throwing their elegant productions into "a feries of letters."

Some, particularly the older novelists, have attempted to make the writer himself come forward as the hero of the piece. Unless, however, in a work confifting of the adventures chiefly of a fingle perfon, where the unity of ftory is not encroached on, it is not very admissible; and much less fo in any thing of a comprehenfive fubject.

Nothing can be more tedious than a long explanatory introduction to a tale, where the reader is anxious to come immediately to the action.

"Semper ad eventum feftinat, et in medias res "Non fecus ac notas, auditorem rapit."—

HORACE.

In this point, almoft alone, do I think Mrs. Ratcliffe's "Udolpho" faulty. The example of epic poets may inftruct you to haften to the main action at once;

the

If

the retarding or keeping back which, will form the plot of your piece. preceding circumftances are to be told, a proper perfon may easily be introduced to relate them, in the first convenient paufe of action. Thus impatience is gratified, curiofity kept up, and a verifimilitude to the real occurrences of life preferved. Affected abruptnefs of introduction, as in thofe fpeeches we sometimes meet with beginning novels, where the speaker is only pointed out at their conclufion, your good sense will teach you to avoid.

In many parts of novels, particularly their conclufions, it is moft natural and interefting not fimply to narrate fuch and fuch circumstances as having occurred; but to draw fome of the dramatis perfonæ as being witnefs to them. You will find an instance of what I mean in the novel of "Nature and Art;" where the death of the bishop, lord Bendham, and other

parts

of

of the denoument, are by this artifice brought, as it were, before the eyes.

I have thus, in a general way, mentioned the few ideas that occurred to me on a subject which I think has, as yet, not been much confidered. But though I have, in many places, fpoken generally, I would' not wish to be understood as speaking univerfally. Thus although, in common, I condemn the productions of female novelifts, every reader of tafte will fee that the names of Smith, Ratcliffe, and perhaps one more, cannot be included in the cenfure. To other parts also of these remarks, particular exceptions will occur. If, however on the whole, I fhall, even in a small degree, contribute to rectify a depraved public tafte, by procuring for it a rational and elegant gratification, I fhall not think my employment to have been unimportant, or my endeavours mifplaced.

ON

CN

EMPIRICISM.*

"Ne futor ultra crepidam."

THE exceffive credulity of the human mind may well furnish a fubject of equal pity and surprise. Its effects may be traced from the illiterate peafant to the learned graduate; from the mummeries of antiquated and terrifying fuperftition, to the bottle

In the following pages I request to be underftood as speaking against all medical affiftance, but what proceeds from regular practitioners-all medicines but what flow from their prefcriptions. No thinking perfon, however, will fuppofe I would ex clude a fudden emergency from cafual relief.

bottle-conjuror of London: and, difdaining its influence over that fex where it might most naturally be expected to reign, it ftamps with its abfurdities the firmer. character of man.

In none of its modifications has it, perhaps, been more humiliating and injurious to mankind than that which is pointed out by the quaint term of quackery. To trifle with credulity, which can but render the individual ridiculous or fplenetic, is, though culpable, yet venial. But to sport with the confiding truft of fuffering infirmity; to drag the emaciated victim of disease from the only rational means of relief; and, in its place, to substitute a probable, fometimes a certain, destruction, is a degree of criminality rendered but more enormous by the interested motives of the delinquent.

This is not the language of exaggerating cenfure. Let us look into the prints of the day, and we shall find them not interfperfed