WHEN I am busy, I shall take the liberty to be brief. The oration, I can see, is not altogether such as you would have sent from your own hands to the press, though I did not think you had such a turn for declamation. You seem to me rather formed for ingenuity, sentiment, thought, and speculation; qualities of infinitely more consequence to the Man of the Moon. The name likes me; only we must take great care it be not blown up. The name itself will suggest several anecdotes ;-the mans history, and some particulars of his country at times;— intelligence from thence, &c. I am utterly and altogether of opinion now that no more should be admitted. I think, if I have any genius for composition, next to sermonizing, these sort of essays have a number of hints

which may be stretched into them. However, as I am so soon to appear in a character which I cannot disguise, you will easily perceive that this will occupy my first attention. It is for this, as well as some other reasons, that I am for delaying the commencement of the work a year or two. A publication, from which we may reasonably expect any honour, must be the fruit of time, and thought, and corrections. The longer we delay it, and the more we see of the world, we shall have the more essays, and the more stamina of essays, and the plan more perfect. It is easy to see how impossible it is for me, otherwise engaged, to knock out things extempore worthy of the press, worthy the perusal of those of better understandings; for it is chiefly to such that I would wish it written. In the mean time let us hold the secret profound.

I INTEND immediately beginning, as an exercise, to read two or three papers of the Spectator every day; to write down any sentiment that strikes me; to pay particular attention to the style and manner; and, if possible, to find out what it is that has made them please so much. In the course of this

exercise I propose to go through the best pe riodical pieces; SWIFT, particularly for his style and manner, as also BOLINBROKE. I believe it is only in that way we can arrive at perfect purity; and you very well know how vast a recommendation style is now-adays. If you take the same method with the Spectator, it will be an amusement to see what thoughts have appeared to each most deserving. I have some thoughts on the proper manner of cultivating a genius, which will be a fit supplement to yours on the Original Destinations, One on the way in which men form judgments of characters. One on narrow mindedness. One against SMITHS Theory. One on the knowledge of good and evil. One or two on reserve, Have I six yet? But it is no matter; there is not a word of them made yet, only the thoughts. Our best way will be to submit to one anothers correction every two months or so, and that will be to carry on the work. My principal difficulty is, that they will run away with all my best preachment thoughts. Yours, &c.

No. XVII.

To Mr WILLIAM SMELLIE from* *

DEAR SMELLIE,

**

I WRITE you this week for two reasons; first, to see if you have made any farther enquiry or determination about the Midwifery, which I am anxious for this winter, although I shall be busy enough; and it is one great reason why I would wish to be with you, that we might attend the class and deliveries together. You will repent if you let slip a winter without being at any thing improving. I fancy, by our being together, we may save as much as will bring obstetrication to a moderate amount.

THE second reason of this weeks letter is to enquire if you know any thing of snails. I have been cutting open one or two of them, which put a thought into my head of our making a discourse upon them in conjunction: Each of us to take a part or parts to describe or demonstrate, I know not if any

thing curious is told of them by naturalists; but you can have a guess by looking into some dictionary of Arts and Sciences. We could spoilzie* that, and add what occurred. It is a very vulgar animal; and one would wish to know something of it. The discourse should contain their whole history, so far as we could gather it,-what has been said of them, their season,-habitation,food,-generation,-anatomy ;-and, first of all, their class, order, genus, and species, according to LINNAEUS, in order to confound the hearers with a parcel of hard-sounding words.

I CONCLUDE this letter with an advice, which, if you practise it not already, may prove of use. That is, to have always a small paper book in your pocket, in which to jot down in short hand any thought which comes into your head, however wild or extravagant. There is great pleasure in reading these over at another time; and I persuade myself you must be conscious of having often had some thoughts which you would fain recover. I have derived some

* i. e. adopt.