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you six or seven years in the Bodleian Library, to have turned over the Fathers, and to have read and digested the whole compass both of Human and Ecclesiastic History-when, alas! they have never been able to understand a single page of Saint Cyprian, and cannot tell you whether the Fathers lived before or after Christ. And as for their Honesty, it is very remarkable: they will either persuade you to go upon another man's Copy, to steal his Thought, or to abridge his Book, which should have got him bread for his life-time. When you have engaged them upon some Project or other, they will write you off three or four sheets perhaps; take up three or four pounds upon an urgent occasion; and you shall never hear of them more. I have offered thus much, as a character of these Scribblers, that may give the caution to Booksellers, and take off a most wretched scandal from the trade in general. However, though I have met with temptations enough of this nature, to grow rich by knavery, and a learned kind of theft; yet this I can say for myself (and I neither have, nor shall be too lavish in my own praise,) that I never printed another's Copy, went upon his Project, nor stole so much as his Title-page, or his Thought."

His views of the profession on which he had now entered, are sufficiently amusing.

"A man should be well furnished with an honest policy, if he intends to set out in the world now-a-days. And this is no less necessary in a Bookseller than in any other Tradesman! for in that way there are plots and counterplots, and a whole army of Hackney Authors that keep their grinders moving by the travail of their pens. These Gormandizers will eat you the very life out of a Copy so soon as ever it appears; for, as the times go, Original and Abridgement are almost reckoned as necessary as man and wife; so that I am really afraid that a Bookseller and a good conscience will shortly grow some strange thing in the earth. I shall not carry the reflection any farther, but only make this single remark, that he who designs to be the best Christian, must dip himself the least in business."

The moment he had opened his shop, and made a little money by publishing" the Reverend Mr Doolittle's Sufferings of Christ"-his elderly female acquaintances seem all to have very busily set about providing him

with a wife. One Mrs Seaton recommended Miss Sarah Day of Greenwich-Sarah Doolittle was the next, and apparently a more tempting proposal.

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There is Sarah Doolittle," says another person, "will make a better wife for you by ten degrees, and then you will have her Father's Copies for nothing; and his

Book on the Sacrament, you know, has sold to the twentieth edition, which would have been an estate for a Bookseller.' This design was quite lost in the novelty of another; and Sam Crook being too fortunate a Rival, I would not so much as attempt the matter."

At last, however, John's time was

come.

"One Lord's-day (and I am very sensible of the sin) I was strolling about just as my fancy led me; and stepping into Dr. Annesley's Meeting-place, where, instead of engaging my attention to what the Doctor said, I suffered both my mind and my eyes to run at random (and it is very rare but Satan can throw in a temptation when the sinner lies open for it), I soon singled out a young lady that almost charmed me dead; but having made my inquiries, I found to my sorrow she was pre-engaged. However, my friends, to keep up the humour I was in, advised me to make an experiment upon her elder Sister (they both being the Daughters of the Reverend Dr. Annesley); and the hint they gave me, as Providence would have it, made a deeper impression upon me than all the recommendations they had given me before. I disposed all matters to carry on the design with all possible dispatch. But I steered by another compass than I had done in all my former amours. And was resolved, in regard the Reverend Dr. Annesley was a man of so much sincerity and religious prudence, to mention the matter first of all to him; and taking Mr. Isaac Brinly along cond the proposal, the Doctor sent for Mr. with me, and Mr. Obadiah Mariat to sePackhurst, who gave me a character that was favourable enough; so that, having received all reasonable satisfaction of that

nature, the Doctor told me, I had his Daughter for her's; which was more than free consent, if I could prevail upon his Mr. Cockeril (deceased) could ever obtain, after a long courtship.'

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The modest Bibliopole seems never to have been troubled with any misgivings in regard to his own qualifications for gaining the affections of Miss Annesley, on whom and himself, from he bestows the Arcadian names of the commencement of their flirtation,

Iris and Philaret. After a few months

of delay, during which it seems to have been Dunton's custom to sup every evening at the doctor's-the fair Iris at length consented to make him ried on the 3d of August, 1682, in the happiest of men-they were marAll-hallow's church, by Dr Willian Lewis-having listened the same morning to a preparatory sermon preached by the bride's father. We cannot afford-room for Mr Dunton's abstract

of this sermon; but shall only mention that the text was Ephesians, v. 32. "This is a great mystery." The posy of the wedding-ring was this, “God saw thee Most fit for me."

