surprised, if I should convey him to a cellar, or a common porter-house. For, as it is my province to delineate and remark on mankind in general, whoever becomes my disciple must not refuse to follow me from the Star and Garter to the Goose and Gridiron, and be content to climb after me up to an author's garret, or give me leave to introduce him to a route. present cursory view of The Town I have, indeed, confined myself principally to coffee-houses; though I constantly visit all places, that afford any matter for speculation. I am a Scotchman at Forrest's, a Frenchman at Slaughter's, and at the Cocoa-Tree I am

In my

an Englishman. At the Robin Hood I am a politician, a logician, a geometrician, a physician, a metaphysician, a casuist, a moralist, a theologist, a mythologist, or any thing- -but an atheist. Wherever the World is, I am. You will therefore hear of me sometimes at the theatres, sometimes perhaps at the opera: nor shall I think the exhibitions of Sadler's Wells, or the Little Theatre in the Haymarket beneath my notice; but may one day or the other give a dissertation upon tumbling, or (if they should again become popular) a critique on dogs and monkeys.

Though the Town is the walk I shall generally appear in, let it not be imagined, that vice and folly will shoot up unnoticed in the country. My cousin Village has undertaken that province, and will send me the freshest advices of every fault or foible that takes root there. But as it is my chief ambition to please and instruct the ladies, I shall embrace every opportunity of devoting my labours to their service: and I may with justice congratulate myself upon the happiness of living in an age, when the female part of the world are so studious to find employment for a Censor.

The character of Mr. Town is, I flatter myself, too well known to need an explanation. How far, and

in what sense, I propose to be a Connoisseur, the reader will gather from my general motto:

Non de villis domibusve alienis,

Nec malè necne Lepos saltet; sed quod magis ad nos
Pertinet, et nescire malum est, agitamus.

HOR.

Who better knows to build, and who to dance,
Or this from Italy, or that from France,
Our Connoisseur will ne'er pretend to scan,
But point the follies of mankind to man.
Th' important knowledge of ourselves explain,
Which not to know all knowledge is but vain.

As Critic and Censor-General, I shall take the liberty to animadvert on every thing that appears to me vicious or ridiculous; always endeavouring "to "hold, as it were, the mirror up to Nature, to shew "Virtue her own feature, Scorn her own image, and "the very age and body of the Time his form and "pressure."

T.

N° 2. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1754.

-Commissa quod auctio vendit

Stantibus, anophorum, tripodes, armaria, cistas.

Maim'd statues, rusty medals, marbles old,
By Sloane collected, or by Langford sold.

JUV.

I Have already received letters from several Virtuosi, expressing their astonishment and concern at my disappointing the warm hopes they had conceived of my

undertaking from the title of my paper. They tell me, that by deserting the paths of Virtù, I at once neglect the public interest and my own; that by supporting the character of Connoisseur in its usual sense, I might have obtained very considerable salaries from the principal auction-rooms, toy-shops, and repositories, and might besides very plausibly have recommended myself as the properest person in the world, to be keeper of Sir Hans Sloane's Museum.

I cannot be insensible of the importance of this capital business of taste, and how much reputation as well as profit would accrue to my labours, by confining them to the minutest researches into nature and art, and poring over the rust of antiquity. I very well know that the discovery of a new zoophyte, or species of the polype, would be as valuable as that of the longitude. The cabinets of the curious would furnish out matter for my essays, more instructing than all the learned lumber of a Vatican. Of what consequence would it be, to point out the distinctions of originals from copies so precisely, that the paltry scratchings of a modern may never hereafter be palmed on a Connoisseur for the labours of a Rembrandt! I should command applause from the adorers of antiquity, were I to demonstrate, that merit never existed but in the schools of the old painters, never flourished but in the warm climate of Italy: and how should I rise in the esteem of my countrymen, by chastising the arrogance of an Englishman in presuming to determine the analysis of beauty!

At other times I might take occasion to show my sagacity in conjectures on rusty coins and illegible marbles. What profound erudition is contained in an half-obliterated antique piece of copper! TRAJ. IMP. P. VII. COSS. MAX. *** TREB. V. P. P. S. C.; and how merveillous, most courteous and ryghte worthye reader, would the bar

barous inscription of some ancient monument appear to thee, and how pleasaunt to thyne eyne wytheall, thus preserved in its obsolete spelling; and original black character ! To this branch of Taste, I am more particularly pressed: A correspondent desires to know, whether I was of the party, that lately took a survey of Palmyra in the Desart; another, if I have traversed the Holy Land, or visited Mount Calvary. I shall not speak too proudly of my travels: but as my predecessors the Spectator has recommended himself by having made a trip to Grand Cairo to take measure of a pyramid, I assure my reader that I have climbed Mount Vesuvio in the midst of its eruptions, and dug some time under ground in the ruins of Herculaneum.

I shall always be solicitous to procure the esteem of so respectable a body as the Connoisseurs: since I cannot but be sensible, could I any way merit it by my labours, how much more important the name of Mr. Town would appear, dignified with the addition of F.R. S. or Member of the Society of Antiquarians. I therefore take this early opportunity of obliging the curious with a letter from a very eminent personage, who, as well as myself, is lately become a Connoisseur, and is known to have gone abroad for no other purpose than to buy pictures.

TO MR. **** ******

DEAR SIR,

THE hurry in which I left England must have convinced you how much I was in earnest, when I talked of making a valuable collection of pictures. By my frequent attendance on sales, I already know almost as much of painting, as I do of the funds: and can talk as learnedly of light and shade, figure, proportion, drapery, &c. as of the rise and fall of stocks. I have, however, been very much embarrassed in getting together a collection, suitable to the religion I profess,

The famous painters were most of them such bigots to their own way of thinking, that they have scarce left any thing behind them but Holy Families, Dead Christs, and Madonas; subjects, which to me and my tribe are odious and abominable. A picture, since it has the property of being the language of all mankind, should never be particular in its subject; but we should paint, as the English are taught to pray, "for all Jews, Turks, Infidels and Heretics."

When I have made the tour of Italy, I will send you a complete list of all my purchases: in the mean time the following short specimen will enable you to judge of my precautions, in selecting pieces suitable to my character, and not offensive to my principles.

The first that I bought was "the Elevation of the Golden Calf." This I shall set up in the Royal Exchange, as a typical representation of myself, to be worshipped by all brokers, insurers, scriveners, and the whole fraternity of stock-jobbers.

The second is the Triumph of Gideon." This I intended, if a late project in favour of our brethren had not miscarried, should have been hung up in St. Stephen's Chapel, as a memorial of our victory over the Uncircumcised.

The third and fourth are "Peter denying his "Master," and "Judas betraying him for thirty "pieces of Silver;" both which I design as presents to our two worthy friends, the B- -s of⋅

and

The next which I shall mention to you, deserves particular notice; and this is "the Prophet of Naza"reth himself, conjuring the Devil into an herd of "swine." From this piece, when I return to England, I intend to have a print engraved; being very proper to be had in all Jewish families, as a necessary preservative against pork and christianity.

I shall not tire you with a particular detail of some