member of both societies at the same time.
Grub-street Journal, Jan. 21. No.56.
MAkes some remarks concerning the management of controversies between the political writers. This he illustrates by two examples; by which he would intimate the spirit that animates and governs both parties. The first is a quotation of two severe personal characters, from a pamphlet entitled Sedition and Defamation display'd, in a Letter to the Author of the Craftsman. The other is some paragraphs attacking two characters on the opposite side, drawn from the Pamphlet call'd, A proper reply to a late scurrilous libel intitled Sedition and Defamation display'd; in a Letter to the author, by Caleb D'anvers Esq; which four characters he supposes imaginary, for if they were real, no man of sense, honour, or honesty would espouse them.
Weekly Register, Jan. 9. No. 39.
THE Register publishes a mystical letter from a club of Gardners, wherein is figuratively describ'd the evils which the fraternity have occasionally suffer'd from the depredations of Locusts, Palmer-worms, Caterpillars, and other pestiferous vermin. Several discourses were made by the members concerning the Origin and Progress of these their common enemies. One of the company said, that the first appearance of them is in a fort of spawn, spread over the cabbage leaves, which gradually rises into Grubs. This Grubbean race, he reckons, are descendants of the Egyptian Locusts, and the Palmer-worms and Caterpillars, a spurious offpring of the Locusts. Another of the society believes they are of an English extraction; gives several significations of the word Grub, and then runs a parallel between the infects called Grubs, and the Grubean Society, or Grubstreet Journalists. To which he adds a remark, that 'tis something strange a body of Men should set themselves up to make a merit of other men's faults: they must of course be despicable themselves, because they take a pleasure in making others appear so.
Remembers that in the late wartime many postscripts to the Flying-Posts were bawl'd about with abundance of news, but scarce a word of truth: So that paper gain'd the name of the Lying Post, and was called Grubstreet News. And still it's a common appellation, when we hear full and true accounts cry'd by our doors, 'tis Grubstreet, all Grubstreet.
Weekly Register, Jan. 16. No. 40.
On Ridicule, address'd to the authors of the Grubstreet-Journal.
SAys, Ridicule is a general practice, and proceeds either from the wantonness of our own vanity, or contempt of others frailties. We take the same pleasure in scandal as monkies do in mischief. Wonders why the Tea-table should be thought the mother of scandal, or the nurse of ridicule, when all mankind is pursuing the same pleasure under different disguises. They condemn Censure in others, that they may indulge it themselves. The taverns are as accessary to it as private houses. Courts are esteemed the source of politeness and good manners; theatres of ingenuity, churches of sanctity; yet all are infected with the evil of scandal. Seems to prefer the gaming-table as freest from irony and slander; avarice being a spirit that allows of no rival. This vice is contagious, and runs thro' the whole people: it wanders every where, like an ignis fatuus, and is only at home in the Grubftreet Journal.
Don't pretend how far this libertinism of speech is allowable, but is certain that every moral man will use it only for the sake of him he censures; and every gentleman will make good manners the only rule of behaviour. All men are jealous of their characters, and we mast have a due complaisance for one frailty while we would reform another; forthe
