63. On the Immortality of the Soul- 64. Frailty of Human Life 67. Miscellaneous Writings--Lord Shaftes 68. Alcander and Septimius-Goldsmith's 69. On Grace in Writing-Melmoth, Fitz- 79. Sentimental Comedy-Goldsmith. . 153 80. Laziness-Lord Shaftesbury's Mis- cellanies 81. Affected or formal Man-Butler's Remains 82. Socrates-Melmoth's Cato Remarks, 83. Firmness in Adversity-Bolingbroke 85. Conversation Fielding's Miscella- 86. Errors in Conversation-The same 88. Gentleman and the Basket Maker- 92. The Curious Man-Butler's Remains 223 93. On Luxury-Benj. Franklin's Mis- 97. Effects of Prejudice-The same 99. On Style-Melmoth, Fitzosborne's Letters. 100. On Contentment-Museum 101. On Gaming-The same. 102. Stolen Marriages --Goldsmith's Bee. 287 SELECT ESSAYS FROM VARIOUS AUTHORS. ESSAY 1. OF THE NATURE, RISE, AND ESTABLISHMENT OF MISCELLANIES. (Lord Shaftesbury.) PEACE be with the soul of that charitable and courteous author, who for the common benefit of his fellow-authors, introduced the ingenious way of miscellaneous writing!-It must be owned that since this happy method was established, the harvest of wit has been more plentiful, and the labourers more in number than heretofore. It is well known to the able practitioners in the writing art, "That as easy as it is to conceive wit, it is the "hardest thing imaginable to be delivered of "it, upon certain terms." Nothing could be more severe or rigid than the conditions formerly prescribed to writers, when criticism took place, and B VOL. I. |