PRE^nUMS PROPOSED TOR LITERARY ESbAYS, &c. 



First. For the bcjl ivr'itten, and the moj} chM-aBc>if:ic Jletch of tl>t life 

 ff any of the great men or philnfophcrs that folloiu ; VIZ. Galiilet; Columbus ; 

 Don Henry of Portugal ; tycho Brahc ; Friar Bacon ; Alfred; Charlemagne; 

 Cf/iO, or Lorenzo de Medich ; Cardinal Ximcnes ; Guf.avus V^afa ; The 

 Czar Peter the Great ; Bacon Lord Veru'aTfi ; Tie Bifiop of Chiapa ; 

 Tie Abbe tie fiaiiit Pierre ; or any other great f.atefman or philofophcr -who 

 appeared in Europe bet-ween the reviiial of letters^ and the beginning of the 

 prefent century : A GOLD MEDAL, — or nVE GUINEAS. 



In thefe Jkclchei, Jlrlking charaSdcrlJlicul traits, exprejpve of the peculiar 

 genius and cajt of mind of the perfon, contrujled ivilh the prevailing manners 

 of the people, and modes of thinking at the time, •ziiH be ehif-^ -valued. Brevity 

 and fur ce "will be high recommendations ; but pompous panegyric •will be vieiv 

 ed in a very different light. Let faints fpeak for therrfelves : For it is fails, 

 •when fairly reprefnted, that\ConJhtute the chief, and indeed the only excellence of 

 the kind of painting here aimed at. The frm boldnfs and accuracy of the 

 touches, not the allurements of gaudy colouring, are here ivanted. 



Second. For the bfl and mojl Ji riling characlerifical fletch of any emi- 

 nent Jiattfman, fhilofophtr, or artij! no-w living, or -zuha has died -within the pre- 

 fent century ; A GOLD MEDAL, or FIVE GUINEAS. 



In thefe Jkctches, originality ^and frength'of thought, and an exali knota- 

 ledge of the human mind, -will be principally fought for : Brevity and ele- 

 gance in tbt liile and manner icill be greatly ejleemed ; but -without candour 

 and impartiality, they cannot be admitted. The cenfure and the praife of party 

 •:tri1ers tend a/He to deface -all truly eharaflcrifical traits, and to dijguife injleaj 

 tf elucidating the fubjeS . This mujl be here avoided. 



Third. For the bejl original mifcellaneoui ejfay, Jlory, apologue, or tale, 

 a/ujlrative of life and manners ; or effufton or difquifition on any fubjeSi that tends 

 to interijl tut heart, and amufc the imagination, in prfe; A COLD MEDAL,— 

 or FIVE OUIJvE.tS. 



An original turn of thought ; a corrcSlnefs and purity of language; eafe and 

 elegance of arrangejnent,and fprightlinfi of Jiile,ivhen devoid of affe{}atlon ; -will 

 be accounted principal excellencies. SubjeSis that are cheerful and fportive -will be 

 f referred to. thufe that are grave and folemn. But hi not affeldation be mif.akert 

 for eafe, nor pertnef for ivit arid humour : Neither fhouldfijlemnity be confound- 

 ed -with pathos ; for the truly pathetic can never fail to pleafe. 



He begs leave to repeat, that in thefe Jketches or ejfays, comprehenfive brevity 

 is principally required. It is not by quantity that the editor of this mifcellany 

 weans to ef.imate the value of the performances offered to him ; but much the 

 rrverfe. Thofe effays -.vhich comprehend much in f mall bounds -will therefore le 

 al-ways deemtd the mnf -ualuable. He can never be at a lofs for materials to 

 fll his pages ; and therefore is anxious that the effays offered to him fxuld bt 

 ,omprij[cJ into as fmall a f pace as is confi/lent ivith elegance and perfpicuily. 



