Steele 359 History of Will Honeycomb's Amours Budgell 361 Letter on Cat-calls-History of them Addison 362 Letters in Commendation of Brook 401 Correspondence between Amoret, a 402 Letters from Silvia, complaining of an unnatural Mother-From a married Man in Love with his Ward-Con- cerning a profligate Lover-Unduti- Speculations of Coffee-house Politi- Steele Addison 404 On the misapplication of Nature's Gifts Unknown 403 365 Dangerous Influence of the Month of 366 Inconsistencies in Love-Thoughts- Translation of a Lapland Love-song -on a Chambermaid's Perquisites Steele 368 Account of the Death of Madam de 369 Criticism on Paradise Lost 370 On the Stage-Dancing recommended Steele -for Mirth-for useful Purposes Addison 374 On the proper Use of Time-Frag- Steele Hughes 521 On the Uncertainty and Absurdity of 522 Advice to Ladies on Marriage 523 Poetry too often mixed with Mythology Visions of worldly and heavenly 525 Success of the Spectators-on Marriage 526 On Templars turning Hackney-coach- From a languishing Lover 530 Account of the Marriage of Will Ho- 531 On the Idea of the Supreme Being 532 The Author's Success in produc- Verses to the Spectator Letter from Mr. Sly on Hats 533 Letters on Parents forcing the Incli- 534 Letters from a spoilt rich Beauty-Dap- perwit's Question-from a Grocer in Love-from an Idol-a Minute from 535 On vain Hopes of temporal Objects- 536 The Author's Interview with a Lady -ber Letter on proper Employment 553 On the Spectator's opening his Mouth Letter from Oxford Correspondents 554 On the Improvement of Genius 555 Farewell Paper and Acknowledgments of Assistance-Letter from the Aca- 556 Account of the Spectator opening his 557 On Conversation-Letter by the Am- 558 Endeavours of Mankind to get rid of 560 Letters, from the Dumb Doctor-from 561 Account of the Widow's Club 562 On Egotism-Retailers of old Jokes ceding Paper-The Whole Duty of 576 On Singularity; the Dread and Affec- 577 Letter from a Person supposed to be 544 Letter from Captain Sentry on the 545 Letter from the Emperor of China to 546 On Dishonest Dealing-Cibber's He- roic Daughter-Letter on a ge- 583 Duty of being usefully employed-on 593 On Dreams, how to be improved 595 On the Abuse of Metaphors 596 Distresses of a very amorous Gentleman struct it 602 Advantages of an Air of Importance 623 Account of the Custom of Enborne Unknown 624 Division of Mankind into Classes- 608 List of Persons who demanded the 609 Letters on the improper Dress of young Clergymen-On antipathies-against 610 Applause of men not to be regarded— 611 Letter from a Lady insulted by her Se- 613 Letters on Ambition-Eloquence of Beggars from a Lady marked by the ORIGINAL DEDICATIONS. VOLUME THE FIRST. TO JOHN LORD SOMERS, BARON OF EVESHAM. My Lord, ་ I SHOULD not act the part of an impartial Spectator, if I dedicated the following papers to one who is not of the most consummate and most acknowledged merit. None but a person of a finished character can be a proper patron of a work which endeavours to cultivate and polish human life by promoting virtue and knowledge, and by recommending whatsoever may be either useful or ornamental to society. I know that the homage I now pay you, is offering a kind of violence to one who is as solicitous to shun applause, as he is assiduous to deserve it. But, my lord, this is perhaps the only particular in which your prudence will be always disappointed. While justice, candour, equanimity, a zeal for the good of your country, and the most persuasive eloquence in bringing over others to it, are valuable distinctions, you are not to expect that the public will so far comply with your inclinations, as to forbear celebrating such extraordinary qualities. It is in vain that you have endeavoured to conceal your share of merit in the many national services which you have effected. Do what you will, the present age will be talking of your virtues, though posterity alone will do them justice. the interests of Europe in general; to which I must also add, a certain dignity in yourself, that (to say the least of it) has been always equal to those great honours which have been conferred upon you. It is very well known how much the church owed to you in the most dangerous day it ever saw, that of the arraignment of its prelates;* and how far the civil power, in the late and present reign, has been indebted to your counsels and wisdom. But to enumerate the great advantages which the public has received from your administration, would be a more proper work for a history, than for an address of this nature. Your lordship appears as great in your private life, as in the most important offices which you have borne. I would, therefore, rather choose to speak of the pleasure you afford all who are admitted to your conversation, of your elegant taste in all the polite arts, of learning, of your great humanity and complacency of manners, and of the surprising influence which is peculiar to you, in making every one who converses with your lordship prefer you to himself, without thinking the less meanly of his own talents. But if I should take notice of all that might be observed in your lordship, I should have nothing new to say upon any other character of distinction. I ain, Other men pass through oppositions and contending interests in the ways of ambition; but your great abilities have been invited to power, and importuned to accept of advancement. Nor is it strange that this should happen to your lordship, who could bring into the service of your sovereign the arts and policies of ancient Greece and Rome; as well as the most exact knowledge peached in 1688. of our own constitution in particular, and of * He was one of the counsel for the seven bishops im |