52 ON THE REAXITY OF THE TROJAI^ WAR/-' May l8, 



torian : But if he was ill rewarded in the a^c he lived 

 in, -pofterity has made ample amends. • m- 



It would be hard indeed, not to allow hiiri fo much 

 poetical licence as is neceffary for every Epic poem, as 

 diftinguiflied from a hiftory ; and, with tfeis allow- 

 ance,, he may bid defiance to every thing that can be 

 faid againft him. 

 ■ • A >^. 



On yJtithors by ProfeJ/ion. 



, No. III. 



Of the theoretical view which Ihave Attempted in my 

 laft, of the progrefs of literature as a profeffion, abun- 

 dant hiftorical illuftration may be produced. Its latter 

 ftages peculiarly claim notice ; and the literary hiftory 

 of England will afford the firft example. From the age of 

 Elizabeth till theitiiddleofthe reign of George \\, patron- 

 age, in various gradations, exifted. The gradual afcendant 

 'obtained by' the public voice, and the repulfion of pa- 

 trons, by the increafed multitude of literary pretend- 

 ers, may be traced with conliderable precifion. Before 

 the reftoration, there will fcarcely be found any Eng- 

 lifh' author, (except a dramatift, who necelTarily, in all 

 ages, depends on popular favour), whofe chief remune- 

 rations did not arife from individual munificence. In 

 the reign of Charles II, that clafs of men who are 

 notv called authors by profeflion, may be faid to have 

 arifen^ The public judgment then began to gain fome 

 afcendant; popular rivals arofe to the favoured authors 

 of the nobility and the court. Settle contefted the palm 

 with Dry den ; and it became 'neceflary for all pretend- 

 ers to literature to court the public fuffrage. The ge- 

 neral caufes which I have Hated in the lait number, ra- 

 pidly accelerated the growth of authorfhip and the 

 fjownlal of patronage. The reign of Queen Anne fur- 



