obstructed the progress of science, is it to be wondered that when questioned on this subject, I entered my protest against so mischievous an usurpation, in matters of taste and literature? In justice to the respectable character and honourable views of Sir John Carr, I feel it incumbent on me to explain, that he did not found his late action on the pretended criticisms in the pamphlet of which he complained, but solely and exclusively on the caricatures which had been introduced into it, and which it must be universally allowed are novel and not very legitimate auxiliaries of genuine criticism. I am, Sir, yours, &c. Bridge-street, Aug. 4, 1808. R. PHILLIPS. In the succeeding number of the Political Register, the Author of My Pocket Book replied in these terms: Letter from the Author of "My POCKET BOOK." SIR-The "licentiousness" of the pen of SIR RIChard Phil LIPS, in your last Register, ought not perhaps "to excite any "other emotion than contempt;" but as "the greatest fool that ever trod the earth" (to borrow a description from the Attorney General, confirmed by my Lord Ellenborough,) may, in the very prevailing party of which he is the towering head, find some congenial souls, "Asinus asino, et sus sui pulcher," to admire his wisdom, and to believe his assertions, I am compelled to ask you for a corner, in which I may stand to make my defence. You have ably vindicated the right of freemen to speak the truth, and you will of course, be the last man to deny any one that honourable privilege-honourable I call it, notwithstanding the meed which legal wisdom has prepared for those who exercise it in our enlightened day!-I was present when SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS, in his court dress, stood uninvited on the Bench, and bore witness EDLY in terms set up as an EXPERIMENT, to try whether a review on totally opposite principles to those then in existence would succeed; and it failed, owing to its want of that severity of personal attack which it appears is a principal recommendation of anonymous criticism. Phillips. *Did Sir Richard Phillips refuse to purchase the Tour in Scotland in consequence of these Caricatures? Did he not reject Sir John's work one month before these Caricatures were in existence !!NA Did he not compel Longman and Co. to cancel a leaf in the Edinburgh Review, for an attack on his immaculate character? Did he not adver tise Turnbull's Voyage, with a long extract from the Edinburgh Review? -No, no; he never reads reviews. He never gets authors to review their own books. He has no interest in Collins's Account of Books, which contains panegyrics on all his own works. And he has no concern in his "Own Life," published by Mr. Hughes of Tottenham-court-road which contains many letters, that no one else could furnish. H. against his neighbour, i. e. brother bookseller, and I appeal to every one present whether they ever saw malignity so overshoot itself; but it had its reward-No one in the pillory (for speaking the truth or any other crime) would I think, since the custom of lending an ear to justice has fallen into disuse, have changed elevations with him. The severe remarks of the Chief Justice, and the poignant animadversions of the Attorney General, are well remembered by SIR RICHARD; but the cause, which warranted them, has, it seems, wholly escaped him.-He uttered no “childish things," to use his gentle terms! With this fact, I beg to couple his assertion, that he never read any anonymous criticisms, or cared any thing about them; and to add, that before me, at this moment, I have letters written by SIR RICHARD to a proprietor of a work, in which there is an anonymous review of books, and these letters complain piteously of the censure, which is there passed on some of his publications, and request a friendly conference with this gentleman on the subject. This being the case in one instance, perhaps we may say, ex uno disce"-Latin again! I beg pardon, Mr. Cobbett-but one slice is enough—we need not eat the whole of a goose to know that it is not sweet!— The principal object of my letter yet remains to be stated: "You "must be too well acquainted with the artifices practised by anonymous writers, to be surprised at learning, that the report of "the late trial between CARR and HOOD, copied from a newspaper into your last Register, was written by the very person "whose pamphlet had been the object of that trial. Hence you "may readily account for the inconsistencies of which the Plain"tiff and his witnesses are by this reporter made guilty!"