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Sir THOMAS MILLS.

SIR,

WHEN I prefent the Public with an

elegant edition of "Poems by Mr. Gray" at a very moderate price, I perform an action which I am confident would have been highly grateful to the author had he been living, as every writer naturally wishes to have his works handsomely printed and univerfally read.

I flatter myself there is no impropriety in particularly infcribing these poems to a gentleman who has judgement to diftinguish, and taste to relish fine verses, and who poffeffes a heart capable of many virtues.

I remain, with respect,

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THIS

EDITION.

SOON after the publication of a former edition

of Mr. Gray's poems, in a fimilar form, the Rev. Mr. Mafon the author of Elfrida, gave notice to the publisher by a particular messenger, that he had trefpaffed upon his property, by inferting fifty lines in his volume which belonged to him, and threatened to feek legal redress in cafe fatisfaction was not made for this offence.

To this charge, fo abfurd in its nature, the publisher could hardly give credit. The practice of taking extracts from publications of all kinds is

* Mr. Mafon claims, befides the above, Ode for Mufic, irregular; which were he to obtain the property of, would be a few more ftanzas in his favour. But this Ode was given to the public without fee or reward, by the author, in his life-time. And therefore it is prefumed neither law nor equity will carry it to Mr. Mason.

common to every bookfeller, and every author, over the kingdom; and no perfon is guilty of it in a fuperior degree to Mr. Dodfley, the bookseller employed by Mr. Mason.-Nay, Mr. Mason himfelf had behaved in the manner complained of, and adapted without fcruple to his quarto edition of Mr. Gray's poems, a large extract which he took from another work. It was true alfo, that the fifty lines had been printed indiscriminately by others who pretended to no exclusive property in them, that they were not written by Mr. Mafon, nor bequeathed to him particularly by the author.

From every circumftance attending this matter, the ridicule of the claim fet up became ftronger. But fufpecting that a gentleman of Mr. Mason's fenfe and good character must have jufter grounds of complaint than what appeared upon the face of his meffage, the publisher requested to be favoured with his addrefs, in order to have a personal conference with him upon the fubject; and at fame time affured his agent, that he meant not defignedly to invade or to injure Mr. Mason's property : Whether his messenger began to view the object of his miffion in too ludicrous a view, is unknown, but it is certain he refufed to comply with this civil requifition.

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