will also be the best means of fecuring you from such abfurdities in behaviour as fprightly geniufes are moft expofed to and ofteneft undone by.

I don't fuggeft this, dear fir, from any fufpicion of your temper or conduct, of both which I have the highest opi- · nion at present. It purely arifes from what I have too often seen and lamented in other ingenious youths at their first fetting out and this I apprehend is the only rock you can possibly split upon, or that can prevent your being eminent as well as useful in your future profeffion.

Nor would I be understood by this caution and advice, as if I expected you to commence a mope or bookworm at the University. Innocent amusements and chearful company at proper intervals are as neceffary to the mind as exercife is to the body: they not only fit us for ftudy but also accomplish us for a more decent appearance in life; and to me there is hardly any thing more infipid than a meer: Scholar.

All I defire, dear fir, is this. As you can prepare yourfelf for and pass through your private lectures fo much fooner and with fo much more ease than many of your fellow collegians, and have confequently more fpare time than others upon your hands, I would not have you devote it, as is too common, to mere pleasure or amusements, but to fuch useful fcholar-like purfuits as your more experienced friends in college will be pleafed to encourage you in for further improvement, without interfering with any of your ftated lectures or other academical exercifes.

I need not fay any thing more to one of your difcernment and difcretion: perhaps I have already faid too much: but give me leave to add one more caution concerning the choice of your acquaintance. We infenfibly imbibe and give into the manners of those with whom we converfe: You ought therefore to be constantly on your guard in this point; for this will determine your future reputation in the University. Your vivacity of temper will naturally lead you into com

pany;

pany; your agreeable behaviour and sprightly conversation will make you courted and careffed by perfons of all difpofitions. It is therefore in your own option to determine, whether you will affociate with the good or the bad, the ftudious or the indolent, the virtuous or the profligate.

In every college there is a fet of idle people called. Loungers, whofe whole business is to fly from the painful talk of thinking. Thefe are ready to catch at every young fellow at his firft admiffion, and imperceptibly teach him to faunter away his time in the fame idle fpiritless manner with themselves. Whomfoever thefe Remoras of a college adhere to, they inftantly benumb to all sense of reputation or defire of learning. But you have not much to fear from this quarter: your quick parts and lively difpofition will eafily defend you from thefe triflers, whom you must defpife for their dull tafte and flow apprehenfion.

There is another fet ftill more dangerous, who affume to themselves the name of jolly fellows, and ridicule every body who has the folly to be fober. These you may be fure will endeavour to draw you afide with the bewitching allurements of the bottle; and as chearfulness makes up a part of your character, you may perhaps be led to miftake their noife for mirth, their pertnefs for wit, and their drunken frolicks for gayety and humour. Dear fir, do but keep yourself clear of these and fuch like bad company, and your own good fenfe will direct you in forming a proper acquaintance.

I know your good nature will readily excuse the liberty I have taken in prefuming to give you advice. If any thing I have faid can affift you in directing your future conduct, it will be the highest fatisfaction to,

DEAR SIR,

Your very affectionate friend, &c.

A CRITICISM on a passage in HORACE.

I

SIR,

To the STUDENT.

Have fent you fome thoughts on a paffage in HORACE which has not been hitherto rightly understood, to be inferted if you please in your firft mifcellany. If things of this nature are included in your defign, I fhall occafionally tranfmit some other obfervations.

There seems to be an inconfiftency in the character which HORACE has given of his favourite ARISTIPPUS in one of his Epiftles. The paffage thus ftands in all the editions which I have had the opportunity to confult:

OMNIS Aristippum decuit color, et ftatus, et res;
Tentantem majora, FERE præfentibus æquum.
Lib. I. Epift. 17.

Is not the word FERE a diminution of the philofopher's character? Or indeed does not the latter part of the fentence contradict the former? For Si omnis Ariftippum decuit color, &c. tum præfentibus non fere fed omnino æquus fuit.

No notice of this contradiction (for fuch I think it appears to be) is taken in any edition of our author; and I know but one writer who was aware of it, and endeavoured to reconcile it by reading thus,

Tentantem majora, SED ET præfentibus æquum.

This alteration of FERE into SED ET is too bold to be admitted. We fhould be cautious of changing a claffic's

words,

words, if an easier remedy can be found. All that is required in this place is to regulate the pointing:

Omnis Ariftippum decuit color, et ftatus, et res;
Tentantem majora ferè, præfentibus æquum.

This at once will remove the abfurdity, and perhaps improve the fentiment.

I am yours, &c,

J. O.

I

To the STUDENT.

Fam quid ego et populus mecum quid fentiat, audi.

SIR,

HORAT.

Have read your proposals for an Oxford Monthly Mifcellany, and have fent you my thoughts, which I hope you'll accept as they are meant. Your work I beleive will prove very agreeable to fome learned readers of a more refined tafte; but give me leave to tell you that won't do alone. If you don't take occafion fometimes (notwithstanding your advertisement) to treat of Politicks, to vindicate or condemn the conduct of our minifters, always ftedfaftly adhering to the truth, your readers and your purchasers, beleive me, will make but a very finall number. Party I fay, Party is the thing that will certainly recommend you. And if you confine yourself fo much as you propofe, you must expect to be encouraged by none but Academical Pedants and Would-be-wits. I advife you to declaim against the glaring vices of the age, fuch as luxury, gaming, masquerad ing, and the like. You may at other times cry out against

the

the mismanagement of the stage, and call it the nursery of obscenity, profaneness, and immorality. Then again you may give us extracts from hiftory, abridgements of books. in all arts and fciences, news foreign and domestick, and (to please the old women) choice receipts in cookery and phyfick. By this means your work will be univerfally read and admired by all forts of perfons. I could say a great deal more on this occafion, but you know the proverb, a word to the wife, and therefore no more from

Your humble fervant,

JOSHUA MEDLY.

If you come into my fcheme I can be a very large contributer.

We thank our Correfpondent for his kind advice, but affure him we shall ftrictly adhere to our firft defign; and defire him and others to fend us nothing but what is con formable to it.

ELEGIES