Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

LONDON:

Printed for J. TONSON in the Strand.
M DCC XXIV.

THE

SPECTATOR.

VOL. XV.

N° 550. Monday, December 1, 1712.

Quid dignum tanto feret hic promiffor HIATU?

Hor.

INCE the late Diffolution of the Club whereof I have often declared my self a Member, there are very many Perfons who by Letters, Petitions, and Recommendations, put up for the next Election. At the fame time I must complain, that several indirect and underhand Practices have been made ufe of upon this Occafion. A certain Country Gentleman begun to tap upon the

A 2

the firft Information he received of Sir ROGER'S Death; when he sent me up Word, that if I would get him chosen in the place of the Deceased, he would present me with a Barrel of the best October I had ever drank in my Life. The Ladies are in great pain to know whom I intend to elect in the room of WILL. HONEYCOMB. Some of them indeed are of Opinion that Mr. HONEYCOMB did not take fufficient care of their Interests in the Club, and are therefore defirous of having in it hereafter a Reprefentative of their own Sex. A Citizen who fubfcribes himself r. Z. tells me that he has one and twenty Shares in the African Company, and offers to bribe me with the odd one in cafe he may fucceed Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, which he thinks would raise the Credit of that Fund. I have feveral Letters dated from Jenny Man's, by Gentlemen who are Candidates for Capt. SENTRY's Place, and as many from a Coffee-house in Paul's ChurchYard of fuch who would fill up the Vacancy occafioned by the Death of my worthy Friend the Clergyman, whom I can never mention but with a particular Respect.

HAVING maturely weighed these several Particulars, with the many Remonftrances that have been made to me on this Subject, and confidering how invidious an Office I fhall take upon me if I make the whole Election depend upon my fingle Voice, and being unwilling to expofe my felf to thofe Clamours, which, on fuch an Occafion, will not fail to be raised against me for Partiality, Injuftice, Corruption, and other Qualities which my Nature abhors, I have formed to my felf the Project of a Club as follows.

I have Thoughts of iffuing out Writs to all and every of the Clubs that are established in the Cities of London and Westminster, requiring them to chufe out of their refpective Bodies a Perfon/ of the greatest Merit, and to return his Name to me before Lady-day, at which time I intend to fit upon Bufinefs.

BY this means I may have reason to hope, that the Club over which I shall prefide will be the very Flower and Quintescence of all other Clubs. I have communicated this my Project to none, but a particular Friend of mine, whom I have celebrated twice or thrice for his Happiness in that kind of Wit A 3 which

« PreviousContinue »