1797] 
racy or merit of thofe that are thus pub- 
lithed, holding their feveral authors alone 
accountable for them in thefe refpeds, 
equally as if they had publithed the 
papers themfelves in feparate works. 
_And here it may be fatisfactory to extrac 
the following account of this matter, 
from the books of the Tranfactiens, where 
it forms the preface to every volume of 
thefe publications : 
«The committee appointed by the 
Royal Society, to dire&t the publication 
of the Philofophical Tranfadtions, take this 
Opportunity to acquaint the pubite, that 
it fully appears, as well from the council 
books and journals of the fociety, as frorn 
repeated ‘declarations which have been 
made in feveral former tranfactions, thar 
- the. printing of them was always, from 
time to time, the fingle aft of the re- 
fpeGtive fecretaries, till the 47th volume: 
the fociety, as a body, never interefting 
themfelves any farther in their publica- 
tion, tham by occafionally recommending 
the revifal of them to fome of their 
fecretaries, when, from the particular 
circumfances of their affairs, the tranf- 
actions had happened for any length of 
time to be intermitted. And this feems 
principally te have been done with a view 
to facusfy the public, that, their ufual 
Meetings Were then continued, for the 
improvement of knowledge, and benefit 
of mankind; the great ends of their firft 
inflitution by the royal charters, and 
which they have ever fince fteadily 
purfued. 
‘“* But the focietv being of late years 
greatly eniarged, and their communica- 
tions more numerous, it was thought ad- 
vifable, that a committee of their mem- 
bers fhould be appointed to reconfider the 
papers read before them, and feleé out 
of them. fuch as they fhould judge moft 
proper for publication in the future 
tranfadtions; which was accordingly done 
upon the 26th of March, 1752. And 
the grounds of their choice are, and will 
continue to be, the importance and fingu- 
larity of the fubjects, or the advanrageous 
manner of treating them; without pre- 
tending to anfwer for the certamty of the 
faéts, or propriety of the reafonings, 
contained in the feveral papers fo pubiith- 
ed, which muft fill reft on the credit or 
judgment of their refpective authors. 
“Tt is likewife neceflary on this oc- 
cafion to remark, that it is an eftavlifhed 
rule of the fociety, to which they will 
always adhere, never to give their opi- 
nion, as a body, upon any fubject, either 
of nature or art, that comes before them, 
MontTuHLx Ma@. XXY. 
Royal Society... Imitation of Anacreone 
439. 
And, therefore, the thanks, which are 
frequently propofed from the chair, to be 
given to the authors of fuch papers as are 
read at their accuftomed meeti'gs, or to 
the perfons through whofe hands they 
receive them, are to be confidcred in nao 
other light than as a marter of civility, in. 
return for the refpeét fhown tethe fociety 
by thofe communications. “The like alfo 
is to be faid with regard to the feveral 
projects, inventions, and curiofities of 
various kinds, which are often exhibited 
to the fociety; the authors whereof, or” 
thofe who exhibit them, frequently take 
the liberty to report, and even to certify 
in the public newfpapers, that they have 
met with the higheit applaufe and appro~ 
bation. _ And therefore it is hoped, that 
no regard will hereafter be paid to fuch 
reports and public nopices, which in 
fome inftances have been lightly credited, 
to the difhonour of the fociety.’ A. D. 
ene Y 
To the Editor 
SIR, 
I KNOW not whether it may be con- 
~ fiffent with the plan of your publica-: 
tion to inferc the following imitations, in 
French and Englith, of Anacreon’s“4oth 
Ode, together with a few obfervations 
which their perufal fuggefted to me. 
The firftis by Ronjard, a poet of the 16th 
century, who, though now little known, 
was regarded in his own time as the chief 
of French poets. He was highly fa- 
voured by Uharles 1X5 his works were 
publifhed, with the commentaries of the 
learned; and he poffeffed the merited re- 
putation of having refined the tafte of. 
his countrymen, by introducing to their 
notice the Greek and Roman Cuailics. 
The other is the production of an in- 
genious friend, who communicated it to 
me fome time ago, with permilfion to 
of the Monthly Magazine. 
-publifh it; a permiffion of which I the 
more readily make ufe, on the prefent 
oceafion, as its concifenefs will form na 
unpleafing contraft with the diffule pro- 
duétion of the French poet, and as both 
together will exhibit inftances of an effect 
nearly fimilar produced by means ex- 
tremely different. 
Ronsarp. ODE 16. Liy.q. Ed. Par. 1584. 
LE petit enfant Amour, 
Cueilloit des fleurs a ’entour 
D'une ruche, ot les avettes 
Font leurs petites /ogertes. 
Comime if les alloit cueillant, 
Une avette, fommeillant 
Dans le fond @une fleurette, 
Luy piqua la main dgsillztte. 
3M Sirdt 
- 
