Its libellous tendency incurred a prosecution, to escape which the printers and publishers fled to the continent. The Duke republished a part of it in volumes.

The CRAFTSMAN, once a paper of great celebrity for its political influence, and the disturbance it gave to Sir ROBERT WALPOLE's ministry, was conducted by Mr. AMHURST, a man of considerable ability, but loose and unprincipled. He was assisted in this undertaking by Lord BOLINGBROKE and Mr. PULTENEY, afterwards EARL of BATH, and probably by other leaders. of opposition. The first paper is dated Dec. 5, 1726. In its republished state it fills fourteen volumes, but is now little read. Ten or twelve thousand of this paper are said to have been sold in a day. AMHURST had before this written a witty but scurrilous paper, called TERRE-FILIUS, which began in 1721, and consists of fifty num

bers.

CATO'S LETTERS began to be published in 1720, and were reprinted in four volumes 12mo. under the title "CATO'S LETTERS, or Essays on Liberty, civil or religious, and other important subjects." This work was written by GORDON and TRENCHARD, and must have been very ac⚫eptable to the public taste, as it passed through four editions before the year 1737. The same authors were concerned in another paper, entitled the "INDEPENDENT WHIG," in opposition to the principles and practices of what was called the High Church party; it consisted of fifty-three papers, began Jan. 20, 1719-20, and concluded

Jan. 4, 1720-1. It has been reprinted at least

once.

The UNIVERSAL SPECTATOR was a newspaper published weekly, with an Essay prefixed to each paper," by HENRY STONECASTLE, of Northumberland, Esq." during the years 1730, 1731, and 1732, or perhaps longer. That learn ed and indefatigable historian and antiquary, OLDYS, is said to have been the author of some of these papers; one JOHN KELLY, a dramatic poet, is mentioned as another writer, and the author of Sir JOHN HAWKINS' Life in the Biographical Dictionary, asserts that Sir JOHN, when a very young man, was an occasional contributor. These papers were collected and published in four volumes, 1747; there is some vivacity and humour, and some knowledge of life and manners in many of them; the intention, at least, was evidently that of the original SPECTATORS.

The CHAMPION was more of a political cast, although not without a considerable mixture of papers on subjects of wit and humour. The advertisement to the copy now before me (2 vols. 12mo. third edition) informs us, that there were four writers concerned in it, the principal of whom were FIELDING and RALPH. FIELD-: ING's papers, if I mistake not, are those marked with a C. or an L. The first number is dated. Nov. 15, 1739, and the last, June 19, 1740. FIELDING was also concerned in a paper, entitled the TRUE PATRIOT, begun Nov. 5, 1745, in opposition to the designs of the Pretender and

his friends. Some of these papers are very deservedly reprinted in his works.

The OLD WHIG, or Consistent Protestant, was written chiefly by dissenters, and on dissenting principles. The first paper is dated March 13, 1735, and the last March 13, 1737-8. It was afterwards published by subscription, in two volumes octavo. Dr. CHANDLER was the author of about fifty of the papers.

OLD ENGLAND, or the Constitutional Journal, by JEFFERY BROADBOTTOM, of Covent Garden, Esq. was another of that numerous class of papers set up in opposition to the ministry of the times. The first paper, dated Feb. 1743, was written by Lord CHESTERFIELD. Its object was to pull down the ministers who succeeded Sir ROBERT WALPOLE, or the Newcastle party, who had gained over Mr. PULTENEY and Lord CARTERET. The third paper is also attributed to Lord CHESTERFIELD by Mr. MATY, but RALPH and GUTHRIE are said to have been the principal writers.

The FREE BRITON was one of the few papers established by government to repell the frequent attacks made upon them. It was published under the direction of Sir ROBERT WALPOLE, and written principally by WILLIAM ARNALL, who was bred an attorney, but commenced partywriter when under twenty. He is said to have received for FREE BRITONS, and other writings, in four years, above ten thousand pounds. There is a short article respecting him in the Biographi

cal Dictionary, taken chiefly from the notes on the DUNCIAD.

The DAILY GAZETTEER was a title given very properly, as Mr. MATY thinks, to certain papers, each of which lasted but a day. Into this, as a common sink, was received all the trash, which had been before dispersed in several journals, and circulated at the public expence of the nation. The authors were obscure men, though sometimes relieved by occasional essays from statesmen, courtiers. bishops, deans, and doctors. The meaner sort were rewarded with money; others with places or benefices, from an hundred to a thousand pounds a year

*

The MEMOIRS of the GRUB-STREET SOCIETY was a humorous and very miscellaneous paper, begun Thursday, Jan. 8, 1730, and continued about three years. What were esteemed the best pieces, both in prose and verse, were published afterwards in two volumes 12mo. Bavius and Mævius, the assumed names of the authors, were Dr. RUSSEL, a physician, and Dr. JOHN MARTYN, afterwards Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge.

To these may be added the following, the LONDON JOURNAL, which was older than the CRAFTSMAN, and in opposition to it. The WEEKLY REGISTER, circa 1730-1, or topics of literature and manners; the BRITISH JOURNAL, begun Jan. 1731, on the same subjects; the DAILY COURANT, READ'S JOURNAL. The

* MATY'S Miscellaneous Works of Lord CHESTERFIELD,

TEMPLAR begun Feb. 1731, he calls himself a nephew to the Spectator's Templar; The FooL, The PROMPTER, circa 1734-5. Of all these specimens may be seen in the early volumes of that very curious and valuable repository, the Gentleman's Magazine.

This list of the papers which succeeded the TATLERS and SPECTATORS, although perhaps far from complete, may yet shew that the long space which intervened between the GUARDIAN and the next work of merit in this edition of the ESSAYISTS, was filled up with many attempts of the periodical kind to instruct or to amuse, to inflame or to pacify the minds of the publick, according to the various views of the writers, or rather of those by whom they were employed, and it may also shew that the importance of this mode of communication was now universally acknowledged. It is indeed to be regretted that manners and morals, although evidently the great object of the SPECTATOR, and what rendered that paper a profitable as well as honourable concern, were frequently forgot in the tumult of parties, civil and religious, and that the time again returned when "nothing was conveyed to the people" in the commodious manner of Essay, "but controversy relating to the church or state, of which they taught many to talk whom they could not teach to judge."

Of the works now enumerated by far the greater part are of this description, and although there are some valuable papers on general and useful topics to be here and there discovered, yet