Chap. I.

REFLECTIONS.

3

of Author stood for something considerable in the■world. To succeed happily in such a labor asthat of writing a treatise or a poem, was taken asa sure mark of understanding and good sense. Thetask was painful: but, it seems, it was honor-able. How the cafe happened, in process of timeto be so much reversed, is hard to fay. The pri-mitive authors perhaps being few in number, andhighly respected for their art, fell under the weightof envy. Being sensible os their misfortune in thisrespect, and being excited, as it is probable, bythe example of some popular genius, they quittedtheir regular schemes and accurate forms of work-manship, in favor of those wits who could notpossibly be received as Authors upon such difficultterms. It was necessary, it seems, that the bottomof wit should be enlarged. It Was advisable thatmore hands should be taken into the work. Andnothing could better serve this popular purpose,than the way of Miscellany, or common Essay;in which the most confused head , if fraughtwith a little invention , and provided with com*mon-place-book -learning, might exert itself to asmuch advantage as the most orderly and well-settled judgment.

To explain the better how this revolution irtletters has been effected , it may not perhaps beindecent, should we offer to compare our writing,artists to the manufacturers in stuff or silk. Foramong these it is esteemed a principal piece of skillto frame a pattern, or plan of workmanship, inwhich the se veral colors are agreeably disposed;

B 2