Editorial

Our correspondents have been unusually bountiful to us since our last meeting and have thus increased the difficulty of our task of selection, where all appear to have an equal claim upon our notice. As it is impossible to read all, many of our friends will necessarily find their productions deferred.

Lady Belle Bluemantle presents us with a whimsical picture of the external ornaments at Tabby Hall, as well as a clearer idea of its internal police, than has before been given. The “secret founder” of whom she speaks so highly seems entirely to preclude the necessity of any other Lady Patroness; and also (in our humble opinion) to render the offices of Solicitor and Treasurer equally unnecessary. We have however another applicant for the former, and Mr Christopher Circuit appears to be a powerful rival to his competitors. The Letter of Mrs Maltravers contains many amusing blunders. The Communication from the Advertising Lady will probably cause some surprise, “but what is so variable as woman.” We heartily congratulate her, and wish her every felicity in her new station.

The correspondence of Laura and Celia seems to promise us much amusement. We trust it will be continued.

We were particularly glad to find a communication from Mr Anonymous among our treasures as we were almost afraid he had forgotten to continue his paper and this second specimen gives us further proof how much we should have lost by his neglect. The Plan of Mr Stephen Seam for conferring titles on the votaries of the Muses will doubtless meet the warmest support from all his brother tipplers at Helicon unless indeed (as it is too frequently the case in the world) they forget their common interests in struggles for their particular aggrandisement and squabble for precedence. Mr Croesus would we presume have more difficulty in persuading his rich brethren to part with their wealth unless his catalogue of poor worthies stimulates their ambition to a desire of emulation.

The packet from Mr Atticus Scriblerus would we think make an admirable second part to this paper. We have no doubt but he will meet with numerous employers elsewhere but the Attic Society have been so long accustomed to make verses for themselves and appear to relax so little in their zeal for the prosperity of the Chest that we trust his assistance will be wholly unnecessary to them, neither do the Ladies of Tabby Hall appear to require it.

The circumstance of one of our members having left her glove and fan behind her at our last meeting has produced a very beautiful little moral tale and we must consider the accident that occasioned it as fortunate. The Fairies have indeed been frequently profuse of such favours to us, but we had hitherto ascribed this liberality to their being out of pocket or rather pocketless.

We present our readers with the two first parts of the History of the Garter dedicated (without permission) to Mr J.B. of York. The remainder is received but we are obliged to defer it. We shall follow our usual custom in not offering any remarks till the whole is before our audience but we hope our readers will not find any reason to regret its length.

The Lines to a Young Lady on her Birthday, a manuscript poem of Lord Byron’s, the Description of Spring, the Communication from Epicuretto &c. &c. &c are received but came too late for this evening.

We recommend it to some of our correspondents to be a little less sparing of their paper, and to lay in a fresh stock of pens and ink as the latter appears to have been too often watered already and their writing requires a microscope. Our friends must be sensible how much the spirit of their effusions must evaporate and the sense be lost while the reader is blundering over the hand, and endeavouring to make out the words.

The members of the Attic Society are respectfully informed that the next Attic Reading will take place on Thursday the Thirteenth of May instead of Wednesday.