notion
of what he deems "morality;" but in works of genius whatever is dull
ceases to be moral. "The Fly" of Oldys may stand by "The Fly" of
Gray for melancholy tenderness of thought; it consisted only of
these two stanzas:

Busy, curious, thirsty fly!
Drink with me, and drink as I!
Freely welcome to my cup,
Couldst thou sip and sip it up:
Make the most of life you may;
Life is short and wears away!

Both alike are mine and thine,
Hastening quick to their decline!
Thine's a summer, mine no more,
Though repeated to threescore!
Threescore summers when they're gone,
Will appear as short as one!

[343] This anecdote should be given in justice to both parties, and
in Grose's words, who says:--"He was a man of great good-nature,
honour, and integrity, particularly in his character of an
historian. Nothing, I firmly believe, would ever have biassed him to
insert any fact in his writings he did not believe, or to suppress
any he did. Of this delicacy he gave an instance at a time when he
was in great distress. After his publication of the 'Life of Sir
Walter Raleigh,' some booksellers thinking his name would sell a
piece they were publishing, offered him a considerable sum to father
it, which he rejected with the greatest indignation."

[344] We have been taught to enjoy the two ages of Genius and of
Taste. The literary public are deeply indebted to the editorial
care, the taste, and the enthusiasm of Mr. Singer, for exquisite
reprints of some valuable writers.

[345] Gibbon once meditated a life of Rawleigh, and for that purpose
began some researches in that "memorable era of our English annals."
After reading Oldys's, he relinquished his design, from a conviction
that "he could add nothing new to the subject, except the uncertain
merit of style and sentiment."

[346] The British Museum is extremely deficient in our National
Literature. The gift of George the Third's library has, however,
probably supplied many deficiencies. [The recent bequest of the
Grenville collection, and the constant search made of late years for
these relics of early literature by the officers of our great
national library, has greatly altered the state of the collection
since the above was written _s--Ed_.]

[347] Grose says--"His mode of composing was some