AGAINST THE PUBLIC.

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profit which he thinks most advantageous to himself;and such a proceeding is decidedly injurious to thepublic.

(301.) Having derived little pecuniary advantagefrom my own literary productions ; and being aware,that from the very nature of their subjects, they canscarcely he expected to reimburse the expense ofpreparing them, I may he permitted to offer anopinion which I believe to he as little influenced byany expectation of advantage from the future, as it isby any disappointment at the past.

Before, however, we proceed to sketch the planof a campaign against Paternoster-row, it will befit to inform the reader of the nature of the ene-mies’ forces, and of his means of attack and defence.Several of the great publishers find it convenient tobe the proprietors of Reviews, Magazines, Journals,and even of Newspapers. The Editors are paid, insome instances very handsomely, for their superin-tendence ; and it is scarcely to be expected that theyshould always mete out the severest justice on worksby the sale of which their employers are enriched.The great and popular works of the day are, of course,reviewed with some care, and with deference topublic opinion. Without this, the journals would notsell; and it is convenient to be able to quote sucharticles as instances of impartiality. Under shelterof this, a host of ephemeral productions are writteninto a transitory popularity; and by the aid of thisprocess, the shelves of the booksellers, as well as thepockets of the public, are disencumbered. To suchan extent are these means employed, that some ofthe periodical publications of the day ought to be