SIR,

HEARING lately of the great fuccefs

matter.

attending inoculation for the fmallpox at Luton, in Bedfordshire; I was naturally led to enquire into the feveral particulars relative to that Amongst other informations, fome of them perhaps of doubtful authority, I have been favoured with the following authentic account by the Hon, and Rev. Mr. Stuart, rector of the parifh. If you fhould judge the communication to be of fufficient importance to the public, I doubt not of your giving it a place in your Magazine; in which cafe it may be deemed a curiofity by fome of your readers to be informed, that Mr. Stuart is a grandfon of the late Right Hon. Lady Mary Wortley Montague, who firft introduced inoculation into this country.

To Sir WILLIAM FORDYCE.
"SIR,

"IN anfwer to your letter concerning "the fuccefs of the inoculation at Luton, "I take the liberty of troubling you with "the following facts.

"Towards the end of laft fummer, a fmall-pox of the moft malignant "kind prevailed at Luton. Notwithstand"ing every care that human prudence "could fuggeft, as to cleanlinefs, medi66 cine, and attendance, fcarcely more "than half of our patients furvived this "dreadful dife fe; and though they were "kept at fome diftance from the town, "it was found impoffible to prevent the "infection from fpreading. Alarmed at "the danger, I endeavoured to overcome "the prejudice and fears of the people, " and prevail on them to be inoculated. "Accordingly, in the courfe of three "days, a furgeon of the neighbourhood "communicated the infection to 928 pau66 pers, who were judged incapable of "paying for themfelves; and foon after "to 287 mure, moftly at their own "charge. Of these 1215 only five died, "and thofe under the age of four months;

as you will fee by the attefted lift which " is inclofed.

"Mean time Mr. Kirby and Mr. "Chafe, the Surgeons refident at Luton, "inoculated about 700 of the better fort "with an equal fuccefs.

"Even from this statement the advan. tage of inoculation is manifeft; but the "following circumstances fet this advan

tc

66

"On my return to Luton, I mean to "recommend annual inoculations at the

"parish charge. This may be fupported

on principles of economy, as well as

on principles of humanity. The health. "and fafety of the people ought ever to "be the fupreme object of parochial ma"nagement. The life of an industrious "parent is abfolutely invaluable; and "he who thinks it can be rated too high, "is no lefs ignorant of policy, than def❝titute of feeling.

"For nine years that I have held the "living of Luton, the average number of "fmall-pox patients is 25. Thele at "the lowest computation ftand the parish "at two guineas each, exclufive of me"dical affittance. The difeafe is fo ap"prehended in the country, that the "nurfes require double pay, and both "they and the patients are confined in an "airing-houfe feveral weeks after the re"covery. Should my plan of annual "inoculations take place, the expence "would not amount to the fifty guineas, “which are now paid for those who have "the fmall pot naturally. But, alas!

thefe fifty guineas are but a small part "of the real charge, and inconvenience, "produced by this dreadful malady. Its "almolt conftant effect is a permanent

"vations, because I am confident they are applicable to more parishes than "mine; and because I am equally con"fident, that, were inoculation generally "practifed, it would leffen human mi fery, fave many a useful life, and even promote that economy, which many "think the only object worthy of atten❝tion. I am, Sir,

"Your faithful fervant,
"WILLIAM STUART."

South Audley-fireet,
March 1, 1788.
Copy of the attefted lift referred to in the
preceding.

A child of George Road had the thrush at the time of being inoculated, and fuppofed to die in confequence thereof. Aged 9 weeks.

A child of Samuel Young died with the eruption on it. Aged 7 weeks.

A child of John Flitton died three days after inoculation. Aged 12 weeks. A child of John Olney died in a fit the fixth day after inoculation. Aged

16 weeks.

A child of Waller died with the eruption on it. Aged 5 weeks.

FRA. NASH, Churchwarden.

Luton, Jan. 6, 1788.

From the cicumftance of not more than two fhillings being paid for inoculating each of the paupers mentioned in the fore

STATE

going letter, it appears at once, at how Imall an expence a great many valuable lives may be faved to the public, by a little attention on the part of the nobility, clergy, gentry, and others.

In the very defirable event of their adopting the benevolent ideas of my Hon. and Rev. Friend, I would remark, that the propereft feasons of inoculation are, when the juices are leaft likely to be con. taminated by infectious or contagious diseases, which rage most in the autumnal months; begging leave at the fame time to recommend the ufe of from 50 to 100 drops of the concentrated spirit of sea-falt diluted in barley-water, or any other mucilaginous liquid, in the proportion of 56 drops to one quart, for preventing the juices from falling into that putrid state, which renders the fmall-pox fo much more deadly.

