1803.] 
unconfcioufly ufed fimilar expreffions to 
fome publifhed before, but never feen by 
them, often innocently incur the charge of 
plagiari{m, and give employment toa race 
of critics who do not much advance tafte 
or learning. I hope it will not be 
thought prefumptuous if I fay I would 
tru(t to no fpecific character, even of Lin- 
nus, without examination ; and I mutt 
repeat, that every one fo inveftigated be- 
comes my own. If this be plagiarifm, it 
would be equally juft to lay fuch an 
odious cenfure on any writer who ufes the 
moft common word or phrafe without 
quoting, in the manner of Dr. Panglofs in 
the play, every author where each is to be 
found. 
T thall conclude, Sir, witha wifh that 
the criticifms of this writer may appear as 
foon as poffible, that if any thing can he 
earned from them, and it would be hard 
if there fhould not, I may, with all due 
acknowledgment, profit by them in my 
fourth volume. I perfeétly agree with 
him, that my woik has many errors and 
imperfections ; and what work is quite 
without them? I think myfelf much 
obliged by the opinion he has formed of 
my candour, and I truft it is a better feel- 
ing than vanity, which is touched by fome 
of his expreflions. Thefe make me hope 
he will not defignedly calumniate my in- 
tentions. Controverfy is a dirty path, 
the frequenting of which defiles the mind, 
by tempting it to feek out the unfavour- 
able fide of every queftion, and fours the 
temper by the experience of decifions, 
which, from the great imperfection of hu- 
man nature, muft generally be more or 
lefs unjutt. Candid and amicable criti- 
cifm, on the other hand, enlightens and 
polithes both parties. If my antagonift 
be really actuated, by the metives he pro- 
feffes, all former ‘“* afperity of cenfure,”’ 
and even “* farcaftic feverity,’’ as well as 
the illiberal charge of them, may be for- 
gotten inthe mutual purtuit of truth. 
J. E. Smirna. 
Norwich, Feb.12, 1805. 
—E ee 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
IEWING, asI do, every meafure 
and thing which tends to the im- 
provement of agriculture, with the high- 
eft fatisfaction and pleafure, I was, of 
courfe, much gratified with the perufal of 
the communication of Mr. Pyke, in Vol. 
XVI. of your Magazine, page 502, and 
am yery forry that he has not fince fent 
Agricultural Queriess— Query on Cowper. 
103 
%? 
you any further ‘ hints,’? in conformity 
to his promifee As I am perfuaded that 
many others of your readers would be 
well pleafed to fee a continuation of his 
obfervations, I fhall be glad of your per- 
miffion to remind him that upwards of a 
year has elapfed fince the publication of 
his latt letter, and that many perfons look 
with fome anxiety for further hints and. 
refle&ions. 
Now that I am on the fubject of agri- 
culture, permit me to inquire whether 
any of your corref{pondents or readers are 
acquainted with the Robinia pfeud-Aca- 
cia, mentioned in vol. vi. of Dr. An- 
derfon’s Recreations, for its great utility 
infenciog. It appears from the Doétor’s 
obfervations (to which I beg to refer), 
that it js not alone valuabie as forming a 
much more fecure fence than any {pecies 
of thorn, but that it alfo produces timber 
applicable to every purpofe which requires 
firength and durability. He indeed 
pafles fuch high encomiums on the tree, 
and fo ftrongly recommends it to general 
ufe, that I think fome perfons mutt have 
been induced to make a trial of its quali- 
ties, and more particularly fo, as the 
growth of it is reprefented to be extra- 
ordinarily quick. Should any of thofe 
perfons be amongft the number of your 
readers, I truft they will not hefitate to 
communicate, without delay, through 
your medium, the refult of theis experi- 
ments. Iam, &c. TYyro. 
London, Dec.29, 1804. 
| ae 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazines 
SIR, 
N Cowper’s fpirited ode intitled Boa- 
dicea, the Druid who is iatroduced 
predicting the future fall of Rome, is 
made to fay, me 
Soon her pride fhall kifs the ground—— 
Hark ! the Gaulis at her gates ! 
A queftion here occurs, which I beg 
leave to fubmit to the confideration of 
your readers. Who is the Gaul alluded 
to? It can hardly be fuppoted that fo 
claffical a writer could, through inadver- 
tence, have fallen into fuch a grofs ana- 
chronifm as to make a prophecy in the 
reign of Claudius refer to the fack of 
Rome by the Gauls in the age of Camil- 
Jus ; yet I know not what poitterior ca~ 
taltrophe of that city can be attributed 
to the arms of the Gauls. The captere 
and pillage of Rome by Alaric, Geateric, 
and Totila, mutt be afcribed to Gothic 
leaders and armies; and probably the 
O02 
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