Mifc. 1.Writing!-It must be own'd that fince this happy Method was establish'd, the Harvest of Wit has been more plentiful, and the Labourers more in number than heretofore. 'Tis well known to the able Practitioners in the writing Art; "That

as eafy as it is to conceive Wit, 'tis the "hardest thing imaginable to be deliver'd "of It, upon certain Terms." Nothing cou'd be more fevere or rigid than the Conditions formerly prefcrib'd to Writers; when CRITICISM took place, and Regularity and Order were thought effential in a Treatife. The Notion of a genuine Work, a legitimate and juft Piece, has certainly been the Occafion of great Timidity and Backwardness among the Adventurers in Wit: And the Impofition of such strict Laws and Rules of Compofition, has fet heavy on the free Spirits and forward Genius's of Mankind. 'Twas a Yoke, it feems, which our Forefathers bore; but which, for our parts, we have generously thrown off. In effect, the invidious Diftinctions of Baftardy and Legitimacy being at length remov'd; the natural and lawful Iffue of the Brain comes with like advantage into the World: And Wit (mere WIT) is well receiv'd; without examination of the Kind, or cenfure of the Form.

THIS the MISCELLANEOUS Manner of Writing, it must be own'd, has hap

pily effected. It has render'd almost every Ch. 1. Soil productive. It has difclos'd those various Seeds of Wit, which lay fupprefs'd in many a Bofom; and has rear'd numberless Conceits and curious Fancys, which the natural Rudeness and Asperity of their native Soil wou'd have with-held, or at least not have permitted to rife above the ground. From every Field, from every Hedge or Hillock, we now gather as delicious Fruits and fragrant Flowers, as of old from the richeft and beft-cultivated Gardens. Miferable were those antient Planters, who understanding not how to conform themselves to the rude Taste of unpolifh'd Mankind, made it fo difficult a Task to ferve the World with intellectual Entertainments, and furnish out the Repafts of Literature and Science.

THERE was certainly a time when the Name of AUTHOR ftood for fomething confiderable in the World. To fucceed happily in fuch a Labour as that of writing a Treatife or a Poem, was taken as a fure mark of Understanding and Good Senfe. The Task was painful: But, it feems, 'twas honourable. How the Cafe happen'd, in process of time, to be so much revers'd, is hard to fay. The primitive Authors perhaps being few in number, and highly refpected for their Art, fell under the weight of Envy. Being fenfible of

Misc. 1. their Misfortune in this respect, and being excited, as 'tis probable, by the Example of fome popular Genius; they quitted their regular Schemes and accurate Forms of Workmanship, in favour of those Wits who could not poffibly be receiv'd as AUTHORS upon fuch difficult Terms. "Twas neceffary, it. seems, that the Bottom of Wit fhou'd be enlarg'd. 'Twas advisable that more Hands fhou'd be taken into the Work. And nothing cou'd better serve this popular purpose, than the way of MISCELLANY, or common ESSAY; in which the most confus'd Head, if fraught with a little Invention, and provided with Common-place-Book Learning, might exert itself to as much advantage, as the most orderly and well-settled Judgment.

To explain the better how this Revolution in Letters has been effected, it may not perhaps be indecent, fhou'd we offer to compare our Writing-Artists, to the Manufacturers in Stuff or Silk. For among Thefe 'tis efteem'd a principal piece of Skill, to frame a Pattern, or Plan of Workmanship, in which the several Colours are agreeably difpos'd; with fuch proportionable Adjustment of the various Figures and Devices, as may, in the whole, create a kind of Harmony to the Eye. According to this Method, each Piece muft be, in reality, an Original. For

to

to copy what has gone before, can be of Ch. no ufe. The Fraud wou'd cafily be perceiv'd. On the other fide, to work originally, and in a manner create each time anew, must be a matter of preffing weight, and fitted to the Strength and Capacity of none befides the choiceft Workmen.

A MANNER therefore is invented to confound this Simplicity and Conformity of Defign. Patch-work is fubftituted. Cuttings and Shreds of Learning, with various Fragments, and Points of Wit, are drawn together, and tack'd in any fantastick form. If they chance to caft a Lufter, and spread a fort of fprightly Glare; the MISCELLANY is approv'd, and the complex Form and Texture of the Work admir'd. The EYE, which before was to be won by Regularity, and had kept true to Measure and ftrict Proportion, is by this means pleasingly drawn afide, to commit a kind of Debauch, and amuse it-self in gaudy Colours, and disfigur'd Shapes of things. Custom, in the mean while, has not only tolerated this Licentiousness, but render'd it even commendable, and brought. it into the highest repute. The Wild and Whimfical, under the name of the Odd and Pretty, fucceed in the room of the Graceful and the Beautiful. Juftness and Accuracy of Thought are fet afide, as too constraining, and of too painful an Vol. 3.

B

afpect,

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Mifc. 1.afpect, to be endur'd in the agreeable and more eafy Commerce of Gallantry, and modern Wit.

Now fince it has been thought conve nient, in these latter Ages, to distinguish the Provinces of WIT and WISDOM, and fet apart the agreeable from the ufeful; 'tis evident there cou'd be nothing devis'd more futable to the diftinct and feparate Intereft of the former of these Provinces, than this complex manner of Performance which we call MISCELLANY. For whatever is capricious and odd, is fure to create Diverfion, to those who look no further. And where there is nothing like Nature, there is no room for the troublesom part of Thought or Contemplation. "Tis the Perfection of certain Grotefque-Painters, to keep as far from Nature as poffible. To find a Likeness in their Works, is to find the greatest Fault imaginable. A natural Connexion is a Slur. A Coherence, a Defign, a Meaning, is against their purpose, and deftroys the very Spirit and Genius of their Workmanship.

I REMEMBER formerly when I was a Spectator in the French Theater, I found it the Custom, at the end of every grave and folemn Tragedy, to introduce a comick Farce, or MISCELLANY, which they call'd the little Piece. We have indeed