Mr. Solem, what do you intend to do with your fon there? He is old enough now for fome bufinefs." Why, mafter, I means to bind him to my own trade, for he has a 'great genus for it." I have likewife the honour to employ a carpenter, who was recommended to me as a great genius in fitting up a room; and he very naturally introduced a painter, another prodigious genius at a varnish. Do we look at the fine arts, how immenfe the concourfe for geniufes at one, exhibition of paintings! The papers, indeed, do not treat them all with equal refpect; but what does that fignify? If a boy can daub fomething like a blue boar, or a red cow, or a golden lion, do not all his friends fet him down for a genius; and does he not commence gentleman on the ftrength-As to mufic, the whole nation may be deemed geniufes, from the blind fiddler at the corner of the street, up to Cramer. What immenfe numbers of geniules may be heard pi ping, fiddling, and fluting, every night, in hopes that one day or other, they may prefide* *at their own benefit with tickets ten fillings and fixpence each! I have a neighbour who had the honour of two mufical fons, both eminent vocal performers; the one took his degrees in mufic at the Horfefhoe, and the other at the Goofe and Gridiron. Flattered by the encouragement of fuch reputable academies, and having received diplomas from the "Odd Fellows, the Free and Eafy, and the Jolly Friers," they commenced their career as geniuses, and undoubtedly would have rifen to envied ftations in our most fashionable orchestra's, had not the eldest been murdered one morning, as he was ftepping out of Mr. Kirby's houfe, in the Old Bailey, by a gang of twelve fellows, who had confpired together for that purpose; and the youngest, I know not why, went twice over to America, where he remained on the firft vifit feven years, and on the fecond fourteen; after which, his parents received no tidings of this genius. • If we proceed to the fifter art, poetry, I am certain we fhall find the proportion confiderably increafed, efpecially as it unfortunately happens, that it is much easier to handle the pen than the bow or the brush, as poets are a kind of a people who do not wait until others call them geniufes, but confider themfelves in that light from the moment they have tagged two lines together. I heartily with that fomething could be done to reduce the number of geniuses, otherwise we shall certainly be very foon in want of artificers and handicraftsmen of all defcriptions. It is wonderful how much genius ftands in the way of trade. I am obliged to fend three or four streets off for my rolls in a morning, because my baker has a genius for agriculture; and I feldom get a fuit of clothes from my tailor, without perceiving that he has been employing his genius upon metaphyfics. My worthy oppofite neighbour, an eminent merchant, is perpetually complaining of having an enlightened counting-house. . Opus eft interprete. Prefide is the word now applied-not to the leader of the band, but to fome diftinguished performer-as, "Mr. will prefide at the harpfichord." Dr. Johnfon did not live long enough to infert this meaning of the word, or to inquire whether it had any? Gg 2 "I have "I have not a clerk," fays he, "who is not fit for every thing but what I employ him on. I am in perpetual danger of having my invoices written in rhyme; my anfwers to foreign correfpondents would do credit to the Univerfity of Oxford; my book-keeper enters a room as if he were to speak a prologue; and I have a clever young dog, who collects bills, but who is fo intent upon your anfwers to correfpondents, that I can seldom get any to mine." And lastly, Mr. Editor, even in domeftic matters, we have the advantage of being attended by geniufés. My dame is always telling me what a genius our daughter is at mince-meat-and perfuaded me to allow my fon to venture his neck on the Serpentine canal laft froft, because he was a genius at fkaiting. Pray, fir, let your correfpondents take this matter into confideration, and propofe fome scheme for the reduction of genius, that business may not stand ftill. Yours, &c. No Genius. POETRY. POETRY. ODE for the NEW YEAR, 1799. By Henry James Pye, Efq. Poet Laureat. I. HOUGH the dun mist and driving rack Twhile may hide the orb of day, Aloft he keeps his radiant track, His glories flash with keener blaze, Dim with their force the dazzled gaze, Sowing with flame divine the empyreal fields of light. II. So while the lowering clouds of fate And foon, before her kindling eye, In awful glory while appear, Red with vindictive flame, the terrors of her fpear. III. Around her coaft, fenc'd by her guardian main, Hark! loud invafion to her baffled train In yells of defperation roars. Along the hoftile deep they vainly try Their fleets, the victor's trophy, captur'd ride, IV. Seas where deathlefs bards of yore, As Nelfon led by Nilus' ftrand; V. See floating friendly in the wind, The Ruffian eagle with the crefcent join'd, Lay the gigantic boafter low; O'er your aftonifh'd fields who trod, Peace, on the basis firm of faith reftor'd, Wrung from Oppreffion's arm by Valour's conquering fword. ODE for his Majesty's BIRTH-DAY, June 4, 1799. By Henry James Pye, Efq. Poet Laureat. STILL fhall the brazen tongue of war brown every fofler found! Still fhall Ambition's iron car Its crimson axles whirl around! Shall the fweet lyre and flute no more With gentle defcant footh the fhore; And hail, in notes of peace, our monarch's natal day? O! feraph peace! to thee the eye To thee their vows the virgins raise; And every fhout that conqueft breathes, When northward from his wintry gaol Hence Maia's flowers the brow of Spring adorn, Hence Summer's waving fields, and Autumn's plenteous horn. From climes where Hyperborean rigours frown, Rous'd by the royal youth's renown, Loud Auftria's eagle claps his vigorous wing; The fhouts of war the Gallic plunderers hear, And low his creft the infulting defpot veils, While their collected navy's force Spreads o'er the wave its defultory course, From Britain's guardian fleet receding far, Their proudest wreath to 'scape, nor meet the fhock of war, |