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BOOK THE THIRD.

CHAPTER I.

WRITING THE BEE.
1759.

THE Booksellers were never more active than at the close 1759.
of 1759. If literature had anything to hope from such Mt. 31.
exertions, its halcyon days were come. If it could live on
magazines and reviews; if strength, subsistence, and respect,
lay in employment of the multitudinous force of Grub-street;
if demand and supply were law sufficient for its higher
interests ; literature was prosperous at last, and might laugh
at all Pope's prophecies. Every week had its spawn of
periodical publications; feeble, but of desperate fecundity.
Babblers., and Schemers; Friends, and Advisers; Auditors,
Comptrollers, and Grumblers; Spendthrifts, and Bachelors;
Free-Enquirers, Scrutators, and Investigators; Englishmen,
Freeholders, and Moderators; Sylphs, and Triflers; Eangers,
and Cottagers; Templars, Gentlemen, and Skeptics;—in
constant succession rose and fell.* " Sons of a day, just
" buoyant on the flood," next day might see them " nurn-
" bered with the puppies in the mud: " but the parents of

* See the list in Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, iv. 38—97.



	BOOK THE THIRD.

	CHAPTER I. WRITING THE BEE. 1759. THE Booksellers were never more active than at the close 1759. of 1759. If literature had anything to hope from such Mt. 31. exertions, its halcyon days were come. If it could live on magazines and reviews; if strength, subsistence, and respect, lay in employment of the multitudinous force of Grub-street; if demand and supply were law sufficient for its higher interests ; literature was prosperous at last, and might laugh at all Pope's prophecies. Every week had its spawn of periodical publications; feeble, but of desperate fecundity. Babblers., and Schemers; Friends, and Advisers; Auditors, Comptrollers, and Grumblers; Spendthrifts, and Bachelors; Free-Enquirers, Scrutators, and Investigators; Englishmen, Freeholders, and Moderators; Sylphs, and Triflers; Eangers, and Cottagers; Templars, Gentlemen, and Skeptics;—in constant succession rose and fell.* " Sons of a day, just " buoyant on the flood," next day might see them " nurn- " bered with the puppies in the mud: " but the parents of * See the list in Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, iv. 38—97.