than the intrinfic merit of their compofitions; and on this account it is thought no mean recommendation of their works, to advertise that they are beautifully printed on a fine paper "and entire new letter." Nor are they only indebted to the prefs for the beauty of the type, but often call in it's affiftance to explain and enforce the sentiment. When an author is in doubt, whether the reader will be able to comprehend his meaning, or indeed whether he has any meaning at all, he takes care to sprinkle the fentence with Italics: but when he would surprise us with any thing more ftriking than ordinary, he distinguishes the emphatical words by large ftaring CAPITALS, which overtop the rest of their fellows, and are intended, like the grenadiers caps, to give us an idea of something grand and uncommon. These are defigned as so many hints to let the reader know, where he is to be particularly affected; and answer the same purpose with the marginal directions in plays, which inform the actor when he is to laugh or cry. This practice is most remarkable in pieces of modern wit and humour: and it may be observed, that where there is the least of these lively qualities, the author is moft defirous of fubftituting these arts in their room; imagining, that by a judicious diftribution of these en livening livening ftrokes in different parts of it, his work, however dull in itself, will become fmart and brilliant. AND here I cannot but take notice, that these arts have been employed to very great advantage in the service of the theatres. The writer of the play-bills deals out his Capitals in so just a proportion, that you may tell the falary of each actor by the size of the letter, in which his name is printed. When the prefent manager of DruryLane first came upon the ftage, a new set of types two inches long were caft on purpose to do honour to his extraordinary merit. This indeed is fo proper, that the feverest critics on the drama cannot be offended at this piece of theatrical juftice. THERE is lately fprung up among us a new fpecies of writers, who are most of them perfons of the first rank and fashion. At this period the whole house of commons are turned authors; and we cannot fufficiently admire the propriety of ftile and sentiment in those elegant addreffes, by which they humbly offer themselves as candidates, and beg the favour of your votes and intereft. These gentlemen avail themselves greatly of the arts of printing above-mentioned; whether they they would raise the merits of their own cause, or throw out invectives on the oppofite party. The courtier fets before your eyes in large letters his fteady attachment to King GEORGE, while his opponent displays in the same manner his zeal for LIBERTY and the CONSTITUTION. This muft undoubtedly have a wonderful effect on the electors: and I could almoft affure any patriot certain fuccefs, who should manifeft his regard for Do England by printing his addreffes in the Dia English Charader. BUT, in the whole republic of letters, there are none perhaps, who are more obliged to the printer, than the writers of periodical essays. The SPECTATORS, indeed, came into the world without any of the advantages we are poffeffed of. They were originally published in a very bad print and paper, and were fo entirely destitute of all outward ornaments, that (like Terence's virgin) Ni vis boni In ipfâ ineffet formâ, hæc formam extinguerent. "Unless the foul of beauty had breathed through "the compofitions themselves, thefe difadvan"tages would have fuppreffed the leaft appear66 ances of it. As As it requires no genius to supply a defect of this nature, our modern effays as much excel the SPECTATORS in elegance of form, as perhaps they may be thought to fall fhort of them in every other refpect. But they have this additional advantage, that by the fineness of their paper they are rescued from ferving many mean and ignoble purposes, to which they might otherwife be applied. They alfo form themselves more commodioufly into volumes, and become genteeler appendages of the tea-table. The candid reader will undoubtedly impute this extraordinary care about externals to the modefty of us present effayifts, who are willing to compensate for our poverty of genius, by bestowing these outward graces and embellishments on our works. For my own part, I never reflect on the first unadorned publication of the SPECTATOR, and at the fame time take up one of my own papers, fet off with every ornament of the press, but I am afraid that the critics will apply, what a facetious peer is faid to have remarked on two different ladies; that "the firft is a foul without a body, " and the laft a body without a foul." As in this fashionable age there are many of lord Foppington's opinion," that a book should "be recommended by it's outfide to a man of ❝ quality "quality and breeding," it is incumbent on all authors to let their works appear as well dreft as poffible, if they expect them to be admitted into polite company. Yet we should not lay too much stress on the decorations, but rather remember Tully's precept to all who build, that "the 66 owner should be an ornament to the house, "and not the house to the owner." T NUMB. IX. Thursday, March 28, 1754. -- Solvitque animis miracula rerum, Eripuitque Jovi fulmen, viresque tonanti. MANIL. He freed our minds from dread of things above, HE publication of lord Bolingbroke's post TH humous works has given new life and spirit to Free-thinking. We feem at present to be endeavouring to unlearn our catechifm, with all that we have been taught about religion, in order to model our faith to the fashion of his lordship's fyftem. We have now nothing to do, but to throw |