688 
amount to half a dozen essays. Mr. C. 
has shewn, contrary to the general opi? 
nion, that a considerable part. of the 
Rambler was almost, in a manner, re- 
written, previously to the publication of 
the second edition, the alterations consi- 
derably exceeding 6000. We are by no 
means disposed to estimate Dr. John- 
son’s powers, as an essayist, at the same 
rate which is demanded for them by the 
present editor. .The great and distin- 
guishing merit of this kind of writing is 
to combine utility with amusement, so as 
to attract the notice of those to whom 
sermons and serious books afford no 
temptation. The Tatler and Spectator 
were taken in at the coffee-houses, were 
admitted to the toilette, were the sub- 
jects of general conversation; softened 
i some by their wit and sprightliness, 
the rude moroseness of the “ sterner vir- 
tues,” and in. others inspired a love of 
decency, of order, of piety, by depicting 
religion as she appears, 
«© When gay good-humour dresses her in 
smiles :” 
so that a manifest amelioration of pub- 
lic morals was observed during the pub- 
lication of these invaluable essays. The 
sale of the Rambler, on the other hand, 
when circulated in single papers, never 
exceeded five hundred, and though its 
merits were at once acknowledged “ by 
scholars and men of taste,’ it failed in 
attracting the notice of those classes in 
society, whom a well conducted periodi- 
cal work is peculiarly qualified to influ- 
ence. The Rambler was published re- 
gularly twice a week till March 17, 1752, 
on which day it closed. In the month 
of November, in the same year, the Ad- 
venturer made its appearance, under the 
superinitendance of Hawkesworth, who 
was powerfully supported by the abili- 
ties of Johnson, Bathurst, and Joseph 
Warton. Being more accommodated to 
the public taste, the sale of the Adven- 
turer was considerably greater than that 
of the Rambler, yet when compared to. 
the older essayists, its literary inferiority 
is very striking. It extended to 140 
numbers, two of which appeared every 
week. Soon after the commencement of 
” 
MISCELLANIES: 
7 
the Adventurer another periodical works 
under the name of the World, was in- 
stituted by E.-Moore ; and being largely” 
assisted by men of wit and of fashion’as 
well as of literature, it proved a genuiné 
and worthy successor of the Tatler and» 
Spectator. Its merit was inimediately 
acknowledged by the public, and the sale 
of above two thousand copies conferred 
on the editor both celebrity and profit. 
Lord Chesterfield contributed twenty- 
ethree papers of exquisite wit, and Mr, 
Cambridge twenty-one, replete with de- 
licate humour and good taste. Horace 
Walpole, Soame Jenyns, Sir James Mar-. 
riot, the Earl of Orrery, the Ear! of Bath, 
Lord Hailes, and other distinguished * 
characters, furnished occasional assist 
ance, chiefly on subjects of wit and hu- 
mour, and a few papers on more serious 
topics, together with that beautiful poem 
“The Tears of Old May-day,” came 
from the pen of Loveybond.  ~ 
In 1754 appeared the Connoisseur, al- 
most every paper in which was the joint 
production of Coleman and Thornton; 
its characteristic is liveliness, and its 
highest praise is that of innocent amuse- 
ment. , 
The next series of essays in the collec- 
tion before us is the Idler, originally 
published in a weekly newspaper, called 
the Universal Chronicle, from April 
1758 till the same month 1760. Of this 
Dr. Johnson was the main support. Its 
principal object is entertainment and 
party-politics, nor did it ever obtain much” 
celebrity. 
The Mirror, afterwards continued un- 
der the name of the Lounger, began to’ 
be published in January 1779, by a so- 
ciety of young menat Edinburgh. These, 
together with the Observer, by Mr, Cum- 
berland, conclude the selection; and are 
destitute of the prefatory remarks and 
biographical anecdotes, which distin-. 
guish the former essayists, becausé most 
of the writers are yet living. 
On the whole Mr. Charney has col- 
lected a considerable quantity of curious 
and :musing information, relative to our 
essayists, and we doubt not that the 
public will afford him a liberal patron- 
age. 
Arr. XIX. Bibliothéque Portative des Ecrivains Francois; or, Choix des meilleurs 
_ Morceaux extraits de leurs Ouvrages. 
Edition. Large 8vo. Two vols. 
Par MM. Moysant et De Leyisac. Second 
- THIS selection is arranged upon the is too much occupied with long pieces 
plan of our bulky Elegant Extracts, and from Racine, Fenelon, Moliere, DeLisle, 