After the ceremony Dr Annesley ap-
pears to have sported a very good din-
ner (for a dissenter,) and if we may
judge from the warmth of the following
epithalamium, which was composed and
sung in the course of the evening, by
"the Reverend, learned, and devout
Mr Joseph Veal"-the bottle had not
been slow in its circuits. We quote
the verses chiefly on account of the cha-
racter here given of their author.
All that's sweet and soft attend;

All that's calm, serene, and bright,
That can please, or pleasure mend,
Or secure, or cause delight.
Little Cupids, come and move
Round the Bridegroom's greedy eyes;
Whilst the stately Queen of Love

Round the Bride her cestus ties.
Golden Hymen, bring thy robe;
Bring thy torch, that still inspires,
Round the stately amorous globe,
Vigorous flames and gay desires.
Sister Graces, all appear;

Sister Graces, come away;
Let the Heavens be bright and clear,
Let the Earth keep holy-day.
Jocund Nature does prepare,

To salute the charming Bride;
And with odours fill the air,
Snatch'd from all the world beside.

Virtue, Wit, and Beauty may
For a time refuse to yield;
But at length they must obey,

And with honour quit the field.
Their efforts all in vain will prove,
To defend their free-born state,
When attack'd by mighty Love,
They must all capitulate.
Marble-hearted Virgins, who

Rail at Love, to shew your wits;
So did once Eliza too,

Yet with pleasure now submits.
You too, envious Swains, who would
Follow Cupid, if you might;
Like the Fox that gaping stood,
Discommend the grapes for spite.
Since experience teacheth best,

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Ask if mutual Love has charms, When the Bride and Bridegroom rest, Lock'd in one another's arms.' It is needless to add, that Mr Dunton carried the lady home after supper to his own house-for he had now deserted the single chamber, and posted

the sign of the Black Raven," in front of a tenement entirely his own. Here Iris soon exhibited her perfect possession of all the faculties most precious in the lady of a Bibliopole. She kept Dunton's cash-she balanced his books for him-she darned his stockings, and gave her opinion of MSS. In short, as Dunton says-" they were now on their own legs, and every thing prospered;" when of a sudden, there came an universal damp upon trade, occasioned by the defeat of Monmouth; and Dunton becoming involved in pecuniary difficulties by reason of some imprudent advances to his friends-found it expedient to get together as many books as he could, and sail for New England with the specu lation. The parting with Iris is dwelt upon in the most affecting terms for many pages-but at last we find John at sea and very sick he is, and very cowardly, as might have been expected.

Myself and four more of the Passengers belonged to the Captain's mess; but very often, when we were soberly sat down to dinner, one blast of wind would lay all our provisions in common. When we came about 50 leagues off the Lizard, and in 96 fathom of water, and beginning to sail by the Log, we were all on a sudden surprized with the cry of " A sail! a sail!" which they mistook for a Sallee-man: orders were given immediately to make ready to engage; and I was resolved among the rest, to lose the last drop of life. But soon after we lost sight of the Sallee-man, under the covert of a mist; though, about two o'clock next morning, we were rouzed with the shout, "Arise! arise! the Sallee-man's upon us." Upon this second alarm, every man was set to his gun in an instant; but as for myself, I kept out of sight as well as I could, till I heard them asking "Where is Mr Dunton, that was so valiant over night?" This, I confess, put me into a cold sweat, and I cried, Coming! coming! I am only seeking my ruffles;" a bad excuse, you know, is better than none. I made my appearance

at last, but looked nine ways at once; for I was afraid Death might come in amongst the boards, or nobody knew where. This is the only instance I can give, when my courage failed me. The danger was immediately blown over; for our pirate proved no more than a Virginia Merchant, that was equally afraid of our Ship. Upon this news, my courage returned; and I seemed very much dissatisfied, that I should lose the satisfaction of being engaged at sea.

He arrives in safety at Boston-and immediately commences a most elaborate description of the Rev. Mr In

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crease Mather, and all the other doctors and divines, who bought any of his books from him. He also favours us with minute delineations of all the Boston booksellers and printers-of which take this specimen

The next is Mr C-k, a young Beau, that boasts of more villany than ever he committed. However, as he bought a great many Books, I cannot disown my acquaintance with him. And I here publish his matchless impudence, in hopes to shame him into better morals.

