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Addison.

147. Juno's method to regain Jupiter's Affection

Trial of Wine

148. On the Diet of the Metropolis-Pernicious
Dishes-False Delicacies

Addison.

Steele.
Addison. 193. The Author's Politics-Affairs of the Stage
-Letter from Downes the Prompter

194. Passage from Spenser transposed

195. Letter on the Author's Politics-Orders to

Quacks-Letter to Amanda

149. Ill-natured Husbands-Three Letters of
Pliny to his Wife-Passage from Milton Steele.
150. Matrimonial Quarrels-Characters of an
Affectionate Couple

151. Effects of a general Mourning-Passion for

gay and showy Dress.

152 Homer's Description of a future State

153. Characters in Conversation described as In-

struments of Music

154. Virgil's Allegory and Ideas of a future State
155. Character of the Upholsterer-a great Poli-

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Steele.

Fuller.

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Addison and Steele.

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of Ralph Nab, the Hatter-Of Elizabeth

Slender, Spinster-Letter to Mr. Ralph

Incense, Chaplain

271. Conclusion, Design of the work, and Ac-
knowledgement of Assistance

ORIGINAL DEDICATIONS.

VOLUME THE FIRST.

TO MR. MAYNWARING.*

SIR,-The state of conversation and business of the town, that these Lucubrations were writin this town having been long perplexed with ten by the same hand with the first works which Pretenders in both kinds; in order to open were published under my name; but, before I men's eyes against such abuses, it appeared no lost the participation of that author's fame, I unprofitable undertaking to publish a Paper, had already found the advantage of his authori which should observe upon the manners of the ty, to which I owe the sudden acceptance which pleasurable, as well as the busy part of man-my labours met with in the world. kind. To make this generally read, it seemed the most proper method to form it by way of a letter of intelligence, consisting of such parts as might gratify the curiosity of persons of all conditions, and of each sex. But a work of this nature requiring time to grow into the notice of the world, it happened very luckily, that, a little before I had resolved upon this design, a gentleman had written predictions, and two or three other pieces in my name, which rendered it famous through all parts of Europe; and, by an inimitable spirit and humour, raised it to as high a pitch of reputation as it could possibly

arrive at.

By this good fortune, the name of Isaac Bickerstaff gained an audience of all who had any taste of wit; and the addition of the ordinary occurrences of common Journals of News brought in a multitude of other readers. I could not, I confess, long keep up the opinion * Arthur Maynwaring, Esq.

The general purpose of this Paper is to expose the false arts of life, to pull off the disguises of cunning, vanity, and affectation, and to recommend a general simplicity in our dress, our discourse, and our behaviour. No man has a better judgment for the discovery, or a nobler spirit for the contempt of all imposture, than yourself; which qualities render you the most proper patron for the author of these Essays. In the general, the design, however executed, has met with so great success, that there is hardly a name now eminent among us for power, wit, beauty, valour, or wisdom, which is not subscribed for the encouragement of these volThis is, indeed, an honour, for which it umes. is impossible to express a suitable gratitude; and there is nothing could be an addition to the pleasure I take in it but the reflection, that it gives me the most conspicuous occasion I can ever have, of subscribing myself, Sir, Your most obliged, most obedient, and most humble servant, ISAAC BICKERSTAFF.

VOLUME THE SECOND.

TO EDWARD WORTLEY MONTAGUE, ESQ*.

SIR-When I send you this volume, I am | many of their excellences, which I had not obrather to make you a request than a Dedication. served until you pointed them to me. I am I must desire, that if you think fit to throw very proud that there are some things in these away any moments on it, you would not do it papers which I know you pardon ;* and it is after reading those excellent pieces with which no small pleasure to have one's labours sufferyou are usually conversant. The images which ed by the judgment of a man, who so well you will meet with here, will be very faint, understands the true charms of eloquence and But I direct this address to you; not after the perusal of the Greeks and Romans, who are your ordinary companions. I must that I think I can entertain you with my writ confess I am obliged to you for the taste of ings, but to thank you for the new delight I

* Second son of the Hon, lady Wortley Montague, and grandson of Edward Montague, the first Earl of Sandwich

poesy.

