 interest or pretension, may present a petition
to the captain-general of his majesty's forces, demanding a commission for the
first company that shall become vacant, and be as likely to meet with success,
as an unsupported author that offers a performance to the stage. Though a
patentee had no friends of his own to oblige, why the devil should he put
himself to the expence and trouble attending the representation of a new play,
and part with three benefit-nights, to please the vanity and fill the pockets of
a stranger?«
    The northern bard began to argue with great vehemence and vociferation,
against the advice and observations of the chairman, undertaking to prove from
reason, as well as from experience, that one poet is of greater dignity and
importance to the commonwealth, than all the patentees or players that ever
existed. But he was over-ruled and silenced in the beginning of his harangue, by
a decree of the council, which was unanimously of opinion, that the advice he
had received was equally judicious and expedient, and that it would be his own
fault, if he did not profit by the admonition.
 

                                  Chapter CII

                       Further Proceedings of the College
 
This affair was no sooner discussed, than another gentleman exhibited a
complaint, signifying, that he had undertaken to translate into English, a
certain celebrated author, who had been cruelly mangled by former attempts; and
that, soon as his design took air, the proprietors of those miserable
translations had endeavoured to prejudice his work, by industrious insinuations,
contrary to truth and fair dealing, importing, that he did not understand one
word of the language which he pretended to translate. This being a case that
nearly concerned the greatest part of the audience, it was taken into serious
deliberation: some observed, that it was not only a malicious effort against the
plaintiff, but also a spiteful advertisement to the public, tending to promote
an inquiry into the abilities of all other translators, few of whom (it was well
known) were so qualified, as to stand the test of such examination. Others said,
that over and above this consideration, which ought to have its due weight with
the college, there was a necessity for concerting measures to humble the
presumption of booksellers, who had, from time immemorial, taken all
opportunities to oppress and enslave their authors; not only by limiting men of
genius to the wages of a journeyman taylor, without even allowing them one
sabbath in the week, but also in taking such advantages of their necessities, as
were inconsistent with justice and humanity. »For example, (said one
