"attacked: but it must not be concluded from "thence, that I have been biaffed more towards "one than another; as you know the faith of 66 an author is out of the queftion; and he only "writes pro or con, as the feveral opinions are "more or less embraced or exploded in the world. "I have got, indeed, fome infallible arguments "against the Pope's infallibility; and fome pro"bable conjectures, that there never was such a "perfon as Mahomet; both which, I don't "doubt, will be bought up by the emiffaries of "Rome and Conftantinople."

HERE I interrupted my friend, by asking him, if he had not fomething likewise against the Patriarch of the Greek church; or a ferious admonition against the growth of Hottentotifm among us. He answered very calmly, "I fhould fee in the "catalogue," and proceeded.

"THE emiffaries of Conftantinople-Well "My ftock in the Belles Lettres is almost in"exhaustible. I have a complete fet of criti"cifms on all the ancient authors, and a large "store of conjectural emendations on the old

English claffics I have feveral new effays in "modern wit and humour; and a long ftring of "papers both ferious and diverting, for peri"odical lucubrations: I have, I know not how 66 many original entertaining novels, as well as "elegant tranflations from the French; with a

"heap

"heap of fingle pamphlets on the most popular "and interefting fubjects. My poetry will con"fift of every article, whether tragedies, co"medies, farces, mafques, operas, fonnets, can❝tatas, fongs, paftorals, fatires, odes, elegies or "epithalamiums: and then, such a load of epi

grams, anagrams, rebuffes, riddles, acroftics, "conundrums! which you know will fetch a "high price from the witlings, and the proprie"tors of monthly magazines. To wind up the "whole, there fhall be feveral diftinct lots of "title-pages and mottos, and dedications, and "prefaces, and plans for books.

"THUS, my dear friend, have I opened to you "the main drift of my design; and I believe, at "a moderate computation-let me fee-ay, after "I have cleared myself in the world, I fhall "be able to retire into the country, let me tell "you, with a pretty fortune in my pocket. But

before I begin my fale, if you can find any "thing that will fuit your ADVENTURER, as 66 you are an old acquaintance, you shall have it at your own price."

I THANKED Mr. SPINBRAIN for his genteel offer, and heartily congratulated him on the profpect of his pretty fortune: but I could not help enquiring where all these immenfe ftores of literature were lodged, as I never had obferved any thing but loose scraps of paper fcattered about his

room,

room, and one book of "loci communes," or hints," as he called them, placed upon the chimney-piece. "Ha!" fays he, that's true; "I forgot to mention that: why, indeed, they 66 are none of them quite finifhed as yet but I have got the rough draughts of moft fome"where befides I have it all here," pointing to his forehead. I advised him to fet about it directly; and in the evening, when we parted, he refolved not to go to bed till he had perfected his scheme. Yesterday morning I received a note from him, acquainting me that he had laid afide all thoughts of his auction; becaufe, as he imagined, the maid had inadvertently lighted his fire with the best of his materials.

THE reftleffness of my friend's chimerical genius will not, however, let him entirely give up the point and though he has been difappointed in this mighty project, yet he informs me, he has hit upon a scheme equally advantageous, which fhall monopolize the whole bufinefs of fcribbling, and he offers to take me into partnership with him. "Ah," fays he, "we fhall humble thofe fellows -We need not care a farthing for Mr. Bibli“opola.”—His defign is to open a NEW LITERARY WAREHOUSE, or UNIVERSAL REGISTER OFFICE for WIT and LEARNING. The particulars he has promifed to communicate to me tomorrow in the mean time he defires me to ad

vance him a trifle, to buy paper for a poem on the

late theatrical difputes.

A

I

NUMB. 7. TUESDAY, November 28, 1752.

Sit mihi fas audita loqui

What I have heard, permit me to relate.

VIRG.

RECEIVED, a few weeks ago, an account of the death of a lady whose name is known to many, but the "eventful hiftory" of whose life has been communicated to few: to me it has been often related during a long and intimate acquaintance; and as there is not a single perfon living, upon whom the making it public can reflect unmerited difhonour, or whofe delicacy or virtue can fuffer by the relation, I think I owe to mankind a series of events from which the wretched may derive comfort, and the most forlorn may be encouraged to hope; as mifery is alleviated by the contemplation of yet deeper diftrefs, and the mind fortified against despair by inftances of unexpected relief.

THE father of MELISSA was the younger fon of a country gentleman who poffeffed an eftate of about five hundred a year; but as this was to be

the

the inheritance of the elder brother, and as there were three fifters to be provided for, he was at about fixteen taken from Eton fchool, and apprenticed to a confiderable merchant at Bristol. The young gentleman, whofe imagination had been fired by the exploits of heroes, the victories gained by magnanimous prefumption, and the wonders difcovered by daring curiofity, was notdisposed to confider the acquifition of wealth as the limit of his ambition, or the repute of honeft industry as the total of his fame. He regarded his fituation as fervile and ignominious, as the degradation of his genius and the preclufion of his hopes; and longing to go in fearch of adventures, he neglected his bufinefs as unworthy of his attention, heard the remonftrances of his master with a kind of fullen difdain, and after two years legal flavery made his efcape, and at the next town enlifted himself a foldier; not doubting but that, by his military merit and the fortune of war, he fhould return a general officer, to the confusion of those who would have buried him in the obfcurity of a compting-house. He found means effectually to elude the enquiries of his friends, as it was of the utmost importance to prevent their officious endeavours to ruin his project and obftruct his advancement.

He was fent with other recruits to London, and foon after quartered with the reft of his com- VOL. I.

D

pany