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the ornaments, jewels, necklaces, and rings, which are used in the country, appears on the scene, apparently extended along a bed; but there is in fact only the upper part of her body which has the attitude of a person extended on cushions; and though the bed appears to be carried, it is herself who walks."

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She laments, singing and gesticulating she has been carried off by a robber whom she does not know, from the castle of her father, who is a powerful king; she was shut up there in a tour, within seven enclosures, rising in stages above each other.

Yet, notwithstanding her be ing so well guarded, means were. found to surprize her, in her sleep; she was transported into a solitary wood without knowing how, nor where she is, nor the name of her ravisher! her complaints turn upon the happiness which she enjoyed, and upon the dishonour which her misfortune will cause to her father, and to all her family.

At every change of actors, the cloth is raised; it is lowered at eve. ry new appearance of them; and to cause more lustre, and produce an illusion, they throw upon the two flambeaux, then very near to one an. other, and to the cloth, an inflammatory powder, which inflames the air, and makes the actors shine with light at the moment of their entrance op the scene.

The most beautiful, the longest, and the most complicated of these or

their god, appears with three of his wives, of whom he is said to have sixteen thousand. One of them is jealous of the caresses which he makes to the other; he seeks to calm and re assure her; and to preserve peace between them (a difficult business,) he lavishes on them alternately the most eager caresses, which delight and enrage them by

turns.

Sept. 1806.

A fourth woman comes up; she is the first, the most beautiful; she is the most frequent and constant favourite; she has just quarreled with her divine husband; she laments her fate; she uses every means of persuasion. Finding mildness, unsuccess ful, she at last begins to threaten and reproach her rivals, she even whips them with a long tail or tress of her hair, which she wears tucked up upon her shoulder, and which serves as a lash.

Her divine lord and master is insensible to all her attempts; she at last spares neither reproaches, nor insults, nor threats to himself, and driven, as a last resource, to employ the mediation of a Bramin, and of some other ludicrous agents, she succeeds at length, after many difficulties, delays, and different trials, in recovering the good graces of her dear Vichnou.

These plays last commonly whole nights, in consequence of frequent repetitions, and of the slowness and patience which form the basis of the

Indian character.

The PETITION of PETER, JAMES, and JOHN, in behalf of themselves, and as representing the whole body of Christian names now used in the BRITISH EMPIRE,

HUMBLY SHEWETH,

HAT it has been the common practice custom,

derably upwards of 1oco years, to prefix some of your petitioners or their constituents to the family distinctions called surnames; that this practice has been attended with the most beneficial effects to all parties concerned, and has been the cause, in particular, of much good in many families. In illustration of their claims the petitioners shall beg your patient hearing of the following facts.

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It is well known, that the introduction of your petitioners as appellatives into this country has afforded families an easy and familiar method of distinguishing their different off spring. In the ages alluded to, we beg leave to observe, that your ancestors lay under the greatest hardships in this respect. Not being able to write up any number above one, and indeed having no knowledge of numbers at all, they were obliged to distinguish their progeny by terms such as Great-head, Little-head, Redbaired, or Black-haired. Your petitioners, pitying their ignorance, and feeling for the wretched shifts to which they were reduced, came at this time to their aid, and for a long time were treated with the marked respect which their services merited. Of late however your petitioners are sorry to observe, that that respect for their usefulness has been laid aside, and chiefly by those from whom they had reason to expect a very different conduct. We mean here those whom the world have agreed to call great or celebrated characters. But your petitioners would observe, that the laying them aside (after having passed the years of childhood and youth in the strictest intimacy) when these persons have no further occasion for their services, or think themselves too high to be seen in their company, has the appearance of a false pride, affectation, and even ingratitude, which we should be sorry to lay to their charge on slight grounds.

That your petitioners never dis graced any families with whom they formed a connection, they trust will readily be allowed. The most ample proof might be led on this point, did your honour require it. But it will be only necessary to mention the names of King Robert Bruce and Sir William Wallace, two of the greatest characters your country has produçed in illustration of their claim.