-These are the words of SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS in your Register. Now, on the honour of a gentleman, and as I value my last hopes, I never reported, or influenced the report of the trial in any newspaper, or in any shape whatever; and as I have at no time been suspected by an Attorney General (not much given to jesting) to have ic slipped in my testimony," I trust that I shall, at least on this occasion, have the preference due to my solemn asseveration. I am, &c. &c. " Aug. 8, 1808. THE AUTHOR OF "MY POCKET Book," P. S. As to "the respectable character of SIR JOHN CArr,” domestically speaking, I am as ready to believe it to be such, as SIR RICHARD is to tell me so; but I need not inform Mr. Cobbett, that "quand on parle d'ouvrages d'esprit il ne s'agit point d'hon"nêtes hommes, mais de gens de bon sens.”—A calf may be a very worthy calf-aye, and make a very good knight, but I have reason to believe that he would make a very sorry writer of travels, bookseller, or sheriff. A SHAKSPEARE. A very valuable paper, containing some novel and interesting particu lars relating to SHAKSPEARE, will be given next month. J.; Louisa, Edinburgh; T. N. Canterbury; T. R. W.; Tyro; G. E. S.; I. J. C.; T. R.; G. G. N.; J. W.; A constant reader, &c. &c. will find their conjecture on the Inscription right. In reply to Impartialitas we have to say that J. declines the contest for the same reason that influenced Gibbon with respect to Priestley. S. P. S; P. G.; T. Y.; A. H. on the Spanish patriotism; Sbon mots of Bannister and Fawcett; are received. Nestor's Defence of Marriage, or how to marry happily, and A single Gentleman on Matrimony, next month. Then also J. R.'s Conjectural Criticism; Mr. George Crabb on Lexicography; and B. F.'s Fruits of studying the Law. A constant reader, in Lancashire, must send his name. W. S--n's Reasons against Marriage, as soon as possible. Be content Mr. Howelles. Recollect the number of pieces received -they are not all so good as yours, but many are much better, and we have no immediate room for them. The quality of H. C.'s letter deserves our attention, but we cannot agree with him in quantity. Perhaps Where tops the arbutus yon cloistered wall, would be better. Z. Liverpool, will be satisfied with the remarks of C. B. We have not room for both. Brighton and Worthing next month. From the spelling and poetry we conclude that the Parody on Shak speare's Seven Ages, was written by one who is 66 sans every thing—” literary. Solon's "Reformation in Police," shall be considered. We thank G. M. and Horatius for the compliment on the originality of our articles, but we cannot stoop to point out the “scissar-writing" which fills other magazines. The verses to Mr. Cooke "on Sobriety" we beg Serioso to send to Mr. C.-they want spirit. ERRATA.-No. XX. P. 71, last line, for "wishes," read riches, P. 182. 1. 9. have for "are," and 1. 10, impel for "impels." THE MONTHLY MIRROR, FOR SEPTEMBER, 1808. HENRY KIRKE WHITE. OUR work had the honour of introducing to the public, some of the earliest productions of the late Henry Kirke White, and we have great satisfaction in now presenting his portrait to our subscribers. Mr. Capel Lofft who, with us, shared in the friendship of this extraordinary genius, began his memoir in No. IX. continued it in No. XV. of the Mirror N. S. and will, when his other Occupations permit, favour our readers with the remainder. ENDYMION THE EXILE. LETTER VIII. I am just returned, my dear Ambrose, from a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral. Mr. Transfer proved to me yesterday at an accidental meeting in the Strand, that no man could perform that office better than himself, because he had a counting-house in the city. This was certainly what the man in Fielding's novel would have called a non sequitur: however I did not deny his conclusion, and called upon him this day at two o'clock, at his counting-house, in a street dedicated to St. Swithin. I found my friend perched upon a high stool, like a Mandarin on a pedestal, surrounded by half a dozen clerks, and poring over a ledger with looks of no common earnestness. "Alas!" said I to myself, "who can suppose that this uncouth plant, unwatered by St. Swithin, can ever thrive in Baker-street."-Mr. Transfer shook me heartily by the hand, and after disencumbering his right ear from the stump of a pen, locked his desk, and assured his head clerk, that he was going |