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"Mihi Galba, Otho, Vitellius, nec beneficio nec injuriâ cogniti;
nec amore quifquam, et fine odio dicendus eft."

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"Nemo apud nos qui idem tentaverit : equidem fentio peculiarem in ftudiis caufam eorum effe, qui difficultatibus victis, utilitatem juvandi, prætulerunt gratiæ placendi. Res ardua vetuftis novitatem dare, novis auctoritatem, obfoletis nitorem, faftiditis gratiam, dubiis fidem, omnibus vero naturam, et naturæ fuæ omnia. Itaque NON ASSECUTIS voluisse, abunde pulchrum atque magnificum eft." C. PLIN. Hift. Nat. Præf. ad Divum Vefpafianum.

." Virefque acquiret eundo."

VIRG.

J. NICHOLS and Sox, Printers,
Red Lion Paffage, Fleet Street.

SIR RICHARD STEELE's

PREFACE

TO

THE OCTAVO EDITION IN 1710.

IN the laft TATLER I promised some explanation of paffages and perfons mentioned in this work, as well as fome account of the affistances I have had in the performance. I fhall do this in very few words; for when a man has no defign but to speak plain truth, he may fay a great deal in a very narrow compafs. I have, in the dedication of the first volume, made my acknowledgments to Dr. SWIFT', whofe pleasant writings, in the name of BICKERSTAFF, created an inclination in the Town towards any thing

The first four numbers of the original folio were printed for the Author, 1709; the remaining numbers fold by John Morphew, near Stationers' Hall, where Advertisements are taken in.' When collected into volumes, they were to be delivered to Subscribers by Charles Lillie, Perfumer, at the corner of Beauford Buildings in the Strand; and John Morphew, near Stationers' Hall;' vol. i. and ii. in 1710; vol. iii. and iv. 1711.

b Steele's original Dedications are all preferved in the prefent edition. The Lift of Subfcribers contained the names of many eminent at that time for wit, beauty, valour, and wifdom. See the Dedication to the first volume; and Tatler, N° 162.

that could appear in the fame disguise. I muft acknowledge alfo, that, at my first entering upon this work, a certain uncommon way of thinking, and a turn in conversation 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 raife fuch pleasing ideas upon occafions fo barren to an ordinary invention.

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When I am upon the House of BICKERSTAFF, I muft not forget that genealogy of the family' fent to me by the poft, and written, as I fince understand, by Mr. TWISDEN, 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 epistle 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

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Tatler, N° 238.

Tatler, Nos 11, 75.

Tatler, N° 9.

f Tatler, No 193. The veil of fecrecy has long fince been removed; it was fufpected before the Tatler was re-published in volumes, but it then became certain, that this auxiliary was ADDISON. His name (as well as thofe of many hitherto unknown writers, of the Bickerstaff family,) will appear

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