LOOKING the other day at the Minutian pedigree, which is just imported from the Vatican, through Sir William Hamilton (by the veffel that has landed the Hero of the Nile,) I obferved, in one of it's branches the words:

« MINUTIUS FELIX DRAMATICUS, Flor: A. D. 900."

It proves that nine centuries ago, one of my lineal ancestors may have been an actor and writer of plays;—but that he was, perhaps, a Commen tator, and probably an Editor of dramatic poets, or (as the word equally permits) the Editor of fuch an Editor; which laft, as it fuits me-(a very Editorial principle!) I have adopted (ex cathedra Minutiorum) as the exclufive import of the term.

Having, to illuftrate the Hiftorian of Dryden's Life, made a paffing bow to the most brilliant

B

of

of Shakspeare's editors-" the laft," but not "the leaft in love;" I added, in my fecond edition of the Biographical Effence, a re-inforcement of extracts from a Poet and Critic, who are more congenial than Edmond's Dryden compared with Dryden's Edmond-which is beaucoup dire.

But prefuming upon this family-name, I have delineated, with more accuracy, the interefting features of Edmond the Editor of Shakspeare; and I cannot resist the duty of prefenting them to the world; who, if they were interested (as Mr. Becket of Pall Mall, with a ferious countenance, affures me they were) by the first Beauties of Malone, will hang over me enamoured" for the attractions of Edmond the fecond.

They are Beauties of the fame caft, but of fuperior and more inspired grace. They rife in proportion to thofe of the bard, fly upon his (eagle's) wing, or (to defcend from clouds) are fly dimples of the Abigail, who is often a competitor of the Lady fhe has dreft.

I remember at one of the early masquerades in this reign, a figure of exquifite mechanism, which reminds me of the altera et eadem in the comparative attractions of the two LadyEdmonds. It was a figure, at first under the middle fize, and bordering upon the Lilliputian, (which is below the Minutian standard,) but with all the accuracy of proportion. It fuddenly rofe above itself into a Giant's form, in the fame habit, and ftill manifefting the fame accuracy in its proportions,

portions, though with a difficulty (not unbe coming) in the movement of the head.

This Giant is Edmond the Editor:

"Ingrediturque folo et caput inter nubila condit.”

Edmond's Preface.

THE first breath of the Oracle (and very awful intelligence it is) notifies, that Edmond is delivered of a child, in whofe "parturition" (as Johnson would have faid) EIGHT YEARS have been the period.

"Cafta fave Lucina! tuus jam regnat Apollo:"

Another twelvemonth! and he would have gone (to use a Denman-phrase) "nonum in annum" which is the time of gestation demanded by Horace, the accoucheur of legitimate productions in genius and wit.

As it is, it wants only two years of those which Achilles, and Co. expended in the siege of Troy.

Yet fuch is the modefty of little Edmond, that his début as an Editor, is to copy word for word, (in EIGHT PAGES,) Dr. Johnson's "EXCELLENT SCHEME," published in 1756-to copy the whole, -for no purpose but that of afcribing to the minutest part of it, imbecility and falfehood.

Apropos-this reminds me of a peculiar habit in Edmond, which deferves a Canon of its own.

It is the politeness of his demeanour to the Maryas whom he is going to diffect with an air of the Vatican-Apollo.

For example-after a light and superficial panegyric of that "EXCELLENT SCHEME," in fuch parts of it as it may not have fuited him to arraign, (though it may have fuited his bookfeller to copy them,) he "anatomizes Regan," that is, (to meet him in the Vatican) he affirms," that some of Doctor Marfyas's POSITIONS (contained in those EIGHT PAGES) are INDUBITABLY NOT TRUE."

This alarms the Reader, and creates an intereft; -which are two exquifite artifices of rhetoric. It unites modesty in the forbearance of eight years, to address, in those compliments which grace the knife prepared for the torture, and spirit, in the attitude.

We have already seen what a biographer, JohnJon-Marfyas appears in Edmond-Apollo's account of him: we have been told, "that he was a Giant "much too great for his truft, (though he was paid for it in pound, fhilling, and pence ;) "that "he was above all preparation for his work-a " researcher into no materials-without a note "of a fingle fact,-and confident in his memory "alone, of any thing which he might have read "or might have heard."

We shall now produce this auтоxpaтopα as an Editor, (another sphere of his intellectual apotheofis,)-led into the amphitheatre by his determined antagonist, but equally determined ad