Finally, he descends to particulars of his own acquaintances, male and female-on the ladies he enlarges multo con amore dividing them into three sections-viz. maids, wives, and widows, and uttering most oracular dogmata, touching them in their various stations. His chief favourite among the maids is not named; but she is described as being "a thornback"-(a cant Bostonian, for a maiden of 30 years,) and her behaviour is described so graphically, that her acquaintances could not have been much at a loss to find her out. Among the wives, Mrs Green is the empress of his admiration-she gets up every morning at 5 o'clock, to look after her damsels she dresses the pudding with her own hands-and although she has been married only a few weeks, she never exhibits any of "the usual symptoms of over-fondness before company." The Widow Brick is the paragon of the 3d class.

But, having given a farewell to Mrs Green, I shall next present you with the character of the Widow Brick, the very flower of Boston. That of a Widow is the next state or change that can succeed to that of Marriage; and I have chosen my friend the Widow Brick, as an exemplar, to shew you what a Widow is. The Widow Brick is a Gentlewoman whose Head (i. e. her husband) has been cut off, and yet she lives and walks. But do not be frighted; for she is flesh and blood still, and perhaps some of the finest that you ever saw. She has sufficiently evidenced that her Love to her late Husband is as strong as Death, because Death has not been able to extinguish it. Her grief for his death was such as became her, great but moderate; not like a hasty shower, but a still rain: she knew nothing of those tragical furies wherewith some women seem transported towards their dead Husbands: those frantic embraces and caresses of a carcass betray a little too much the sensuality of their love; such violent passions quickly spend themselves, and seem rather to vanish than consume. But Madam Brick grieved more moderately, and more lastingly. I

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always observed that, whenever she spoke of her Husband, it was in the most endearing manner. Nor could she ever mention him, without paying the tribute of a tear her relation to her Husband, as to do noto his memory. She set such a value on thing that might seem unworthy of it. Historians inform us, that it was the dying charge of Augustus to the Empress Livia, Behave thyself well, and remember our marriage." Madam Brick had yet another way of expressing the value she had for Mr Brick; and that is, by the kindness she shewed to the Children which he left behind him, which were only two. As to their education, she took care that they might have that learning that was proper for them; and above all, that they might be furnished with ingenuous and vir tuous principles, founded on the fear of God. Neither did she suffer her pious behaviour to be cast off with her Widow's veil, but made it the constant dress both of her widowhood and life; and, as a consequence hereof, she became a member of Mr Allen's congregation, and lived a life of sincere piety; and yet was so far from sourness either in her countenance or conversation, that nothing was ever more sweet or agreeable; making it evident that piety did not consist in moroseness, nor sincere devotion in a supercilious carriage.

The less admirable specimens of the three classes are described more briefly, but not less graphically. Such as Mrs Toy-"The bashful Siren."—Mrs Abel, "whose Love is a blank, where

in she writes the first that offers him-
self."-and Mrs F
-y.

"Had the Case of a Gentlewoman, but

little else to shew she was a Rational Creature, besides Speech and Laughter. When I first saw her, I was not long to guess what she was, for Nature had hung out the sign of simplicity in her face. When she came into my Warehouse, I wondered what Book she intended to buy. At last I perceived she intended to buy none, because she knew not what to ask for; yet she took up several, looked in them, and laid them down again. Perceiving her simplicity, I asked her in joke, whether she would not buy the History of Tom Thumb? She told me" Yes." Upon which I asked her whether she would have it in folio, with marginal notes? To which she only said, "The best, the best."

"The next I shall mention is Mrs D-, who has a bad face, and a worse tongue; and has the report of a Witch. Whether she be one or no, I know not, but she has ignorance and malice enough to make her one. And indeed she has done very odd things, but hitherto such as are rather strange than hurtful; yea, some of them are pretty and pleasing; but such as I think cannot be done without the help of the devil-as for instance, she will take nine sticks, and lay them across, and by mumbling a few words, make them all

stand up on end like a pair of nine-pins. But she had best have a care, for they that use the devil's help to make sport, may quickly come to do mischief. I have been told by some, that she has actually indentured with the Devil; and that he is to do what she would have him for a time, and afterwards he is to have her soul in exchange! What pains poor wretches take to make sure of Hell!