I would farther advise an equally free ufe of the fame spirit in every town and village through the kingdom, as a préfervative against infection, as well as a great aid in curing the worst forts of deftructive in fo many parts of England. putrid fevers, which have been of late fo

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient fervant, WILLIAM FORDYCE.

This Letter was received too late for infertion in our laft Number.

PAPERS.

"L

IFE (fays Mr. Steevens, in a preface to fome of Shakespeare's "Plays) does not often receive good un"mixed with evil. The benefits of the art of printing are depraved by the faci"lity with which fcandal may be diffuf"ed, and fecrets revealed; and by the "temptation by which traffic folicits ava. "rice to betray the weakneffes of paffion, "or the confidence of friendship. I can. not forbear to think thefe pofthumous "publications injurious to fociety. A man confcions of literary reputation "will grow in time afraid to write with tenderness to his fifter, or with fondness "to his child; or to remit on the flight"eft occafions, or moft preffing exigence, "the rigour of critical choice, and gram"matical feverity. That eftcem which "preferves his letters, will at laft pro"duce his difgrace, when that which he "wrote to his friend or his daughter shall "be laid open to the public."

When Mr. Steevens made this obfer. vation, little did he imagine that it would foon be exemplified to the prejudice of his fellow-commentator, and that the treacherous trick would be played to Dr. Johnion by the very perfon whom he, in the fimplicity of his heart, had honoured above any other of his acquaintance with a most fin cere attachment during a long, long interval of time. Yet fo it has fhockingly happened, that the frontlefs female, who goes now by the mean appellation of Piozzi, actuated by no other incentive but that of mere avarice, has dared to publish a large number of letters, written to her by the Doctor during the long courfe of their friendship, though the must be convinced, and certainly is, that never would the have obtained his fanction to their publi. cation, had the afked for it in time; as too many of thofe letters are by much too trifling, uninteresting, and even contemptible for fuch an eye as that of the British nation; and too many, in fpite of their numerous blanks, initials, and abbreviations, aileatly interpreted, vex, difguft, and prove confiderably obnoxious not only to a great number of individuals, but even to whole families, without the compenfation of their anfwering the lealt good purpofe; which at worft ought to be the cafe with any printed writing that anyway diminishes the good name of our itill living cotemporaries.

It was not likely, indeed, that Doctor
VOL. XIII.

Johnfon, a fupreme defpifer of trifles, abhorrent from all propagation of feandal, and inoffenfive to the inoffenfive, as all his works amply teftify, would have given his confent to her putting forth the two volumes, wherein, independent of the many cenfurable parts, a poor reader muft frequently trudge on until he is weary thro' a hundred pages of trash and rubbish, to meet with a dozen of lines that are worth

his perufal. But the cunning he has delayed her hameless bargain till after the Doctor's demife, and the two ill-favoured volumes are now brought into the world, to the no finall difcontent and indigration of all the Doctor's true friends, who, long accuftomed to fee him lead on the phalanx of literature, fee him now riding upon a broomstick; and to the great comfort and diverfion of all the witlings and witfnappers of the Thames and of the Tweed, who behold him at lait brought down from that envied fummit to which the Rambler, the Lives of the Poets, and fo many other of his works, had gloriously exalted him. Take warning, take warning, ye heroes of the quill, and, upon feeing yourselves defervedly raifed by the unanimous fuffrages of mankind to the higheft pofts of literary honour, keep in mind Mr. Steevens's philanthropic obfervation, nor be fo unguarded as our good Johnfon has been, left, like him, you draw hereafter upon your names the farcaftic and flanderous obloquies of indefatigable dulnefs and unextinguithable malignity.

Among the many who have reason to be exafperated on account of thofe Letters, I will frankly own that I am one; and as fuch, am refolved to animadvert on certain paffages in them that have proved harth to my feelings, even though I' fhould run the rifque of being difapprov ed for not treating their editor with any great ceremony, as must be the cafe in all difcuffions produced by the neceflity of clearing our characters from calumnious affertions. But by what right can LA Piozzi, as my fiddling countrymen now term her, clam ceremony and refpect from any one of the many whom she has offended by her publication, now that, in the great wildom of her concupifcence, fhe has degraded herfelf into the wife of an Itálian finging-matter? And, as to nylf, what refpect or ceremony do I Sf

Owe