1792. criticism by Meriicus 10 
some answer to the more pointed strictures of your 
able judge. Permit me, however, to add one other ob-= 
servation, which probably may likewise have its 
weight, that although a publication like yours offers 
a convenient vehicle for wisdom, yet,as books in ge- 
neral must make their own way, and baoksellers 
their bread, it is pofsible the seria mixta jocis, may 
answer these two purposes better than either of them 
singly ; especially the first, im this degenerate age, 
where alittle laughing puts us in good humour to- 
Leceiye graver precepts and observations, which may 
be blended with its cause. I fhall- never forget Bry- 
done’s painted snow ball in the mouth of the honest: 
seaman, (tour to Sicily and Malta,) nor the good hu-- 
mour with which I accompanied him afterwards to: 
see the wonders of mount Etna. and I do not.care a. 
farthing whether the tar spit it out or not, and at- 
tacked Sir William’s valet for the supposed trick ; 
the story was excellent and I give him credit for it. 
Pofsibly the same reasoning may be applied to abate 
the patriotic exertions of another of your correspon- 
dents, Bombardinion, (see vol. iv. page 283.) who is 
giving himself no little trouble to sift our libraries 
of all those gentlemen who are called great travellers, 
from the great events they have witnefsed or heard, 
from‘ Herodotus down to the thane of Fife. Now, 
Mr Editor, with humble submifsion to your corres- 
pondent’s better judgement, and much commendation 
of his just rage, it appears to me that captain Boba- 
dil’s ancient pistol, Sir John Falstaff, and other great 
swaggerers of old, are not without their use on the 
little stage ; why then may not a few such gentry be 