"The next is Doll S-r, who used to come often to my Warehouse, and would plague my man Palmer more than all my customers besides. Her life is a perpetual contradiction; and she is made up of "I will," and " I will not.' "Palmer, reach

me that book, yet let it alone too; but let me see it, however, and yet it is no great matter neither;" was her constant dialect in my Warehouse. She is very fantastical; but cannot be called irresolute; for an

She

irresolute person is always beginning, and
she never makes an end; she writes, and
blots out again, whilst the other delibe-
rates what to write. I know two nega-
tives make an affirmative; but what her
aye and no together makes, I know not;
nor what to make of it, but that she knows
not what to make of it herself. Her Head
is just like a Squirrel's cage, and her Mind
the Squirrel that whirls it round.
never looks towards the end, but only the
beginning of things; for she will call in all
haste for one, and have nothing to say to
him when he is come; and long, nay die,
for some toy or trifle; and when she has
got it, grows weary of it presently. None
knows where to have her a moment; and
whosoever would hit her thoughts, must
shoot flying.

another, for there is no end of it. She makes more noise and jangling than the bells do on a Coronation day. It is somebody's happiness that she is yet unmarried, for she would make a Husband wish either that she were dumb, or he were deaf. She used to come to my Warehouse, not to buy books (for she talked so much, she had no time to read), but that others might hear her talk; so that (I am apt to think) had she but the faculty of talking in her sleep, one might make the Perpetual Motion with her tongue."

His stay in the city, adorned by these fair creatures, is interrupted now and then by little journeys up the country; and he gives us very interesting sketches of all that he saw there, from the Indian chiefs and queens down to the entertainments given him by the Puritan Divines he visited in the back settlements-of one of these reverend persons, Mr Aminadab Gery, he observes emphatically, "The Christian is devout the preacher is primitive-he gave us a capital dinner." Another "Generous Levite," is uncle to "Mrs Comfort, who rode behind me this trip-a beautiful piece of luggage ;" and "testifies his joy to see his niece, by a fat pig and bowl of punch he gave us for supper."

After a stay of much greater length than he had anticipated, John Dunton returns to London; and he likens himself to Ulysses for the troubles he had undergone, although we cannot perceive many traces, except those of good eating and drinking, in his own account of his wanderings. He cannot think of coming unexpectedly into the presence of his Penelope-so he turned into the Queen's Head, Spitalfields, and sent word to her "there was a gentleman there who could tell some news of Philaret."

"The next is Mrs H, who takes as much state upon her as would have served six of Queen Elizabeth's Countesses; and yet she is no Lady neither, unless it be of pleasure; yet she looks high, and speaks in a majestic tone, like one acting the Queen's part in a Play. She seldom appears twice in a shape; but every time she goes abroad, puts on a different garb. Had she been with the Israelites in the Wilderness, when for forty years their cloaths waxed not old, it had been punishment enough for her to have gone so long in one fashion. But, should this rustling Madam be stripped of her silken plumes, she would make but a very ordinary figure; for, to hide her age, she paints; and to hide her painting, dares hardly laugh; Who had the pangs of absence understood."

whence she has two counterfeit vizards to put off every night, her painting and her modesty. She was a good Customer to me, and whilst I took her money, I humoured her pride, and paid her (I blush to say it) a mighty observance. The chief books she bought were Plays aud Romances; which to set off the better, she would ask for books of Gallantry.

The next is Mrs T, whose tongue runs round like a wheel, one spoke after

"About an hour after, Iris came; and at the first interview we stood speechless, and gazing upon each other, whilst Iris shed a flood of tears. At last we got our tongues at liberty; and then "Embrac'd and talk'd, as meeting lovers would,

We left the Tavern, and went home to Dr Annesley's, where I was received with all the marks of kindness and respect.

