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 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 cha racters of men and women under the names of Musical Instruments h? The Distress of the News-writers',' 'The Inventory of the Playhoufe *,' and The Description 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 spirit and genius of the work; and am far from pretending to modesty in making this acknowledg ment. 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 me by the gentle men above-mentioned, with whom I have now throughout this edition to all the papers which can with certainty be appropriated. Tatler, N° 153. Tatler, N° 42. i Tatler, N° 18. 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. HOADLY". I mentioned this only to defend myself against the imputation 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 thofe for which I have declared myself. When my Favonius is acknowledged to be Dr. SMALRIDGE; and the amiable character of the Dean, in the fixty-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 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 should value himfelf upon in this kind is, that he had fome 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 wind m See Tatler, N° 44, 50, 51, 115, 143, and notes. Tatler, Nos 72, 114. mills no more: only fhall be fo arrogant as to fay of myfelf, that, in fpite of all the force of fashion and prejudice, in the face of all the world, I alone bewailed the condition of an English gentleman, whose fortune and life are at this day precarious; while his eftate is liable to the demands of gamefters, through a falfe sense of justice; and to the demands of duellifts, through a false sense of honour. As to the first of these orders of men, I have not one word more to fay of them as to the latter, I fhall 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 Dr. South fays fomewhere of the liar, He is a coward to man, and a bravo to God,' * On Monday next will be delivered to fubfcribers, by Charles Lillie, perfumer, at the corner of Beaufordbuildings, in the Strand, and J. Morphew, near Stationers-hall, The first volume of the Lucubrations of Ifaac Bickerftaff, efq. in octavo, on a fine royal and medium paper. And the fecond volume will be delivered in about a fortnight, it being neceffarily deferred for want of paper, which is just come by the fleet now arrived from Holland. Several perfons having fubfcribed in Scotland, Ireland, and other parts, whofe names are not yet returned, the whole lift of fubfcribers will be reprinted in the fecond volume; as well to correct the errors that may have happened in this, as to infert the names not yet received. The fame day they will be published in two volumes in 12mo, being fitted for the pocket, and printed on a neat Elzevir letter, and good paper. Note, This genuine edition has a running-title over the pages in the following manner: with the neceffary variation of the folios in vol. i. from I, to 368; as likewife in vol. ii. from 1, to 388, and the numbers from 1, to 114, having a Dedication and an Index to each volume. Sold by Charles Lillie, a perfumer, at the corner of Beauford-buildings, in the Strand; and J. Morphew, near Stationers-hall. Price 2s. 6d. each volume. Whereas the fpurious and correct edition has no fuch running title, but only a fingle folio, or number of the pages, as follows: (4) And fo varying the pages, (5) (6) &c. to folio 557, and N° 100. This advertisement is printed in N° 195, and is repeated in the five following numbers of the Tatler, in the original edition in folio. +++ This day is publifhed, A General Title, Dedication, and Index, to the firft volume of the Tatlers, in folio. Sold by J. Morphew, near Stationers-hall. Pr. 3d. ADVERTISEMENT ΤΟ THE EDITION WITH NOTES IN 1786; REVISED IN 1806. THE Editor of thefe Volumes claims no other merit than that of introducing them to the Publick, Neither the plan, nor much of the execution of it, is his own. It is now almoft fifty years fince the outlines of the undertaking were sketched, in conjunction with the late Mr. Tonfon, by a Writer of diftinguished tafte and talents; who was prevented from purfuing it by avocations of a far different and more important nature. It has been confiderably altered, and carried much farther than was at firft intended; but all the information which was obtained by the active zeal, and well-directed enquiries, which that gentleman made among men of the firft eminence in the world of letters, though fometimes fuperfeded on indubitable authorities, has been faithfully preferved, and is diftinguished by the fignature P. in the accumulated collection which the reader has pow before him. Of the Original Papers it may be fufficient to fay, in the emphatic words of Johnfon, that they comprize precepts of criticifm, fallies of invention, It is no longer neceffary to conceal that this diftinguifhed Writer is the prefent very learned and, in every fenfe of the word, truly venerable Bishop of DROMORE, |