There is not a more useful man in a commonwealth than a good physician: and, by consequence, no worthier a person than he that uses his skill with generosity even to persons of condition, and compassion to those who are in want: which is the behaviour of Hippocrates, who shows as much liberality in his practice, as he does wit in his conversation, and skill in his profession. A wealthy doctor, who can help a poor man, and will not without a fee, has less sense of humanity than a poor ruffian who kills a rich man to supply his necessities. It is something monstrous ta consider a man of a liberal education tearing out the bowels of a poor family, by taking for a visit what would keep them a week. Hippocrates needs not the comparison of such extortion to set off his generosity; but I mention his generosity to add shame to such extortion. This is to give notice to all ingenious gentlemen in and about the cities of London and Westminster, who have a mind to be instructed in the noble sciences of music, poetry, and politics, that they repair to the Smyrna coffee-house in Pall-mall, betwixt the hours of eight and ten at night, where they may be instructed gratis, with elaborate essays by word of mouth on all or any of the above-mentioned arts. The disciples are to prepare their bodies with three dishes of bohea, and purge their brains with two pinches of snuff. If any young student gives indication of parts, by listening attentively, or asking a pertinent question, one of the professors shall distinguish him, by taking snuff out of his box in the presence of the whole audience. N.B. The seat of learning is now removed from the corner of the chimney on the left-hand towards the window, to the round table in the middle of the floor over-against the fire; a revolution much lamented by the porters and chairmen, who were much edified through a pane of glass that remained broken all the last summer. tit I cannot forbear advertising my correspondents, that I think myself treated by some of them after too familiar a manner, and in phrases that neither become them to give, nor me to take. I shall, therefore, desire for the future, that if any one returns me an answer to a letter, he will not tell me he has received the favour of my letter; but, if he does not think fit to say he has received the honour of it, that he tell me in plain English he has received my letter of such a date. I must likewise insist that he would conclude with, I am with great respect, or plainly, I am, without farther addition; and not insult me by an assurance of his being with great truth and esteem my humble servant. There is likewise another mark of superiority which I cannot bear; and therefore must inform my correspondents, that I discard all faithful humble servants, and am resolved to read no letters that are not subscribed, your most obedient, or most humble servant, or both. These may appear niceties to vulgar minds, but they are such as men of honour and distinction must have regard to. And I very well remember a famous duel in France, where four were killed of one side, and three of the other, occasioned by a gentleman's subscribing himself a most affectionate friend. One in the morning of the 8th of Oct. 1709 I was this night looking on the moon, and find by * • This last advertisement is supposed to have a reference to the publication of the first part of Annotations on the Tatler; written in French, by Monsieur Bournelle, and translated into English by Walter Wagstaff, esq.' Mention has been made of this sarcastic little book; and some specimens certain signs in that luminary, that a certain person under her dominion, who has been for many years of it have been given in preceding notes. See Tatler, Nos. 5. 7. 8. and notes. The author and the translator seem to have been one and the same person; perhaps Dr. William Wagstaffe, who was inimical to Steele, and has published a false, injurious character of him; which, as the writer of Dr. Wagstaffe's life acknowledges, does, indeed, want some apology. See 'Miscellaneous Works of Dr. William Wagstaffe, with his Life prefixed,' &c. 8vo. London, 1726, pages 13 and 123. The Annotator, whoever he was, points clearly to Steele as the author of the Tatler; and his petulant annotations are minute remarks, quaintly expressed in a strain of coarse irony and undisguised malignity, with such a mixture of the sort of wit that is neares allied to madness, as sufficiently justifies Steele's imputation of insanity. There are, however, some passages in both parts of the book, less obnoxious to this general censure, that might incline one to think the writer a distant kinsman of the Staffs, in consequence of the left-hand favours of some open-hearted woman of the family. Of this sort there is one in the preface to the first part, which ought in fairness to he quoted, and for a reason very obvious on the face of it :- 'Tis usual for a Scaliger, a Grævius, and a Bent—, who never made a good verse in their lives, to comment upon Virgil or Horace; but monsieur Bournelle is infected with the text; he shares the wit he explains, and is monsieur Bickerstaff's rival as well as his interpreter. Those gentlemen who carry large bunches of keys in their pockets, and can open the several drawers of a poetical or historical cabinet, and show you the admirable agreement between the inside and the inscription; who point out the living as the man at Westminster does the dead, have not half that friendship for an author which a faithful Annotator expresses, who publishes beauties instead of names; who reads upon the features and complexion, whilst the other makes an impudent stare, to see if he can know the man. The story-monger delights in a catalogue of