tude of this Place, and the greatest Pleafures of it I owe to its being fo near thofe beautiful Manors wherein you fometimes refide: It is not Retiring from the World, but Enjoying its most valuable Bleffings, when a Man is permitted to fhare in your Lordfhip's Converfations in the Country. All the bright Images which the Wits of paft Ages have left behind them in their Writings, the noble Plans which the greatest Statefmen have laid down for Adminiftration of Affairs, are equally the familiar Objects of your Knowledge. But what is peculiar to your Lordship above all the illuftrious Perfonages 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 fhunned the Commerce of the World, into the Service of Life; and it is to you we owe, that the Man of Wit has turned himfelf to be a Man of Bufinefs. The falfe Delicacy of Men of Genius, and the Objections which others were apt to infinuate against their Abilities for entering into Affairs, have equally va

nished.

nished. And Experience has fhewn, that Men of Letters are not only qualified with a with a greater Capacity, but also a greater Integrity in the Dif patch of Bufinefs. Your own Studies have been diverted from being the highest Ornament, to the highest Use to Mankind; and the Capacities which would have rendered you the greatest Poet of your Age, have to the Advantage of Great Britain been employed in Purfuits which have made you the most able and unbiaffed Patriot. A vigorous Imagination, an extenfive Apprehenfion, and a ready Judgment, have diftinguished you in all the illuftrious Parts of Adminiftration, in a Reign attended with fuch Difficulties, that the fame Talents without the fame Quickness in the Poffeffion of them would have been incapable of conquering. The natural Succefs of fuch Abilities has advanced you to a Seat in that illuftrious House, where you were received by a Crowd of your Relations. Great as you are in your Honours, and Perfonal Qualities, I know you will forgive an humble Neighbour, the Vanity of pretending to A 3 a Place

a Place in your Friendship, and fubfcribing himself,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's

Moft Obliged, and

Moft Devoted Servant,

Richard Steele.

Ind

THE

PREFAC E.

N the last Tatler I promised 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 Design 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 Dr. Swift, whofe pleasant Writings, in the Name of Bickerftaff, created an Inclination in the Town towards any Thing that could appear in the fame Difguife. I must acknowledge alfo, that at my first entring 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 Subjects, though at the fame Time obliged to treat of them in a new and unbeaten Method. His Verfes on the Shower in Town, and the Defcription of the Morning, are Inftances of the Happiness of that Genius, which could raife fuch pleafing Ideas upon Occafions fo barren to an ordinary Invention. WHEN

A 4

WHEN I am upon the House of Bickerftaff, 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 Weftminster-Abbey, fuitable to the Refpect 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 the Publick. 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 denyed to one with whom he has lived in an Intimacy from Childhood, confidering the great Eafe with which he is able to dispatch the most 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 Charac ters of Men and Women under the Names of Mufical Inftruments, the Diftrefs of the News-writers, the Inventory of the Play-houfe, and The Defcription: 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 thefe Volumes, with Relation to the Spirit and Genius of the Work; and am far from pretending to Modefty in making this Acknowledgment. Ihat a Man obtains from the Good Opinion and Friendship of worthy Men, is a much greater Honour than he can pof