These men, while living, did not think the addition of Robert or Wil. liam to their other name any derogation of their dignity; and posterity, just in this instance, seldom or never mention the one without the other. Why this rule should not be extended to every case, or why your countrymen prefix the name only in particular cases, the petitioners are at a loss to conceive. The prince and the peasant, the two extremes of society, are now almost the only persons, to be seen in your petitioners' company, Honest Peter, or Honest John, King Charles or King William, only regard us with a steady friendship. Indeed the latter (to their honour be it mentioned) sensible of the lustre they derive from our family, take their de nominations from them alone.

The petitioners do not urge this question merely in the form of sup plication, they demand it as their unalienable right. It is not from such as shopkeepers and merchants that they derive any honour; nor should they once obtrude themselves on your notice for the sake of these. Let them put

P. J. J. for Peter, James, and John, as they please. Let them endeavour to demonstrate, by this affected mutila. tion of their Christian names, that they pay no regard to the doctrines or precepts of our holy religion, and wish to sink its characteristic signature ;their blood be on their own heads.What we regret chiefly is, that most of the public characters (kings ex. cepted) discharge us their service soon after they come from school. For instance, instead of William Shakespear, John Milton, or Joseph Addison, it is now only Shakespear, Milton, and Addison, with every person who has occasion to mention their names.

The petitioners beg leave to observe, that the mutilations and destruction of their family had scarcely begun at the period when the abovementioned characters flourished; and

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they have reason to believe, that, were they alive, they would not wish to see one-half of their names obliterated; that part toe by which they were wont to be most frequently and familiarly distinguished. It is only a conspiracy among infidel mederns to rob your petitioners of their just right, a right which should be held sacred for its antiquity, its utility, and its religious importance.

The first persons who introduced this infidel practice, were the pretended friends of religion; we mean the reformed clergy. Before the Reformation, your petitioners flourished; and Friar Peter, or Father John, were as common then as daisies are

now in summer. After that event, however, their family declined, chiefly by the persecutions of their pretended friends. It is a well-known fact, that Bishop, Archbishop, and Dean, in the sister kingdom; and Doctor, and Rev. Mr in this part of the empire, have among the clergy almost obliterated the Christian signature. By stating this fact, we mean not to say, that the clergy are not Christians; though they sink the name emphatically called the Christian, yet they have still the substantial part of that character- their livings.

Upon the whole, the petitioners hope, that what they have advanced in support of their right, will meet with your approbation, and with that of every lover of virtue and religion: and induce those in particular who are its directors, to set that example in again assuming your petitioners into their service.

May it therefore please your honour, to order and enact, that all per. sons, of whatever description, pretending to be Christians, and who have been honoured by their parents with the company of your petitioners, shall forthwith and immediately resume them as their signatures, with. out abbreviation or mutilation of any sort, under the pains and penalty of

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VINDICATION of BOOKSELLERS.
To the Editor.

SIR,
MANY, and indeed almo uni-

versal, are the complaints a gainst Booksellers; a body of men, if not the most respectable, although in general I deem them such, perhaps the most useful, for a variety of reasons, to mankind in general, of any society of merchants. Frequently have my ears been assailed with violent exclamations against the immense price which they put upon books, and the extravagant profit which many persons (and here I may remark that authors are generally the most severe in their outcry in this point) suppose they must of course derive from them; and as frequently have I endeavoured to repel the opinions of such persons, by those arguments which appeared to me consistent with common sense.

But by inserting in your useful miscellany the following letter, which I discovered in the 15th vol. page 172. 3. 4. 5. and 176. of a neat edition of the celebrated Dr Johnson's works, printed at Edinburgh this year, I have no doubt many will see their error, and cease exclaiming against things the real causes of which they don't know, and are incapable of forming an opinion upon. Altho' Dr Johnson apparently handles this sub

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The last part of the Doctor's letter is of great importance. The complaint *which he makes I have. heard long ago, and did not know but it was redressed. It is unhappy that a practice so erroneous has not yet been altered; for altered it must be, or our press will be useless, with all its privileges. The booksellers, who, like all other men, have strong prejudices in their own favour, are enough inclined to think the practice of printing and selling books by any but themselves, an encroachment on the rights of their fraternity, and have need of stronger inducements to circulate academical publications than those of one another; for, of that

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mutual co-operation by which the general trade is carried on, the University can bear no part. Of those whom he neither loves nor fears, and from whom he expects no reciprocation of good offices, why should any man promote the interests but for profit? I suppose, with all our scholastic ignorance of mankind, we are still too knowing to expect that the booksellers will erect themselves into patrons, and buy and sell under the influence of a disinterested zeal for the promotion of learning.