*This seems to amount to a declaration that E. Wortley Montague, Esq. was.himself a writer in these pa

pers.

have, from your conversation, in those of other

men.

May you enjoy a long continuance of the true relish of the happiness heaven has bestowed upon you! I know not how to say a more affectionate thing to you, than to wish that you may

be always what you are; and that you may ever
think, as I know you now do, that you have a
much larger fortune than you want. I am,
Sir, your most obedient, and most humble ser-
vant,
ISAAC BICKERSTAFF.

VOLUME THE THIRD.

TO THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM LORD COWPER, BARON OF WINGHAM. MY LORD,-After having long celebrated the | you, but I shall behold you, as lately, defending superior graces and excellences, among men, the brave and the unfortunate.* in an imaginary character, I do myself the honour to show my veneration for transcendent merit under my own name, in this address to your lordship. The just application of those high accomplishments of which you are master, has been an advantage to all your fellow-sub jects; and it is from the common obligation you have laid upon all the world, that I, though a private man, can pretend to be affected with, or take the liberty to acknowledge, your great talents and public virtues.

When we attend to your lordship engaged in a discourse, we cannot but reflect upon the many requisites which the vain-glorious speakers of antiquity have demanded in a man who is to excel in oratory; I say, my lord, when we reflect upon the precepts by viewing the example, though there is no excellence proposed by those rhetoricians wanting, the whole art seems to be resolved into that one motive of speaking, sincerity in the intention. The graceful manner, the apt gesture, and the assumed concern, It gives a pleasing prospect to your friends, are impotent helps to persuasion, in comparison that is to say, to the friends of your country, of the honest countenance of him who utters that you have passed through the highest offices, what he really means. From whence it is, that at an age when others usually do but form to all the beauties which others attain with labour, themselves the hopes of them. They may ex-are in your lordship but the natural effects of pect to see you in the house of lords as many years as you were ascending to it. It is our common good, that your admirable eloquence can now no longer be employed, but in the expression of your own sentiments and judgment. If these gifts were communicated to all men The skilful pleader is now for ever changed in proportion to the truth and ardour of their into the just judge; which latter character your hearts, I should speak of you with the same lordship exerts with so prevailing an impar- force as you express yourself on any other subtiality, that you win the approbation even ofject. But I resist my present impulse, as agreethose who dissent from you, and you always obtain favour, because you are never moved by it.

This gives you a certain dignity peculiar to your present situation, and makes the equity, even of a lord high chancellor, appear but a degree towards the magnanimity of a peer of Great Britain.

Forgive me, my lord, when I cannot conceal from you, that I shall never hereafter behold

the heart that dictates. It is this noble simplicity, which makes you surpass mankind in the faculties wherein mankind are distinguished from other creatures, reason and speech.

able as it is to me; though, indeed, had I any
pretensions to a fame of this kind, I should,
above all other themes, attempt a panegyric
upon my lord Cowper; for the only sure way to
a reputation for eloquence, in an age wherein
that perfect orator lives, is to choose an argu-
ment, upon which he himself must of neces-
sity be silent. I am, my lord, your lordship's
most devoted, most obedient, and most humble
servant,
RICHARD STEELE,

*The duke of Marlborough.

VOLUME THE FOURTH.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES, LORD HALIFAX.

From the Hovel at Hamptonwick,
April 7, 1711.
MY LORD,-When I first resolved upon do-
ing myself this honour, I could not but indulge

a certain vanity, in dating from this little covert, where I have frequently had the honour of your lordship's company, and received from you very many obligations. The elegant solitude of this

greater integrity in the despatch of business. Your own studies have been diverted from being the highest ornament, to the highest use to man

