1796-] 
what rapidity he wrought. Once I re- 
member to have been with him when he 
was engaged in painting the Battle of 
Agincourt, and hardly could I tell which 
to admire moft, the quicknefs with 
which his pencil wrought, or the energy 
of his remarks. No man feemed lefs 
confcicus of his own powers than him- 
felf, or lefs unwilling to encourage 
others who had the fmalleft pretenfions 
to excellence (¢). Before he attempted 
any work of importance, he always de- 
voted fome time to the perufal of that 
author which would give him the moft 
information ; and, indeed, his converfa- 
tion frequently turned on allufions to 
the politeft. writers, exprefled in the 
moft forcible terms. After the fketch 
had been drawn, he generally gave him- 
felf fome reft, though he often applied 
to the drag-net by way of exercife. 
The. career of this true devotee 
to Apollo terminated fooner, and much 
more fuddenly, than could have been 
wifhed. He ftayed at Aylefbury till 
about the clofe of the year, and went 
to London as well as ufual. The even- 
ing but one before he went up, I fupped 
at his honfe, in company with fome 
friends, and he feemed as cheerful as 
ever, and talked of writing his life in 
Hudibraftic verfe. Soon after, however, 
an alteration took place; he was feized 
with a violent fever, which preying 
upon a conftitution already weak, car- 
ried him off in a few days, to the re- 
gret of all that knew him. He was at- 
tended by two phyficians; but, being 
defirous of fecing nis old friend, Dr. B. 
he came up to him, and, alas! had the 
pain to behold his lively friend give up 
the ghoft in his arms. He died February 
4, 1779, aged 38 years, at a time when 
Envy was withdrawing her ihafts, and 
the voice of Truth was heard with at- 
tention. He is dead, but his memory 
hives in my heart; for there was that 
about him, independent of his talents, 
which matt make an humble admirer of 
true worth and cultivated underftanding 
regret his lofs. 
Bucks, Feb. 6, 1796. LIBRA. 

(ce) Among others, Mr. Brett, of Aylefbury, 
cannot pafs unnoticed; though an houfe- 
painter, he copied much with approbation, 
and drew one or two things which were well 
{poken of: his manners were gentle, but his 
fortune in life indifferent. His fon alfo pof- 
feffes the power of copying to a great degree, 
and would have been brought forward into 
life if this ingenious man had not been taken 
eff fo foon. 
MonruLty Mac. No.1, 
Ujeful French Inftitution, 
25 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
ACCOUNT OF AN USEFUL INSTITU- 
TION OF THE FRENCH. 
AMONG the inftitutions favourable to 
the {peedy difperfion of information, 
one has been called forth at Paris, by the 
political ftate, and diffufive culture of 
the people, which may deferve imitation 
in other countries. It is called in France 
a Cabinet de Leéture, or reading-fhop. All 
the ftreets of Paris are fupplied with 
thefe rooms, fome on the ground-floor, 
fome, and thefe are moft quiet, above 
ftairs, ‘The owner provides periodical 
publications, fuch as the principal newf- 
papers, magazines, reviews, annual re- 
gifters, &c.; provides a ftanding library, 
confifting of maps, gazetteers, ftatiftical 
diétionaries, and of the more.eminent 
political writings; and provides all 
the pamphlets and hand-bills of: the 
time, with impartial profufion.—Thefe 
fhops are open from eight in the morn- 
ing until ten in the evening. They 
are fhaded in fummer by blinds, warmed 
in winter by ftoves, and, at dark, are il- 
luminated by Argand’s lamps. Detks and 
chairs are commodioufly arranged for the 
cuftomers. ‘Tents, or moveable fhops of 
this Kind, are occafionally pitched in the 
Garden of Equality, in the Thuilleries, 
in the Elyfian Fields, in the groves of 
the Luxembourg. Perfons are allowed 
to fub{cribe by the quarter, the month, 
the week, the day ; and, in confequence 
of fuch fubfcription, can ufe, in the 
room, any of the books with which it is 
furnithed. The fhop-keeper, mofily a 
female, delivers them out. Toa fingle 
fitting, any one is admitted for two- 
pence, and may thus acquaint himfelf 
with the topics of the day, in the 
fpeeches and pamphlets of the leading 
public charatters. A {mall expence is 
fuflicient to found’ fuch a library, which 
moftly fupports itfelf with proft. \It is 
common for the fhop-keepers to be in 
conneétion with fome principal book- 
feller, and to vend any of the articles 
expoled for perufal, at a price marked 
in the title-page. Neither coffee nor 
converfation is admitted. ‘The filence 
of a church prevails. Thefe reading 
rooms have done more to form the pub. 
lic mind of the Parifians, than the con- 
verfations of the Caffé de Foi, the dif- 
putations of the Jacobins, or even the 
galleries of the National Convention. 
‘The proprietors vie with each other in 
the affected elegance of their defigna- 
E tions. 
