never more behold St. Mary's spire, and Radcliffe's library. I was almost speechless, but endeavoured, from time to time, as well as I could, to articulate the word " Jackson." My attendants concluded me delirious, and heeded not what I said: till a lad, who travelled as my servant, coming accidentally into the room, exclaimed eagerly, that he would be hanged if his master did not mean the Oxford newspaper. It was fetched by express, and I made signs that it should be read. The effect was a kindly perspiration, followed by a gentle sleep, from which I awoke with my fever abated, and felt myself greatly refreshed indeed. I continued mending. On the Saturday following, "the julep, as before," was repeated; and on Monday I arose, and pursued my journey.

There is one argument in favour of a multiplicity of newspapers, which I do not remember to have met with; namely, that no man is ever satisfied with another man's reading a newspaper to him; but the moment it is laid down, he takes it up, and reads it over again. It is absolutely necessary, therefore, that each should have a newspaper to himself, and so change round, till every paper shall have been read by every person.

A question has sometimes been debated, con

cerning the best time for reading newspapers. But surely the proper answer to it is, read them the moment you can get them. For my own part, I always dry my paper upon my knees, and make shift to pick out a few articles during the operation. It has been fancied, that by reading of this kind in a morning (the season marked out for it, since Mr. Palmer's regulation of the post), the head of a young academic becomes so filled with a heterogeneous mixture of trash, that he is fit for nothing. But bona verba,-fair and softly, my good friend. Why should we not take up the matter at the other end, and say rather, his mind is so expanded by a rich variety of new ideas, that he is fit forany thing?

I shall conclude this speculation with observing, that we have just cause to be thankful for the number of newspapers dispersed among us; since, in a little time, nothing else will be read; it being nearly agreed by all persons of the ton, that is, by all men of sense and taste, that religion is a hum, virtue a twaddle, and learning a bore.

THE OLLA PODRIDA, No. 17, July 7, 1787.

No. CXXVI.

This folio of four pages, happy work!
What is it, but a map of busy life,
Its fluctuations, and its vast concerns.
COWPER.

WHEN I have had the good fortune to light upon any subject which has been relished by the nice discerning palate of the public, it is my custom to try whether something more cannot be made of it: for, having entered upon business with a moderate stock only in trade, it is expedient for me to husband it well, and to throw nothing away that can be used again. Being born with an antipathy to plagiarism, I will be free to confess (as gentlemen express it in the House of Commons) that I took the hint from my landlord of the Red Lion, at Brentford; who, when some punch was called for, and there was no more fruit in the house, was overheard to say, in a gentle' voice, to Mrs. Bonnyface, "Betty, ca'sn't give the old lemons t'other squeeze?"

I have demonstrated, upon a former occasion --I should hope, to the satisfaction of every im partial person in Great Britain—the manifold

advantages accruing to the community from the multiplication of newspapers among us. It has since occurred to me, that some directions might be given, as to the best method of reading a newspaper with profit and advantage. I mean, not whether it should be read longitudinally, latitudinally, or transversely, though very great additions have been made to science by experiments of this kind, but how it may be rendered productive of reflections in different ways, which will prove of real service in life.

I was not a little pleased, the other day, upon paying a visit at the house of a person of distinction in the country, to find the family assembled round a large table covered with maps, and globes, and books; at the upper end of which sat a young lady, like a professor, reading from the chair. In her hand she held a newspaper. Her father told me, he had long accustomed her, while reading one of those vehicles of intelligence, to acquaint herself with the several towns and countries mentioned, by turning to the names in Salmon's Gazetteer, and then finding them out upon the globe, or a map; in which she was become so great a proficient, as to be at that time in truth giving a lecture in geography to her younger brothers and sisters. It was his farther intention, he said, that from

Campbell's Present State of Europe, she should acquire a sufficient knowledge of the history of the kingdoms around us, as well as our own, to form an idea of their importance and interests respectively, and the relation each bears to the rest. Verily, thought I to myself, this is read, ing a newspaper to some purpose.

Children, very early in life, are eager for a sight of the newspaper. By being called upon, in a free and easy way, for some little account of what is in it, they may be gradually brought to read with attention, and to fix upon those articles which are most worthy of attention; as also to remember what they have read, from one day to another, and put things together.

While we are in the world, we must converse with the world, and the conversation, in part, will turn on the news of the day. It is the first subject we begin upon; a general introduction to every thing else. All mankind, indeed, are our brethren, and we are interested, or ought to be interested, in their pleasures and their pains, their sufferings or their deliverances, throughout the world. Accounts of these should produce in us suitable emotions, which would tend to the exercise of different virtues, and the improvement of our tempers. We should accustom ourselves, hereby, to rejoice with those