The Craftsman on the contrary divests the minister whose character he draws of all those talents and abilities, without which, power is not easily acquir'd or long maintain'd. See p. 4.
But the minister's abilities have been the dread and disappointment of his enemies, and have carried him thro' innumerable difficulties for five years together, and enabled him to baffle all their attempts against him; notwithstanding he is describ'd as setting out in mean circumstances, and recommended to mankind by every bad quality, yet those who object this now, were more than ten years his associates in private life as well as publick affairs. As to what has been said of his being superior in impudence to all, this author replies, that 'twas never heard that he call'd gentlemen scoundrels in public assemblies; reviled the Speeches from the Throne; or, that if affairs were managed as he dictated, he would maintain his Majesty's administration.
Several other scurrilous reflections, thrown out against this honourable person, are answer'd at large in this paper, and some of them charged with notorious falshood.
The British Journal: or, The Traveller, Jan. 9.
THE author mentions two evils which attend those that trade with pawnbrokers; the first is, persons who have left pledges in their hands, upon offering to redeem them, have been obliged to advance five or six shillings more then they borrow'd on them. The other is the power of the pawnbroker to defraud his customer entirely of his pledge; both which may be redress'd by obliging pawnbrokers to give a receipt to every person borrowing money on pledges, to which both borrower and lender shall subscribe their names, and each of them take a copy.
In some considerations on the stage, opera's, and the force of musick, he says, that an opera ought to be as regularly conducted, and the characters as justly maintain'd; the same end propos'd, and as large room for the exercise of a fine genius, as in tragedy or comedy. That a compleat opera set to musick would have an advantage over tragedy. Is not pleased with the Recitative of an opera, because 'tis the musick of the songs only that dwell on the memory.
Distinguishes between the grand-opera and those ballad-opera's now in vogue, which latter, if well set to musick, might deserve applause.
Commends Addison's Rosamond as a beautifull piece of poetry, both in fable and language. In it is maintain'd the dignity of tragedy, the humour of comedy, and the principal end of opera's; i.e. the encouragement of virtue, discouraging vice, and probabality through the whole is preserv'd.
The British Journal, Jan. 23.
RElates the history of two traytors, Edric the father, and Edric the son, who lived near 800 years a go; from which he collects and concludes with this lesson to princes, that they ought to be cautious whom they trust, and to pry with piercing eyes into the conduct of their ministers, and the motives of their counsels.
An Extract of a Discourse made to the Royal Society, in Defence of Mr. Cheselden's intended Operation on the Ear of a condemn'd Malefactor.
Daily Courant. Jan. 17.
THE author first observes, that the skin, commonly call'd The Drum of the Ear, is not the organ of hearing, as was vulgarly thought; for the proof of which he offers a great number of reasons and observations of his own, as well as the opinions and reasons of the mostlearned
