a word or two well selected will gain him the truest applause, that which is conveyed in sighs and tears. Let him fully persuade himself, that the only method of operating powerfully on the feelings of nature, is to renounce art and affectation, and to adhere to truth and simplicity.

Something is necessary to be done to produce an alteration. The theatrical state is in its decline. It cannot much longer be supported by fine dresses, painted scenes, music, dancing, and pantomime. We have hearts as well as ears and eyes; if they know not how to touch our passions at Old Drury, let us hasten to the Opera-house, and see the man stand upon one leg.

NO. CLV. ON READING MERELY WITH A VIEW TO

AMUSEMENT.

Plays,

THERE are many who spend much of their time in reading, but who read as they play at cards, with no other intention but to pass their time, without labouring under the intolerable burden of a total inactivity. The more trifling the book, the better they suppose it suited to their purpose. pamphlets, memoirs, novels, and whatever entertains them without requiring any great degree of attention, constitute the whole of their library. Even these are read in a desultory manner, without the interference of taste, or the trouble of selection. Indeed this light food for the mind is so much wanted, that the circulating libraries lay in a stock of it every year; and an assortment of summer-reading is in as great request at the booksellers in the watering

places, as a variety of new spring patterns at the silk-mercers in Pall-Mall. The fine lady and gentleman, who have nothing to do but to pursue their amusement, and in whose delicate minds. the dressing of the hair is a business of the first importance, commonly spend two or three hours every day under the hands of the friseur; but then the time is by no means wasted, for it is spent in summer-reading; and as the volumes which contain summer-reading are not large folios, and neither printed on the smallest type, nor on the most crowded page, one of them just serves to fill up the morning hours devoted to the artist of the comb. The gentle student rises from his chair when the operation is completed, takes off his flannel gown, sends back the half-bound book to the library, and enters upon the momentous business of making calls, without any odious gravity or seriousness, which might perhaps have remained with him, had his morning studies required deep thought, or communicated to him a series of sober reflections. He can, indeed, in a rainy day, devour half a dozen volumes of summer-reading, and be no more incommoded than when he swallows as many puffs and syllabubs at the fashionable confectioner's.

It must be allowed that this kind of reading, trifling as it is, may often constitute an amusing, and a very innocent pastime. But I will venture to say, that useful and improving reading might be found, that should be equally, and indeed more entertaining. The same time spent on books of character, which is lavished away on literary trash, would render many a mind, which is now vain and superficial, really elegant, prudent, and well informed.

The time spent under the operation of the hairdresser is very properly spent in reading; but why should not the works of the English classics be used in preference to a vile translation from a foolish French novel? To a taste not vitiated, the works of Shakespeare, Milton, Dryden, Pope, Addison, and many other of their successful followers, are much more pleasing than the inelegant and hasty productions of hireling writers, whose indigence compels them to be less solicitous about quality than quantity; who study not so much what is congruous to taste and truth, as what will catch the notice of the general reader, and answer the venal purpose of their employer by a rapid sale. Have we not many true histories, elegant in their style, abounding with matter most improving to the heart and understanding, and calculated to interest and entertain, in a very high degree, by gratifying curiosity? Unless we renounce our pretensions to reason, we must confess that such books are capable of furnishing more pleasure, exclusively of the improvement, than anonymous and unauthenticated anecdotes, memoirs, novels, voyages, travels, lives, and adventures.

There are those who have read more volumes than the profoundest scholars in the nation, who are yet unacquainted with the elements of science, with the most interesting facts of true history, with the maxims of philosophy, with the beauties of style, and with the extent and force of the language. They have read inattentively what indeed was scarcely worth attention; and they have immediately forgotten what was too futile to deserve remembrance. Had they possessed judgment sufficient to

point out the proper books, and resolution to pursue the dictates of their judgment, they would have enriched their minds with inestimable treasures, and acquired the reputation and satisfaction of solid scholars. The same exertion of their eyes, the same consumption of their time, the same sedentary confinement, would have earned a prize of sufficient value to repay them amply for every effort of diligence. But now they have, perhaps, injured their eyes, ruined their health, neglected their affairs, vitiated their taste, and possibly corrupted their morals, or weakened their faith, with no return, but the amusement of the moment, or the retention of false acts, distorted figures of life and manners, or trifling anecdotes, the lumber of the head and not the furniture.

Persons advanced in life, or labouring under siekness and infirmity, have an unquestionable right to amuse themselves with whatever can innocently alleviate their evils, and enable them to pass away the lagging hours in a sweet and transitory oblivion. Their reading, like their diet, may be light, and more adapted to tickle a sickly palate, than to afford solid and substantial nourishment. But in youth, health, and vigour, who would voluntary confine themselves to the weakness and insipidity of watergruel?

It is, indeed, lamentable to observe young persons of lively parts, and with a love of reading, devoting those years and those abilities, which might render them valuable members of society, to such studies as tend only to dissipate their ideas, to vitiate their morals, to womanize their spirits, and to render

them the dastardly and degenerate sons of those toi whom it was once a glorious distinction to bear the name of Britons.

NO. CLVI. ON A METHOD OF STUDY, WRITTEN BY JOACHIMUS FORTIUS RINGELBERGIUS.

THERE is a little treatise on the method of study written by Ringelbergius, which, in the two last centuries, was a great favourite among scholars, and contributed much to animate their industry. The learned Erpenius acknowledges himself origi, nally indebted to it for all his acquisitions. He met with it at the age of sixteen, and in consequence of its suggestions, though he was then totally averse from a studious life, and had made no proficiency in learning, yet he afterwards became a distinguished scholar. The treatise had become scarce, and Er. penius generously printed a new edition, that others might partake of the benefit which he had himself enjoyed. He published it with the title of Liber verè Aureus, or the Truly Golden Treatise,

In the epistle to the reader, which Erpenius has prefixed, he speaks of the animating effect of the book, in terms so warm, and with so much gratitude, that a student would be wanting to himself not to gratify his curiosity, by giving it a perusal. It is short, and contains many passages which tend to encourage the scholar in his pursuits, and to inspire him with an ardour and enthusiasm, like that excited in the soldier by the drum and trumpet, as he is marching on to battle. I believe there could not be found a better exhortation to study for the use of