Imatges de pàgina
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PREFA C E.

In the last Tatler I promifed fome explanation of paffages and perfons mentioned in this work, as well as fome account of the affiftances I have had in the performance. I fhall do this in very few words; for when a man has no defign but to fpeak plain truth, he may fay a great deal in a very narrow compass. I have, in the dedication of the first volume made my acknowledgments to doctor Swift, whofe pleasant writings, in the name of Bickerstaff, created an inclination in the town towards any thing that could appear in the fame disguise. I must acknowledge also, that at my first entering upon this work, a certain uncommon way of thinking, and a turn in converfation peculiar to that agreeable gentleman, rendered his company very advantageous to one whofe imagination was to be continually employed upon obvious and common fubjects, though at the fame time obliged to treat of them in a new and unbeaten method. His verses on the Shower in Town, and the Defcription of the Morning, are inftances of the happiness of that genius which could raise such pleasing ideas upon occafions fo barren to an ordinary invention.

When I am upon the house of Bickerstaff, I must not forget that genealogy of the family fent to me by the poft, and written, as I fince understand, by Mr. Twifden, who died at the battle of Mons, and has a monument in Westminster-abbey, fuitable to the respect which is due to his wit and his valour. There are through the course of the work very many incidents which were written by unknown correfpondents. Of this kind is the tale in the fecond Tatler, and the epiftle from Mr. Downes the prompter, with others which were very well received by

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the public. But I have only one gentleman, who will be nameless, to thank for any frequent affiftance 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, confidering the great ease with which he is able to dispatch the moft entertaining pieces of this nature. This good office he performed with fuch force of genius, humour, wit, and learning, that I fared like a diftreffed 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 fubfift without dependance on him.

The fame hand writ the diftinguishing characters of men and women under the names of musical instruments, the diftrefs of the news-writers, the inventory of the playhouse, and the defcription of the thermometer, which I cannot but look upon as the greatest embellishments of this work.

Thus far I thought neceffary to fay relating to the great hands which have been concerned in these volumes, with relation to the fpirit and genius of the work; and am far from pretending to modefty in making this acknowledgment. What a man obtains from the good opinion and friendship of worthy men, is a much greater honour than he can poffibly reap from any accomplishments of his own. But all the credit of wit which was given by the gentlemen above mentioned, with whom I have now accounted, has not been able to atone for the exceptions made against me for fome raillery in behalf of that learned advocate for the epifcopacy of the church, and the liberty of the people, Mr. Hoadley. I mentioned this only to defend myfelf against the imputation of being moved rather by party than opinion; and I think it is apparent, I have with the utmoft franknefs allowed merit wherever I found it, though joined in interefts different from thofe for which I have declared myfelf. When my Favonius is acknowledged to be doctor Smalridge, and the amiable character of the dean in the fixty-fixth Tatler, drawn for doctor Atterbury, I hope I need fay no more as to my impartiality.

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I really have acted in these cases with honefty, and am concerned it should be thought otherwife: for wit, if a man had it, unless it be directed to fome useful end, is but a wanton frivolous quality; all that one fhould value himself upon in this kind is, that he had some honourable intention in it.

As for this point, never hero in romance was carried away with a more furious ambition to conquer giants and tyrants, than I have been in extirpating gamefters and duellifts. And indeed, like one of thofe knights too, though I was calm before, I am apt to fly out again, when the thing that firft difturbed me, is prefented to my imagination. I fhall therefore leave off when I am well, and fight with wildmills no more: only fhall be fo arrogant as to fay of myself, that in spite of all the force of fashion and prejudice, in the face of all the world, I alone bewailed the condition of an English gentleman, whofe fortune and life are at this day precarious; while his eftate is liable to the demands of gamefters, through a falfe fenfe of juftice; and to the demands duellifts, though a falfe fenfe of honour. As to the first of these orders of men, I have not one word more to say of them. As to the latter, I shall conclude all I have more to offer against them, with refpect to their being prompted by the fear of fhame, by applying to the duellift what I think doctor South fays fomewhere of the liar, He is a coward to man, and a bravo to God.'

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TATLE R.

NO. 190. TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1710.

Timeo danaos et dona ferentes.

VIRG. Æn. lib. 2. ver. 48.

I fear the Grecians when they prefents bring.

Sheer-lane, June 26.

THERE are fome occafions in life, wherein regard to a man's felf is the most pitiful and contemptible of all pasfions; and fuch a time certainly is, when the true public fpirit of a nation is run into a faction against their friends and benefactors. I have hinted heretofore fome things which discover the real forrow I am in at the obfervation, that it is now very much fo in Great Britain, and have had the honour to be pelted with feveral epiftles to expof-, tulate with me on that fubject. Among others, one from a perfon of the number of thofe they call Quakers, who feems to admonish me out of pure zeal and good-will. But as there is no character fo unjust as that of talking in party upon all occafions, without refpect to merit or worth on the contrary fide; fo there is no part we can act fo juftifiable as to speak our mind when we fee things urged to extremity, against all that is praife-worthy or valuable in life, upon general and groundless fuggeftions. But if I have talked too frankly upon fuch reflections, my correfpondent has laid before me, after his way, the error of VOL. IV. B

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