fjgi- LITERARY INTELLIGEXCER. 6^ 



rians, ambitious of popularity, have been invited to 

 the narration of civil affairs, by the powers which they 

 pofl'efs over the heart and fancy, and by their fuperior 

 fufceptibility of all the decorations of courtly and po- 

 pular compofition. Perhaps too, the pride of literature 

 flirunk from topics which would expofe the debafe- 

 ment and misfortune of its profelTorSj who have ever 

 ;facrificed themfelves for pollerity, and been the victims 

 jof their devotion to letters, and their paffion for glory. 

 ' From that portion of literary hiftory, which is the fub- 

 jecl of our prefent effay, they have probably been re- 

 pelled by the latter confideration. But a philofopher, 

 who is incapable of fuch irritable and faftidious vanity, 

 rauif perceive the hiftory of thofeto whom the world owes 

 whatever it is, to be a topic of great curiolity and intereft. 

 I fhall preface my remarks, by deiining an au- 

 thor by profeffion to be, a perfon, who, in whatever 

 mode, derives his chief fubfiftence from literary pro- 

 ductions. This definition is conceived with a latitude 

 fuitable to the views which I am about to unfold. I 

 proceed to evince the exillence of fuch a defcription of 

 men in every ftate of fociety, and to examine the va- 

 rious forms under which they appear, in the various 

 ftages of its progrefs. The bard and the genealogill 

 are the profeillid authors of limple ages. The favage 

 hero firft probably lings his own exploits ; but the ftep 

 of focial progrefs produces a divifion of labour. Ac- 

 cident, in the attempt of many, difcovers fome one to 

 be capable of imparting fuperior luftre to the triumph 

 of the warrior, or fuperior fplendour to the rites of the 

 god. The pofleflor of powers thus capable of afford- 

 ing high gratification, is flattered by a difcovery to 

 his vanity and his indolence. He is abfolved from the 

 perils and toils of his fellow favages. He devotes him- 

 felf to their amufement or delight ; and he is rewarded 

 by the grateful hofpitality with which every cabin wel- 

 comes Inm who is to applaud or entertain its pofTcffors, 

 to melt or gladden it with long. This mav be faid to be 



