illustrate these positions by instances drawn from a late publication, which I have read while my thoughts were employed upon the subject; and when, with my pencil in my hand, I noted the passages as they occurred. The Work which I mean is MRS. HANNAH MORE'S PRACTICAL PIETY.. from the very superior merits of which it is by no means my intention to detract, any farther than by saying that I consider the manner in which the quotations are made as in some measure diminishing the value and utility of a work which is calculated to produce extensive and important effects: a work which teaches the most exalted, yet sober, piety; piety at once pure and practical, and stated in the most engaging manner, in language at once chaste, forcible and beautiful.

I shall arrange the instances under different heads; and, though I could point out many under each, yet I shall make a few suffice. And, that the reader's attention may not be divided between the inverted commas made use of by Mrs. H. M. and others introduced by myself to mark the passage I would quote, I shall employ brackets [ ] to point out what are the passages which I myself quote, and the inverted commas are to be considered as Mrs. M's. The first instances shall be of passages altered.

Vol. i. p. 60. First Edition, is the following sentence [only those who, as our great Poet says,. are "reformed altogether," are converted.] As no reference is given, I suppose that [our great Poet] means Shakspeare; and that this is a reference to Hamlet, Act iii. S. 2. where Hamlet is giving his instructions to the Players, and, after he has mentioned a fault which he has seen in some players, one of them says [I hope, we have reform'd that indifferently with us.] Hamlet replies [O, reform it altogether.] In this case, as the intended quotation is not accurate, the author had, perhaps, better have put in the margin See Hamlet, A. iii. S. 2.

P. 199. [We should suffer long and be kind, and so far from "seeking that which is another's, we should not even "seek our own."]

This is, no doubt, intended as a quotation from 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5. [Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.] To me it appears that the best way would have been, to refer openly to the passage, and to make no use of inverted commas, unless with words exactly copied from the chapter, if any had been so.

.

Vol. 2. p. 55. [When therefore we would not condescend "to take the lowest place, to think others better than ourselves, to be courteous and pitiful," on the true Scripture ground,] &c. Here the words [to take] &c. to [pitiful] are given as one continued quotation, and without any reference. I apprehend that they are taken from the three following passages of Scripture. [When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him, come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room;] &c. Luke xiv. 8-10. [Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.] Phil. ii. 3. [Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:] 1 Peter iii. 8.

Many instances occur of evident quotations where neither inverted commas nor references are given. And though these instances may occur where the words are used, not for authority, but on account of the force or beauty of the phrase or sentiment, yet much of this is lost by its not appearing that a passage is a

C

quotation, apt quotation being one of the greatest ornaments of writing.

Vol. i. p. 151, is this sentence, [But we know not what spirit we are of.] This is evidently taken from our Saviour's reproof to his disciples, when they would have commanded [fire to come down from heaven] to [consume] the inhospitable Samaritans, [Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.] Luke ix. 55.

P. 166. [But as we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection,] &c. Here the words [find out the Almighty to perfection,] are evidently taken, though with variation, from Job xi. 7. [Can'st thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?]

P. 172. [It is there we must worship him, if we would worship him in spirit and in truth.] This plainly comes from John iv. 24. [God is a spirit and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.]

Of evident and professed quotations, without the author's name being given, the instances are numerous. There is one at p. 116 of Vol. i. Vol. ii. p. 66. "an admirable French writer" is mentioned. P. 70. a saying respecting Bossuet and Fenelon is given, but not the name of the speaker, nor where it is to be met with.

The instances also of Names of Authors

being given, without reference to the work or volume, are numerous, At p. 236. 266. and 274. of vol. 2. the mere names of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, Archbishop Tillotson, and Bishop Hall are thus given; all of whose works are voluminous.

Another subject upon which my friend has favoured me with his sentiments is

THE ALTERATIONS WHICH I HAVE MADE IN SONGS.

And

He thinks that the word REVISED in the title pages of my different volumes, does not sufficiently declare the material ALTERATIONS which I have made in very many cases. that I must not expect my Readers to retain what I have said dispersedly upon the subject through the pages of my Introductory Letter and Postscript.

To Readers in general I conceive it to be sufficient to know generally, (which is to be collected from the tenor of my Letter, and from the specific remarks made upon Mr. Dibdin's Songs,) that alterations are made, and what is the nature of them; and, from critical readers, an author has certainly a right to expect that the whole of his Introductory matter shall be read with attention before any opinion is formed and, indeed, in many cases it is not