place, and the greatest pleasures of it, I owe to its being so near those beautiful manors wherein you sometimes reside. It is not retiring from the world, but enjoying its most valuable bless-kind; and the capacities which would have renings, when a man is permitted to share in your lordship's conversations in the country. All the bright images which the wits of past ages have left behind them in their writings, the noble plans which the greatest statesmen have laid down for administration of affairs, are equally the familiar objects of your knowledge. But what is peculiar to your lordship above all the illustrious personages that have appeared in any age, is, that wit and learning have from your example fallen into a new era. Your patronage has produced those arts, which before shunned the commerce of the world, into the service of life; and it is to you we owe, that the man of wit has turned himself to be a man of business. The false delicacy of men of genius, and the objections which others were apt to insingate against their abilities for entering into affairs have equally vanished. And experience has shown, that men of letters are not only qualified with a greater capacity, but also a

dered you the greatest poet of your age, have,
to the advantage of Great Britain, been em-
ployed in pursuits which have made you the
most able and unbiassed patriot. A vigorous
imagination, an extensive apprehension, and a
ready judginent, have distinguished you in all
the illustrious parts of administration, in a
reign attended with such difficulties, that the
same talents, without the same quickness in
the possession of them, would have been in-
capable of conquering. The natural success
of such abilities, has advanced you to a seat
in that illustrious house, where you were re-
ceived by a crowd of your relations. Great
as you are in your honours, and personal quali.
ties, I know you will forgive an humble neigh-
bour the vanity of pretending to a place in
your friendship, and subscribing himself, my
lord, your lordship's most obliged, and most
devoted servant,
RICHARD STEELE.

PREFACE TO THE OCTAVO EDITION, 1710.

tleman, who will be nameless, to thank for any frequent assistance to me, which indeed it would have been barbarous in him to have denied to one with whom he has lived in an intimacy from childhood, considering the great ease with which he is able to despatch the most entertaining pieces of this nature. This good office he performed with such force of genius, humour, wit, and learning, that I fared like a distressed prince, who calls in a powerful neighbour to his aid; I was undone by my auxiliary; when I had once called him in, I could not subsist without dependence on him.

In the last Tatler I promised some explana- | ceived by the public. But I have only one gention of passages and persons mentioned in this work, as well as some account of the assistances I have had in the performance. I shall do this in very few words; for when a man has no design but to speak plain truth, he may say a great deal in a very narrow compass. I have, in the dedication of the first volume, made my acknowledgments to Dr. Swift, whose pleasant writings, in the name of Bickerstaff, created an inclination in the town towards any thing that could appear in the same disguise. I must acknow. ledge also, that, at my first entering upon this work, a certain uncommon way of thinking, and a turn in conversation peculiar to that agreeable gentleman, rendered his company very advantageous to one whose imagination was to be continually employed upon obvious and common subjects, though, at the same time, obliged to treat of them in a new and unbeaten method. His verses on the Shower in Town,' and the Description of the Morning,' are instances of the happiness of that genius, which could raise such pleasing ideas upon occasions so barren to an ordinary invention.

The same hand writ the distinguishing characters of men and women under the names of 'Musical Instruments,' 'The Distress of the News-writers,' The Inventory of the Playhouse,' and 'The description of the Thermometer,' which I cannot but look upon as the greatest embellishments of this work.

Thus far I thought necessary to say relating to the great hands which have been concerned in these volumes, with relation to the spirit and genius of the work; and am far from pretendWhen I am upon the house of Bickerstaff, I ing to modesty in making this acknowledgment. must not forget that genealogy of the family What a man obtains from the good opinion and sent to me by the post, and written, as I since friendship of worthy men, is a much greater understand, by Mr. Twisden, who died at the honour than he can possibly reap from any acbattle of Mons, and has a monument in West-complishments of his own. But all the credit minster abbey, suitable to the respect which is of wit which was given me by the gentlemen due to his wit and his valour. There are through above-mentioned, with whom I have now acthe course of the work, very many incidents counted, has not been able to atone for the exwhich were written by unknown correspond- ceptions made against me for some raillery in ents. Of this kind is the tale in the second behalf of that learned advocate for the episcoTatler, and the epistle from Mr. Downes the pacy of the church, and the liberty of the peoprompter, with others which were very well re-ple, Mr. Hoadly. I mentioned this only to de

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