persons, the expositor in the force of examples. The least beauties in Mr. Bickerstaff ought not to pass without regard. The airy, perhaps, and facetious, who are enemies to all solid learning, will be very ready to quarrel with the Annotator for making some remarks that are purely literal. But these know not what it is to be a linguist, a scholiast, and a writer of notes. They never heard of the controversy about uniting and disjoining the syllables of the word atavis in the first line of Horace's Odes. They are unacquainted with the art of making a single letter the occasion of many disputes, and would tamely give up their right and title to a Greek vowel, without the hazard of a drop of ink. Our forefathers, unlike such wretches, would call a council upon a gerund; held long debates upon the nominative case, and have divided upon a question, consisting only of a single pronoun. There is at this very time a dispute of great bulk and importance depending entirely on the left foot of an ancient kappa, inscribed on some of baron Spanheim's medals, and which was probably erased by some mechanical blockhead of a goldsmith, who most unlearnedly preferred the materials to the work. And shall we, who call ourselves men of letters, distempered, will, within a few hours, publish a pamphlet, wherein he will pretend to give my lucu neglect the first principles and elements of learning?' &c.-Annotations on the Tatler, part i. preface. N. B. The text of these writings has, for the most part, been kept inviolate; it has often been printed incorrectly, but in the original and best editions it is rarely censurable even in those instances for which it has been censured. The grammatical criticisms of this writer, and some remarks of a better judge, Bishop Lowth, have been carefully considered, and a few alterations have been made to remove objections. Of these, consisting sometimes in a single letter or syllable, it is thought unnecessary to make particular mention, and sufficient to give, once for all, this general notice. ADVERTISEMENT. There are at this time in preparation for public sale, THREE fine CABINETS, the models well known, the workmanship much admired, and the contents very valuable. They were originally constructed by the joint labours of many masterly artists, and enriched with the contributions of the most ingenious people in the kingdom. It is thought that a register of their names and benefactions will not be unacceptable. It will be added to a scientific catalogue of the useful and curious things contained in the CABINETS, that has been long in hand, and is now printing. The CABINETS and their CONTENTS are still very precious, although they have been materially injured by length of time, and for want of care. The private drawers, very many in number, are for the most part locked, the keys are many of them missing; some, it is supposed, lie lurking in private hands, others, it is feared, are lost irrecoverably. None of the divisions hitherto explored have been found quite empty; it is, therefore, expected that something will be discovered in every concealment to reward the nicety of scrutiny and the patience of examination. The repairs are both expensive and tedious; besides, there are to be some modern embellishments, and various additional improvements, all which must necessarily protract the exhibition. But, after all that is purposed to be done, the CABINETS and their CONTENTS might still be exhibited in a better condition than it is possible to put them at present. The sequestered parts, and articles wanted for the reparations, are supposed to be preserved as relics by the curious, and it is said that almost every body has some of them, though perhaps nobody has many. This is, therefore, to give notice to all who approve this design, and are able in any way to promote it, that every pittance of contribution, and every tittle of advice, will be thankfully received, and duly attended to, by Mr. Nichols, printer, in Red-lion Passage, Fleet-street. Three valuable parcels have been safely received, the first from Barrow in Suffolk, the second from Manchester, and the third from Harlestone in Norfolk. Such of the keys as are duplicates, will still be serviceable, and a variety of the articles of the original furniture show how things were, and how they should be, and will all come into use in the course of the reparations. The public will certainly be indebted to the ingenuity and brations to a wrong person; and I require all soberdisposed persons to avoid meeting the said lunatic, or giving him any credence any farther than pity demands; and to lock up the said person wherever they find him, keeping him from pen, ink, and paper. And I hereby prohibit any person to take upon him my writings, on pain of being sent by me into Lethe with the said lunatic and all his works. generosity of the donors, and it shall not be left in ignorance of its benefactors. See Tatler, No. 78. art. 1. N. B. An old key, very rusty, so far unlocked two concealments in the drawers of the oldest CABINET, marked Nos. 60. and 61, that a scrap of paper was got hold of. On one side of it is written, Major Touchhole, and on the other, GREGORY, in Thames-street, a Trainband MAJOR. What follows is in print: and Major BLUNDER; He made BROWN musquets to his fame, So have I heard of a survey'r, Who built a house for want of care, Three stories high without a stair, The Republican Procession,' a poem, p. 27,-See Tatler, Nos. 60. and 61, My sister Jenny's lover, the honest Tranquillus, for that shall be his name, has been impatient with me *STEELE'S.-See Tatler, No. 75. introductory note. Addison was probably concerned in this paper, and its sequel in Tatler, No. 85. The serious parts. |