I N the laft Tatler I promised fome Explanation of Paffages and Perfons mention'd in this Work, as well as fome Account of the Affi fances I have had in the Performance. I Shall do this in very few Words; for when a Man has no Defign 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, whofe plea fant Writings, in the Name of Bickerstaff, credted 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 commen 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 raise Such Pleafing Idea's upon Occafions fo barren to an ardinary Invention. When When I am upon the Houfe of Bickerstaff, I must not forget that Genealogy of the Family Sent to me by the Poft, and written, as I fince underftand, by Mr. Twifden, who died at the Battle of Mons, and has a Monument in WestminsterAbbey fuitable to the Refpect which is due to his Wit and his Valour. There are through the Courfe of the Work very many Incidents which were written by unknown Correspondents. Of "this Kind is the Tale in the Second Tatler, and the Epifle 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 Affi tance 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 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 difireffed 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. 07 23 The fame Hand writ the diftinguishing Cha racters of Men and Women ander the Names of Mufical Inftruments, the Diftrefs of the News-Writers, the Inventory of the Playhoufe, and the Defcription of the Thermometer, which I cannot but look upon as the greateft Embellishments of this Work. Thus ~ Thus far I thought necessary to say relating to the great Hands which have been concerned in thefe Volames, with Relation to the Spirit and Genius of the Work; and am far from pretending to Modefty in making this Acknowledgment. What Man obtains from the good Opinion and Friendfhip of wordby Men, a much greater Honour than became paffibly reap from any Accomplishments of his own But all the Credit of Wit which was given me by the Gentlemen above mentioned. (with whom I have now accounted) has not been able to attone for the Exceptions made against me for fome Kaillery in Behalf of that learned Advocate for the Epifcopacy of the Church, and the Liberty of the People, Mr. Hoadley. I mention this only to defend my felf against the Impu ation of being moved rather by Party than Opinion; and I think it is apparent, I have with the utmost Frankness allowed Merit wherever I found it, though joined in Interefts different from those for which I have declared my self. When my Ěavonius is acknowledged to be Dr Smalridge, and the amiable Character of the Dean in the Sixty fixth Tatler drawn for Dr Atterbury, I hope I need fay no more as to my impartiality. I really have acted in thefe Cafes with Honesty, 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 should value him elf upon in this Kind is, that he had fome honourable Intention in it. like one of am 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 apt to fly out again, when the Thing that first disturbed me is prefented to my Imagination. I shall therefore leave off when I am well, and fight with Windmills no more: Only Shall be fo Arrogant as to say of my self, 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 GameGers, through a falfe Senfe of Justice; and to the Demands of Duellifts, through a falfe Senfe 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 aginst them (with Refpect to their being prompted by the Fear of Shame) by applying to the Duellift what I think Dr. South fays fomewhere of the Lyar, He is a Coward to Man, and a Brave to God. THE Timeo Danaos & Dona ferentes. Virg. From Saturday June 24, to Tuesday June 27. 1710. Sheer-Lane, Fume 25.. HERE are fome Occafions in Life, whereT in Regards to a Man's felf is the most pitiful and contemptible of all Paffions; and fuch a Time certainly is when the true publick Spirit of à Nation is run into a Faction against their Friends and Benefactors. I have hinted heretofore fome Things which difcover the real Sorrow 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 expoftulate with me on that Subject.. 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 unjuft as that of talking in Party upon all Occa tions, without Refpect to Merit or Worth on the [Vol. 4.] B contrary |