RESENTS. lish. c'd: vrit, umns, volumes, rage, ge. SHALL then my kind *See a letter to Mrs Pilkington, Jan + Quills of the harpsichord. LL then my kindred all my glory claim, en fix'd to strike the sweetly warbling wire. † the faithful canvas have consign'd h bright idea of the painter's mind; en shall the world my wondrous worth declare, all mankind your matchless pen revere. See a letter to Mrs Pilkington, Jan. 1, 1732-8, in Vol. XII. Quills of the harpsichord. and all; re and your ll of fare. ladies, edis; gale; o make a full easure in blood, times as good: her health: es or wealth. II. page 65.-N. HUW 173 PREFAC I HAVE been long of opin more general and greater mis sequences through the comme the wrong judgments they ar their own talents. I knew a st London, a great frequenter of hen a fresh newspaper was bro seized it first, and read it aloud zens; but in a manner as little standers-by as to himself. Ho learning expose themselves, b Course on those very parts of s ey are least acquainted! It is ery other qualification. By the m ho deal in rhymes, from half a which come out every minute, there don; half as many coffeehouse orat e hundred poets in the city and he clergy; forty thousand politic sand five hundred profound sc ention the wits, the railers, the sma tics; all as illiterate and impuden hore. What are we to think of th a used to call Mr Pil. his lady fair."-N. aich were published at as distinguished by her earned young lady, who 's mother), who used to clamation against eating 1732. PREFACE. AVE been long of opinion, that there is not a general and greater mistake, or of worse conaces through the commerce of mankind, than ong judgments they are apt to entertain of wn talents. I knew a stuttering alderman in n, a great frequenter of coffeehouses, who, a fresh newspaper was brought in, constantly it first, and read it aloud to his brother citibut in a manner as little intelligible to the rs-by as to himself. How many pretenders ning expose themselves, by choosing to dison those very parts of science wherewith are least acquainted! It is the same case in other qualification. By the multitude of those eal in rhymes, from half a sheet to twenty, come out every minute, there must be at least undred poets in the city and suburbs of Lonhalf as many coffeehouse orators, exclusive of ergy; forty thousand politicians, and four nd five hundred profound scholars; not to on the wits, the railers, the smart-fellows, and ; all as illiterate and impudent as a suburb What are we to think of the fine-dressed in every sentence, dea fit for a rational n; perpetually congeography, even of London hath eleven uppy kind, for one e two-thirds of ours e now naturalized: l exceeds ours in the ne; and what is more ere is not one distinducation, who makes polis, unless the Londefective; whereas zen of their own edufor half a winter tomore, but give place the constant progress nly allowing for the It WHEN beasts could spea the universal folly in alents; by which the E time very much in fashion, carers of them by the same The Ass approaching nex |