THE

PLAIN SPEAKER:

OPINIONS

ON

BOOKS, MEN, AND THINGS.

LONDON: PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.

Page

Essay I.-On the Prose-Style of Poets

Essay II.-On Dreams

31

Essay III.-On the Conversation of Authors

49

Essay IV.– The same Subject continued

77

Essay V.-On Reason and Imagination

99

Essay VI.On Application to Study

127

Essay VII.-On Londoners and Country People 153

Essay VIII.-On the Spirit of Obligations

181

Essay IX.-On the Old Age of Artists

205

Essay X.-On Envy

229

Essay XI.-On Sitting for one's Picture

255

Essay XII.- Whether Genius is conscious of its Powers? 279

Essay XIII. „On the Pleasure of Hating

305

Essay XIV.-On Dr. Spurzheim's Theory

329

Essay XV.-On Egotism.

375

Essay XVI.-Hot and Cold

405

Essay XVII.-The New School of Reform

429

.

ERRATA.

P. 141-for the friend of Dante, read the admirer of Dante.
P. 216-17—for Sir Harry Englefield, read Captain Englefield.
P. 266-for Earl Cowper, read Earl Gower.
Motto to Essay on Prose-style of Poets-

“ Do you read or sing? If you sing, you sing very ill !"