To the booksellers, if we look for either honour or profit from our press, not only their common profit, but something more must be allowed; and if books printed at Oxford are expected to be rated at a high price, that price must be levied on the publick, and paid by the ultimate purchaser, not by the intermediate agents. What price shall be set upon the book, is, to the booksellers, wholly indifferent, provided that they gain a proportional profit by negociating the sale.

Why books printed at Oxford should be particularly dear, I am, however, unable to find. We pay no rent; we inherit many of our instruments and materials; lodging and victuals are cheaper than at London, and, therefore, workmanship ought, at least, not to be dearer. Our expences are naturally less than those of booksellers; and, in most cases, communities are content with less profit than individuals. It is, perhaps, not considered through how many hands a book often passes, before it comes into those of the reader; or what part of the profit each hand must retain, as a motive for transmitting it to the next.

We will call our primary agent in London, Mr Cadell, who receives our books for us, gives them room in his warehouse, and issues them on demand; by him they are sold to Mr Dilly, a wholesale bookseller,

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who sends them into the country; and the last seller is the country bookseller. Here are three profits to be paid between the printer and the reader, or, in the style of commerce, between the manufacturer and the consumer; and if any of these profits is too penuriously distributed, the process of commerce is interrupted.

We are now come to the practical question, What is to be done? You will tell me, with reason, that I have said nothing, till I declare how much, according to my opinion, of the ultimate price ought to be distributed through the whole succession of sale.

The deduction, I am afraid, will appear very great: but let it be considered before it is refused. We must allow, for profit, between thirty and thirty-five per cent. between six and seven shillings in the pound; that is, for every book which costs the last buyer twenty shillings, we must charge Mr Cadell with something less than fourteen. We must set the copies at fourteen shillings each, and superadd what is called the quarterly book, or for every hundred books so charged we must deliver one hundred and four.

The profits will then stand thus:

trusts a year, not much more than two and sixpence; otherwise than, as he may, perhaps, take as long credit as he gives.

With less profit than this, and more you see he cannot have, the country bookseller cannot live; for his receipts are small, and his debts sometimes bad.

Thus, Dear Sir, I have been incited by Dr - -'s letters to give you a detail of the circulation of books, which, perhaps, every man has not had an opportunity of knowing; and which those who know it do not perhaps always distinctly consider. I am, &c. SAM. JOHNSON.

March 12. 1774.

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Mr Cadell, who runs no hazard, Journal of a Tour over-land from

and gives no credit, will be paid for warehouse-room and attendance by a shilling profit on each book, and his chance of the quarterly book.

Mr Dilly, who buys the book for fifteen shillings, and who will expect the quarterly book, if he takes five and twenty, will send it to his coun try customer at sixteen and sixpence, by which, at the hazard of loss, and the certainty of long credit, he gains the regular profit of ten per cent. which is expected in the wholesale trade.

INDIA in 1785.

(Continued from page 516.)

THE time agreed upon with the

Shiek for our departure being elapsed, we set out for Zebeer, where we arrived after a march of two hours and an half. This town lies S. W. by W. from Bussorah, distant about nine miles. The Desart betwixt the two places is almost entirely bare of vegetation; near Bussorah the soil a light clay, and covered The country bookseller, buying at with salt; towards Zebeer it becomes sixteen and sixpence, and commonly a little gravelly, and some spots protrusting a considerable time, gains duce barley, now fit to be cut down. bu three and sixpence; and if heThe town is about a mile and an

half

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