ell as this, the
first is scarce less so. Tho' you have mention'd Plato's
commonwealth oftener than once in your works, yet, it
appears that you know nothing of its nature or constitution,
by which it was rendered impossible, for such characters as
you describe, to have either an existence, or an admission
into that imaginary republic. The pride of wealth in the
Harlow family, and the pride of titles and descent in the
Lovelace family, can no where be found, save, in a
monarchial and commercial state, where there is a hereditary
noblesse, and a great inequality among the fortunes of the
citizens. Neither can such characters as Lovelace and his
associates, or mother Sinclair and her nymphs, display
themselves, or such a place as the mother's brothel, subsist
any where but in a city like London, the overgrown
metropolis of a powerful Empire, and an extensive commerce;
all these corruptions, are the necessary and unavoidable
consequences of such a constitution of things. In order to
prevent which, Plato made the basis of his republic consist
in a perfect equality of the citizens, both with respect to
honours and estates, and to banish commerce, in his opinion,
the other great corrupter of the morals of a people, forever
from the state; he supposes that his city is built in an
inland country, at a distance from the Ocean or Sea-ports.
I shall not pretend to justify Plato in all his whims; but
it is certain, that if such an establishment were
practicable, every public and private virtue would have a
better chance to flourish there, than in any other State,
where different principles prevail. From these circumstances
it is manifest, that if we could suppose a Platonic citizen,
entirely unacquainted with what passes in the world, beyond
the verges of his own republic, he would imagine, if such a
book as Clarissa was recommended to his perusal, that the
characters described in it were monsters, not men, and
existed no where, except in the depraved fancy of its
author.

Here, Sir, I put a period to my general remarks on your
compositions; I cannot say they are thrown altogether into a
regular order, but they may do well enough in a loose essay,
as this is intended to be. It would require a bulky volume
to contain remarks on all the passages which deserve it,
whether it were to point out innumerable faults, or some few
shining beauties. I am not equal to the task, and, though I
were, should not undertake it. Had you wrote