II79I' ANECBOTES OF MR. MILLAR. I^I 



The Editor is much obliged to Authenticus for this anecdote, which he 

 publiflies for the ufe of thnfe who may think of being benefited by 

 it. As to himfelf, he has reafon to be i'atisfiod with the leception of 

 his work, defedlive as-it is in regard to thrfe lufcious articles, which 

 pTofeffed book-makers are fo anxious to rake together. Thou^ there 

 ■ are too many perfons of vitiated palates in tlie world, who cannot 

 make a hearty meal on plain viands, and muft therefore have very 

 high feafoned diflies; yet there are ! ill fome remain, who can be fa- 

 tisfied with plain and whol^fome fare. While thefe continue, the E- 

 ditor {hall do his beflto furnifh it for them; when fuchcan no longer 

 be found, he will be contented to iifcontinue bis labours, and clofe 

 his days in peace. In return to the favour of Authenticus, he Ihall 

 communicate the following anecdote of the fame Mr. Andrew Mil- 

 lar, that (hews he never akogethei abandoned thofe antiquated prin- 

 ciples, which many of his profeffion would now laugh at as unfafhion- 

 able and ridiculous ; — yet honeft Andrew Millar, with all thefe fol- 

 lies, made more money in the end, than any of his profeffion I hayc 

 yet heard of. 



Second Anecdote of Mr. Andreixi Millar. 

 Every body has heard of the book intituled Burns' s 

 ^itjiice of the Peace. The author of that book, Mr. 

 Burns, was a curate in feme of the northern counties of 

 England. When he had completed it, he fet out for 

 London to difpofe of it in the beft way he could. 

 When he arrived, being an entire ftranger in town, 

 he applied to the landlord of the inn where he flopped, 

 a decent looking, obliging fort of a man, to fee if he 

 <;ould recommend him to any bookfeller, who might be 

 likely to purchafe his manufcript. The landlord rea- 

 dily introduced him to a bookfeller of his acquaintance, 

 .who, .upon having the matter explained to him, beg- 

 ■ged to look at fhe manufcript. The papers were put 

 into his hands, which lie returned in a few days, tell- 

 ing tlie difappointed author, that he could not venture 

 to give more tlian twenty pounds for the book. This 

 offer Burns could not think of accepting. He returned, 

 very melancholy, to his lodging, fmc«;rely repenting 

 .that he had ever put pen to paper on that lubjetf. , 



By this time, Mr. Andrew Millar was well efla- 

 blifiicd in bufmefsj and his name had been feveral times 



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