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lendar; I therefore discontinued this method of pursuit, and resolved to prosecute my enquiry in that usual residence of fame, a bookseller's shop. In consequence of this I entreated the bookseller to let me know who were they who now made the greatest figure either in morals, wit, or learning. Without giving me a direct answer he pulled a pamphlet from the shelf, the Young Attorney's Guide; there, Sir, cries he, there is a touch for you, fifteen hundred of these moved off in a day: I take the author of this pamphlet either for title, preface, plan, body, or index to be the completest hand in England. I found it was vain to prosecute my enquiry, where my informer appeared so incompetent a judge of merit, so paying for the Young Attorney's Guide, which good manners obliged me to buy, I walked off.

My pursuit after famous men now brought me into a print shop. Here, thought I, the painter only reflects the public voice. As every man who deserved it had formerly his statue placed up in the Roman forum, so here probably the pictures of none but such as merit a place in our affections are held up for public sale. But guess my surprize when I came to examine this depository of noted faces; all distinctions were levelled here, as in the grave, and I could not out regard it as the catacomb of real merit. The brick-dust-man took up as much room as the truncheoned hero, and the judge was elbowed by the thief-taker; quacks, pimps, and buffoons increased the group, and noted stallions only made room for more noted whores. I had read the works of some of the moderns previously to my coming to England with delight and approbation, but I found their faces had no place here, the walls were covered with the names of authors I had never known, or had endeavoured to forget;

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forget; with the little self-advertising things of: day who had forced themselves into fashion, but not into fame; I could read at the bottom of some pictures the names of **, and ***, and ****, all equally candidates for the vulgar shout, and foremost to propagate their unblushing faces upon brass. My uneasiness therefore at not finding my few fa vourite names among the number was now changed into congratulation; I could not avoid reflecting of the fine observation of Tacitus on a similar occasion In this cavalcade of flattery, cries the historian neither the pictures of Brutus, Cassius, nor Cats were to be seen, eo clariores quia imagines eorum n02 deferabantur, their absence being the strongest proof of their merit.

It is in vain, cried I, to seek for true greatness among these monuments of the unburied dead; let me go among the tombs of those who are confessedly famous, and see if any have been lately deposited there, who deserve the attention of posterity, and whose names may be transmitted to my distant friend, as an honour to the present age. De termined in my pursuit, I paid a second visit to Westminster Abbey. There I found several new monuments erected to the memory of several great men; the names of the great men I absolutely forget, but I will remember that Roubillac was the statuary who carved them. I could not help smiling at two modern epitaphs in particular, one of which praised the deceased for being ortus ex antiqua stirpe; the other commended the dead, because hanc ædem suis sumptibus reædificavit: the greatest merit of one consisted in his being descended from an illustrious house; the chief distinction of the other that he had propped up an old house that was falling. Alas! alas! cried I, such monuments as these con

fer

fer honour, not upon the great men,

Roubillac.

but upon little

Hitherto disappointed in my enquiry after the great of the present age, I was resolved to mix in company, and try what I could learn among critics in coffee-houses; and here it was that I heard my favourite names talked of even with inverted fame. A gentleman of exalted merit as a writer was branded in general terms as a bad man; another of exquisite delicacy as a poet was reproached for wanting good-nature; a third was accused of freethinking; and a fourth of having once been a player. Strange, cried I, how unjust are mankind in the distribution of fame; the ignorant among whom I sought at first were willing to grant, but incapable of distinguishing the virtues of those who deserved it; among those I now converse with, they know the proper objects of admiration, but mix envy with applause.

Disappointed so often, I was now resolved to examine those characters in person of whom the world talked so freely; by conversing with men of real merit, I began to find out those characters which really deserved, though they strove to avoid, applause. I found the vulgar admiration entirely misplaced, and malevolence without its sting. The truly great, possessed of numerous small faults and shining virtues, preserve a sublime in morals as in writing. They who have attained an excellence in either commit numberless transgressions, observable to the meanest understanding. The ignorant critic and dull remarker can readily spy blemishes in eloquence or morals, whose sentiments are not sufficiently elevated to observe a beauty; but such are judges neither of books nor of life; they can diminish no solid reputation by their censure, nor bestow a lasting character by their applause: in short, I found

I found by my search, that such only can co real fame upon others, who have merit themse to deserve it.

Adier

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THERE are numberless employments in courts of the Eastern monarchs utterly unpracts and unknown in Europe. They have no such cers, for instance, as the emperor's ear-tickler, tooth-picker; they have never introduced at courts the mandarine appointed to bear the re tobacco-box, or the grave director of the imper exercitations in the seraglio. Yet I am surpris. that the English have imitated us in none of the particulars, as they are generally pleased with every thing that comes from China, and excessively fos of creating new and useless employments. T have filled their houses with our furniture, th public gardens with our fire-works, and their ve ponds with our fish; our courtiers, my friend, the fish and the furniture they should have impar ted; our courtiers would fill up the necessary ce monies of a court better than those of Europe, wok be contented with receiving large salaries for dog little, whereas some of this country are at prese discontented though they receive large salaries fot doing nothing.

I lately therefore had thoughts of publishing a proposal here, for the admission of some new Eastern offices and titles into their court register.

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As I consider myself in the light of a Cosmopolite, I find as much satisfaction in scheming for the countries in which I happen to reside, as for that in which I was born.

The finest apartments in the palace of Pegu are frequently infested with rats. These the religion of the country, strictly forbids the people to kili. In such circumstances therefore they are obliged to have recourse to some great man of the court, who is willing to free the royal apartments even at the hazard of his salvation. After a weak monarch's reign the quantity of court vermin in every corner of the palace is surprising, but a prudent king and a vigilant officer soon drive them from their sanctuaries behind the mats and tapestry, and effectually free the court. Such an officer in England would in my opinion be serviceable at this juncture; for if, as I am told, the palace be old, much vermin must undoubtedly have taken refuge behind the wainscot and hanging. A minister should therefore be invested with the title and dignities of courtvermin-killer he should have full power either to banish, take, poison or destroy them, with enchantments, traps, ferrets, or ratsbane. He might be permitted to brandish his besom without remorse, and brush down every part of the furniture, without sparing a single cobweb, however sacred by long prescription. I communicated this proposal some days ago in a company of the first distinction, and enjoying the most honourable offices of the state. Among the number were the inspector of Great Britain, Mr. Henriques the director of the ministry, Ben. Victor the treasurer, John Lockman the secretary, and the conductor of the Imperial magazine. They all acquiesced in the utility of my proposal, but were apprehensive it might meet with some obstructions from court upholsterers and

chamber

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