At my return, I expected nothing but a golden life of it for the future, though all my satisfactions were soon withered; for, being so deeply entangled for my Sister-inlaw, I was not suffered to step over the threshold in ten months, unless it was once under disguise; and the story is this. My

confinement growing very uneasy to me, especially on Lord's-days, I was extremely desirous to hear Dr Annesley preach; and immediately this contrivance was started in my head, that dear Iris should dress me in woman's cloaths, and I would venture myself abroad under those circumstances. To make short of it, I got myself shaved, and put on as effeminate a look as my countenance would let me; and being well fitted out with a large scarf, I set forward; but every step I took, the fear was upon me that it was made out of form. As for my arms, I could not tell how to manage them, being altogether ignorant to what figure they should be reduced. At last I got safe to the Meeting, and sat down in the obscurest corner I could find. But, as I was returning through Bishopsgate-street, with all the circumspection and the care imaginable (and I then thought I had done it pretty well), there was an unlucky rogue cried out, "I'll be hang'd if that ben't a man in woman's cloaths." This put me into my preternaturals indeed, and I began to scour off as fast as my legs would carry me : there were at least twenty or thirty of them that made after me; but, being acquainted with the alleys, I dropped them, and came off with honour. My Reverend Father-in-law, Dr Annesley, knew nothing of this religious metamorphosis; and though I do not think he would have suffered it, yet my inclination to public worship was justifiable enough."

Wearied with this confinement, he determines to make a trip to the Continent, and spends, accordingly, several months at Amsterdam, Cologne, Mentz, &c. &c. of all which places, and their inhabitants, (the booksellers at least) he gives accounts in his usual style. On the day the Prince of Orange came to London, however, we find him once more in his native land, and, re-opening, with new vigour, his old shop at the sign of the Black Raven, in the Poultry. Here he publishes no less than 600 books (such is his success) in a very short space of time; and out of all that number there are but seven of which he is inclined to repent. Among these is the "Voyage round the World, or Pocket Library;" one volume of which collection is filled with "The Rare Adventures of Don Kainophilo," a production of the publisher's own pen, and the first, as it would seem, of the whole mighty family of his lucubrations. In regard to this volume Mr Nichols presents us with a note by the excellent author of the Curiosities of Literature, which we shall quote.

"This rhapsody is noticeable for its extreme rarity, and for two elegant pieces of

poetry, which, if John's own, entitle him to a higher degree of praise than he has been usually thought to merit. It is obscurely noticed in his "Life and Errors ;" but the Anagram of the Author's name prefixed to a copy of verses declares him. It has a frontispiece, which is a large folding cut, with 24 circles, exhibiting the Author's adventures. To this Work was prefixed Panegyrical Verses, "by the Wits of both Universities," who, however, offer no evidence of their residence or their quality; and may be suspected to be Wits of the University of Grub-street. One of these wretched panegyrics tells us that "the Author's name, when unanagrammatised, is hid unto none," by which John Dunton would, and would not, conceal himself.These volumes were published in our Scribbler's thirtieth year, on his return from America; and are, in fact, a first essay towards that more mature "Life and Errors" which he gave the world in 1705. He seems to have projected a series of what he calls" The Cock-rambles of all my Four and Twenty Volumes;" but his Readers, probably, deserted him at the third. Kainophilus, as he calls himself, "signifies a Lover of News, not any thing of Kain, as if I were a-kin to him." It is a low rhapsody; but it bears a peculiar feature, a certain whimsical style, which he affects to call his own, set off with frequent dashes, and occasionally a banter on false erudition. These cannot be shewn without extracts. I would not add an idle accusation to the already in

jured genius of STERNE; but I am inclined to think he might have caught up his project of writing Tristram's life, in

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twenty-four Cock-rambling" volumes; have seized on the whim of Dunton's style; have condescended even to copy out his breaks and dashes. But Sterne could not have borrowed wit or genius from so low a scribbler. The elegant pieces of poetry whose mind had no elegance, and whose were certainly never composed by Dunton, rhymes are doggrel. On a rapid inspection, I have detected him transcribing from Francis Osborn and Cowley, without acknowledgment; and several excellent passages, which may be discovered amidst this incoherent mass, could not have been written by one who never attained the slightest arts of composition. He affects, however, to consider himself as 66 a great Original" in what he calls " this hop-stride-and-jump round the World :" and says, "So great a glory do I esteem it to be the Author of these Works, that I cannot, without great injury to myself and justice, endure that every one should own them, who have nothing to do with them; like the fellow at Rome who pretended to Virgil's Verses.— these plagiaries than Virgil himself did, But I need take no other way to refute requiring the tally to his Vos non Vobis.Let any man write on at the rate this is already written, and I will grant he is the

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