it would not do, as my manner is too much formed on the modern model; so, after giving it two or three tosses and flourishes in the profane vulgar way, I was fain to slip it again into my pocket.

HAVING read your letter two or three times over, I consigned it to the pocket of my new coat. Lie you there," said I, "said I," till the Lords day; for, if I keep you in the printing-house, you'll make me neglect business." I thought SMELLIE had turned serious since he commenced corrector; but what is bred in the bone, you know, &c. Alas! I reckoned without my host; for my new suit never graced my back another Sunday. Some thief stole in, and carried off my new coat, with your letter in its pocket.

I AM glad to hear from WILLIE HAY that you are better situate at present than you were with HAMILTON & BALFOUR. The bad success of the Chronicle has affected me much; its being reduced to a weekly paper, &c. Mr HAMILTON seems to have had a good deal of uneasiness of late, which must give concern to all who have any generosity in their nature.

I HEAR that Jo. REID is going into partnership with SANDS and DONALDSON, and that there is a great rivalship at present in Edinburgh. I shall be obliged to you for what particulars you have leisure to communicate concerning the printing-business in general in your town, but must leave the time to yourself. I am, &c.

I am glad to find you agree with me in admiring ADDISON and SWIFT. ADDISON makes this remark in one of his Spectators, “That people, when they read a performance, are very inquisitive about the minutest trifles relating to the author, as whether he be of a fair, brown, or black complexion, &c.; and seem to conceive that the knowledge of these particulars contribute greatly to the understanding of his work." This is a piece of very fine satire. Men are too often measur

ed by their opinions, and, on the contrary, opinions are too often measured by considering the men who advance them. These

hedges of distinction not only obstruct charity, but knowledge. Who told you this? This is what is said by the orthodox party, or the moderate party! Let us throw away those distinctions, weighing opinions only, and endeavouring to suck honey from every flower, without seeming to know whether either of them is a HUTCHINSONIAN or NEWTONIAN, orthodox or heterodox.

THOUGH he who starts a subject has the advantage of making a choice, he still labours under a disadvantage. The other may say, What have I to do with your Stoicism or Epicureanism? Or he may enter so far into the subject, and turn short with the same repartee. Let, therefore, any subject proposed by me the Commentator be agreeable to you the Connoisseur; and I promise, on my part, to enter willingly into any one you may pick out; and shall not pretend to any other plea but utter ignorance of the subject. In this point I yield to you without flattery; but I may sometimes divert you on subjects of which you know little; while you, perhaps,

may apply to me these lines of the Lordknows-whom, POPE, I believe :

Sometimes to sense, sometimes to nonsense leaning,
And always blund'ring round about his meaning.

Or these from HUDIBRAS ;

His notions fitted things so well,

That which was which he could not tell.

THE Commentator subscribes himself the Connoisseurs most devoted, &c.

WILLIAM TOD.

No. VI.

From Mr WILLIAM TOD to Mr WILLIAM SMELLIE.

DEAR WILLIE,

I take your quick return very kindly; and am so far from being offended at the humorous picture you draw of me, that I shall heighten your representation with the additional idea of a beard and breast embellished with reddish snuff; for my beard is red, and the snuff matched, as I don't chuse to make

a contrast of my visage. Admitting your supposition, that my dilatoriness proceeded from laziness, I think you have used me gently rather than roughly. I regard you, and could not brook the thought of indifference on your side.

IN ridiculing others for imperfections in body or mind, we often tacitly insinuate, that we ourselves are possessed of the contrary perfections. "The Commentator is a spindle-shanked, thin-gutted, long-necked fellow; obliged every moment to keep his hands at his waste to prevent his falling in two by the middle, or at least to swinge about his arms to preserve a proper balance; while the Connoisseurs head, by being placed on a short thick neck, and that again supported by a massy trunk and stout limbs, is enabled to take a more steady survey of the works of Creation *."

* The passages in this letter between inverted commas, are evidently quotations from Mr SMELLIES letter, to which this is an answer, and may therefore be considered as the earliest specimens of his composition. In this correspondence, Mr SMELLIE appears to have acquired the sobriquet of Connoisseur, and in a great measure to have dictated the subjects of intercourse; while his