“The A ikin School”: Adopting an Aesthetic

In the summer of 1773 John and Anna Aikin, still at Warrington, appeared for the first time as coauthors, and although the title page of Miscellaneous Pieces in Prose shows “J. and A. L. Aikin” on the byline, the individual pieces are unsigned, and the authors made no effort in their lifetimes publicly to identify who wrote what. Needless to say, this led to more than one case of misattribution. An anecdote related by Samuel Rogers in his Table Talk (1856) tells of Charles James Fox (MP, 1768–1774) meeting John Aikin at a dinner party and offering praise for the collection:

“I am greatly pleased with your Miscellaneous Pieces, Mr. Aikin,” said Fox … Aikin bowed. “I particularly admire,” continued Fox, “your essay, Against Inconsistency in our Expectations.” “That,” replied Aikin, “is my sister’s.” “I like much,” returned Fox, “your essay, On Monastic Institutions.” “That,” answered Aikin, “is also my sister’s.” Fox thought it best to say no more about the book. (Qtd in Rodgers 61)