leaves every reader to choose his own ingredients, and
sweeten them to his own liking; wisely foreseeing, no doubt, that the
more palatable each had rendered them to his own taste, the more he
would be affected at their approaching loss.

"All on a Summer's Day."

I cannot leave this line without remarking, that one of the _Scribleri_,
a descendant of the famous _Martinus_, has expressed his suspicions of
the text being corrupted here, and proposes, instead of "_All on_"
reading "_Alone_," alledging, in favour of this alteration, the effect
of Solitude in raising the passions. But _Hiccius Doctius_, a High Dutch
commentator, one nevertheless well versed in British literature, in a
note of his usual length and learning, has confuted the arguments of
_Scriblerus_. In support of the present reading, he quotes a passage
from a poem written about the same period with our author's, by the
celebrated _Johannes Pastor_[*], intituled "_An Elegiac Epistle to the
Turnkey of Newgate_," wherein the gentleman declares, that rather indeed
in compliance with an old custom, than to gratify any particular will of
his own, he is going

--------"All hanged for to be
"Upon that fatal Tyburn tree."----

[Footnote *: More commonly known, I believe, by the appellation of
"_Jack Shepherd_."]

Now as nothing throws greater light on an author, than the concurrence
of a contemporary writer, I am inclined to be of _Hiccius's_ opinion,
and to consider the "_All_" as an elegant expletive, or, as he more
aptly phrases it "_elegans expletivum_." The passage therefore must
stand thus,

"The Queen of Hearts
"She made some Tarts,
"All on a Summer's Day."

And thus ends the first part, or _beginning_; which is simple and
unembellished; opens the subject in a natural and easy manner; excites,
but does not too far gratify our curiosity: for a reader of accurate
observation may easily discover, that the _Hero_ of the Poem has not,
as yet, made his appearance.

I could not continue my examination at present through the whole of this
Poem, without far exceeding the limits of a single paper. I have
therefore divided it into two; but shall not delay the publication of
the second to another week,--as that, besides breaking the connection of
criticism, would materially injure the _unities_ of the Poem.

No. XII.

of the

MICROCOSM.

MONDAY, _February 12, 1787_.

--------Servetur ad imum,
Qualis ab inc