be contrived to hang about the neck, like an order; and be very much a grace to the person. Fourthly, he ought to have a good ftomach, to eat and drink whatever his betters think fit; and therefore it is in this high office as in many others, no puny conftitution can discharge it, I do not think CIBBER or TIBBALD here fo happy: but rather a ftanch, vigorous, feafon'd, and dry old gentleman, whom I have in my eye.

I could alfo wifh at this juncture, fuch a perfon as is truly jealous of the bonour and dignity of poetry; no joker, or trifler; but a bard in good earneft; nay not amifs if a critic, and the better if a little obAinate. For when we confider what great privileges have been loft from this office (as we fee from the forecited authentick record of Jovius) namely those of feeding from the prince's table, drinking out of his own flaggon, becoming even his domestick and companion; it requires a man warm and refolute, to be able to claim and obtain the restoring of these high honours. I have caufe to fear, most of the candidates would be liable, either through the influence of minifters, or for rewards or favours, to give up the glorious rights of the Laureate Yet I am not without hopes, there is one from whom a ferious and freddy affertion of these privileges may be expected; and, if there be fuch a one, I must do him the justice to fay, it is Mr. DENNIS the worthy prefident of our fociety.

P 3

GUARDIANS.

No. 4. March 16, 1713.

T

HOUGH moft things which are wrong

in their own nature are at once confeffed and abfolved in that single word, the Custom; yet there are fome, which as they have a dangerous tendency, a thinking man will the less excufe on that very account. Among thefe I cannot but reckon the common practice of Dedications, which is of fo much the worfe confequence as 'tis generally used by people of politeness, and whom a learned education for the most part ought to have infpired with nobler and jufter fentiments. This proftitution of Praise is not only a deceit upon the grofs of mankind, who take their notion of characters from the Learned; but alfo the better fort muft by this means lofe fome part at least of that defire of Fame which is the incentive to generous actions, when they find it promiscuously bestowed on the meritorious and undeferving. Nay, the author himself, let him be supposed to have ever

fo true a value for the patron, can find no terms to exprefs it, but what have been already used, and rendered fufpected by flatterers. Even Truth itself in a Dedication is like an honeft man in a disguise or Vizor-Masque, and will appear a Cheat by being dreft fo like one. Tho' the merit of the perfon is beyond dispute, I fee no reason, that because one man is eminent, therefore another has a right to be impertinent, and throw praises in his face. "Tis just the reverse of the practice of the ancient Romans, when a person was advanced to triumph for his fervices they hired people to rail at him in that Circumftance, to make him as humble as they could; and we have fellows to flatter him, and make him as proud as they can. Suppofing the writer not to be mercenary, yet the great man is no more in reafon obliged to thank him for his picture in a Dedication, than to thank the painter for that on a fign-poft except it be a lefs injury to touch the most facred part of him, his character, than to make free with his countenance only. I fhould think nothing juftified me in this point, but the patron's permiffion beforehand, that I should draw him as like as I could; where as most authors proceed in this affair just as a dawber I have heard of, who not being cable to draw portraits after the life, was used to paint faces at random, and look out afterwards for people whom he might perfuade to be

Eke them, To exprefs my notion of the thing in

word to fay more to a man thank one thinks, with a profpect of intereft, is difhoneft; and without it, foolish. And whoever has had fuccefs in fuch an undertaking, muft of neceffity at once think himself in his heart a knave for having done it, and his pat on a fool for having believed it.

I have fometimes been entertained with confidering Dedications in no very common light. By obferving what qualities our writers think it will be most pleafing to others to compliment them with, one may form fome judgment which are most so to themfelves, and, in confequence, what fort of people they are. Without this view one can read very few Dedications, but will give us cause to wonder, either how fuch things came to be faid at all, or how they were faid to such persons. I have known an Hero complimented upon the decent majesty and slate he affumed after a victory; and a nobleman of a different character applauded for his condefcenfion to inferiors. This would have feemed very strange to me but that I happened to know the authors: He who made the first compliment was a lofty gentleman, whofe air and gait dif covered when he had published a new book; and the other tippled every night with the fellows who laboured at the prefs while his own writings were working off. 'Tis obfervable of the female poets

and ladies, dedicatory, that there (as elsewhere) they far exceed us in any strain or rant. As beauty is the thing that sex are piqu'd upon, they speak of it generally in a more elevated ftyle than is used by the men. They adore in the fame manner as they would be adored. So when the authorefs of a famous modern romance begs a young Nobleman's permiffion to pay him her kneeling adorations, I am far from cenfuring the expreffion, as fome Criticks would do, as deficient in grammar or sense; but I reflect, that adorations paid in that posture are what a lady might expect herself, and my wonder immediately ceases. These, when they flatter most, do but as they would be done unto; for as none are fo much concerned at being injured by calumnies, as they who are readieft to caft them upon their neighbours; fo, 'tis certain none are fo guilty of flattery to others, as thofe who most ardently defire it themselves.

What led me into these thoughts, was a Dedication I happened upon, this morning. The reader muft understand that I treat the leaft inftances or remains of ingenuity with refpect, in what places foever found, or under whatever circumstances of difadvantage. From this love to letters I have been fo happy in my fearches after knowledge, that I have found unvalued repofitories of learning in the lining of bandboxes. I look upon these pasteboard