persons of high celebrity, be displeased 
at any remarks tending to its real im- 
provement. Your's, &c. 
May 7, 1808. M. P. 
P.S. I ought to have stated that a consider- 
able number of subscribers to the Literary 
Fund have of late, more especially, taken 
up the subject above discussed, in the same 
point of view. 
EE 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HERE are no books, which have so 
amply contributed to make smat- 
terers in Literature, and pettit maitres 
in Science, as the Reviews: as how- 
ever the lover of humour derives more 
pleasure from provoking persons of 
consequence, especially if they are not 
fit subjects of attack; I trust that the 
propriety of this principle, and the co- 
gency of the reason, will induce you to 
insert my eulogy upon the titles of the 
reviews. I shall prove that they, who 
profess to be the arbiters of Taste, are 
no less singular than ingenious in the de- 
nominations of their pretensions. 
The first was the Monthly Review 
composed by impartial writers. This 
term Monthly is a very ingenious title, 
conveying the important information, 
in the form of ap advertisement, that it 
appeared once a month. Indeed! they 
would have styled it the Intermittent- Re- 
view, but did not because it was*meant 
to imply further, that it followed the 
progress of the moon aad the term inonth- 
ly was used, lest any wicked wag should 
style itthe dunatick review, because it got 
an ill yame for presuming to wish certain 
insane changes in the church and:state. 
The next ‘is the Critical Review, 
meaning that it i$ a critical period with 
these writers, to know what to say about 
the works before them. There js an 
anecdote, that it was once intended to 
eallit the Scrutch-head Review, but that 
a doctor, who had a large stock of nard 
words supplied the criticalterm. Though 
they astonished Gray by mistaking the 
jidés e@olice of the classics for a modern 
aolian harp, we know that infallbility 
has ceased with the downfal of popery, 
and all good protestants: have the privie 
lege of error, without censure. How- 
ever, thisis a good review, and what es- 
tablishes the merit of reviews in public 
opinion, the writers go to church, 
in the free constitution of England, 
dissenters have no right to be authors, or 
t ne any 
