Fifty lines furely cannot be an object for a man to throw a hundred pounds, or more money, after; it leads an impartial perfon to imagine, that Mr.` Mafon has a further object in view; and that, altho' he has realized already near a thousand pounds from the profits of his quarto edition of Mr. Gray's poems, he is not fatisfied, but defires to fupprefs the publifher's little volume altogether, altho' it has not hitherto paid the expences incurred in printing it, in order to retain the monopoly of Mr. Gray's poems intirely in his own hands. If his behaviour can be reconciled to a better principle the publisher will readily confefs it, and wifhes to difcover a motive lefs felfifh, in order to fpeak of it; for altho' he difapproves of his conduct, he disclaims all animofity towards Mr. Mafon, and is forry that the prefent recital does not tend more to the credit of his character. But Mr. Mafon means to erect a monument in Weftminster Abbey to the memory of Mr Gray *, with the profits acquired by his book;-will this intention, difinterested as it is, if true, justify or ex *This report is new. Perhaps it has commenced fince the date of Mr. Murray's public letter to Mr. Mafon. In any view, however, we confess the sacrifice of such emolument to be great. cuse cuse his present proceeding against a man, who, so far from offending, has offered him his own terms of compenfation for an action, merely because he complained, tho' it was both legally and morally juft? In erecting a monument to the honour of Mr. Gray, let Mr. Mason be careful that he does not, by his behaviour, unthinkingly erect one of another kind for himself. Nor fhould this advice be despised because it proceeds from a perfon he but little regards truth is the fame, thro' whatever channel it runs. After this detail, it remains to fay fomething of the present edition; and this can be comprized in a very few words. It cannot be denied that it appears under fome difadvantages; but there are advantages to compenfate for thefe: The reader is left in full poffeffion of all Mr. Gray's valuable and best poems; and fome articles are added which are not to be met with in any other edition of the author's works. The plates are engraved at confiderable expence from original defigns; and the frontispiece to the Fatal Sifters, a new plate, has been defigned and engraved for this edition. CONTENT S. II 25 33 - 51 - 57 A SHORT |