ous. Few
people take the trouble to think for themselves; but, on the contrary,
are very glad to find others who will think for them. Some cannot find
time to read--others will not find it. A review removes all these
difficulties--gives the busy world an insight into what is going on in
the literary world--and enables the lounger not to appear wholly
ignorant of a work, the merits of which may happen to be discussed. But
what is the consequence? That seven-eighths of the town are led by the
nose by this or that periodical work, having wholly lost sight of the
fact, that reviews are far from being gospel. Indeed, I do not know any
set of men so likely to err as reviewers. In the first place, there is
no class of people so irascible, so full of party feeling, so disgraced
by envy, as authors; hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness seem to
preside over science. Their political opinions step in, and increase
the undue preponderance; and, to crown all, they are more influenced by
money, being proverbially more in want of it than others. How, then, is
it to be expected that reviews can be impartial? I seldom read them
myself as I consider that it is better to know nothing than to be
misled."

"And, if it is a fair question, Mr Collier," continued Captain M---,
"in what manner were you employed?"

"I am almost ashamed to tell you, sir--I was a mere automaton, a
machine, in the hands of others. A new publication was sent to me, with
a private mark from my employer, directing the quantum of praise or
censure which it was to incur. If the former were allotted to it, the
best passages were selected; if condemned to the latter, all the worst.
The connecting parts of the review were made up from a commonplace book,
in which, by turning to any subject, you found the general heads and
extracts from the works of others, which you were directed to alter, so
as to retain the ideas, but disguise the style, that it might appear
original."

"Are you aware of the grounds of praise or abuse?--for it appears that
those who directed the censure did not read the publications?"

"The grounds were various. Books printed by a bookseller, to whom my
master had a dislike, were sure to be run down; on the contrary, those
published by his connections or friends were as much applauded.
Moreover, the influence of authors, who were afraid of a successful
rival in their own line often damned a work."

"But you do not mean to say that a