7. The Author's will-Raillery on Marriage-Cha- racters of a Coquet and a Coxcomb-Epsom Wells, a Comedy-Continental Intelligence.... STEELE. 8. Reformation of the Stage-Continental Intelli- gence-A dream of the state of England...... 9. Congreve's Old Bachelor: STEELE-Description of the Morning: SWIFT-Character of Timon-Pas- torella converted from Coquetry-Continental 10. Empire of Beauty-Continental Intelligence...... 11. A Similitude-On Death-Modern Prophets : 12. Corruption of Manners and Language-Bite: STEELE-A Winter Piece: PHILIPS-Verses by DRYDEN. 13. Adventures of the Tatler's Guardian Angel, Paco- let-Continental Intelligence... 14. Character of Verus-Earl of Essex and Alchy- mist-Dumb Fortune-teller and Widow-To 15. Story of Pacolet-Gamesters-Pleasure.. 16. Characters at Bath-Letter to Castabella..... 17. On Panegyric-Naked Truth criticized.. 18. On Signs: probably ADDISON-Distress of News- 19. History of Esquires-Busy Body-A Trip to the Jubilee-Letter from Madam Maintenon....... 20. Complaint of a Lady: STEELE-Dramatic News CONTENTS. 16435.2 XV The Fox-Dramatic Writers of the last and present Age-Letter on Mr. Bickerstaff's Pro- phecy of his Death-Witchcraft-Continental 22. Cynthia in Love-Lindamira's Lovers-Cave Un- derhill-Young Lady in Love with a Rake..... 23. Cure for Fits in Married Ladies-Letter to the French King-Continental Intelligence....... 24. Character of a very Pr Fellow-A Toast: AD- DISON-Continental Intelligence-Lines to the 25. On Duelling-Advice generally unwelcome-Con- 26. Letter from a Pretty Fellow-from Louis XIV. 27. Character of a Rake-a Coquette-Verses on a Parrot-Letter from Jeffry Nicknack-Conti- 28. On Duelling-Continental Intelligence.. 29. Letter from Tim. Switch, on Duelling-Critics and and Wits-Continental Intelligence..... 30. Character of the Author's Three Nephews-Style 35. Snuff-taking-Cynthia's Courtship-Hamlet's Di- 36. Mrs. Jenny Distaff-Characters at Epsom-Of Africanus: ADDISON-Continental Intelligence.. STEELE. 38. On Duelling-Whisperers without Business-Cha- racters: ADDISON- -Continental Intelligence.... STEELE. 39. Oxford, and its Almanac-Dialogue on Duels.... 40. Cure of Lunatics-On Love and Marriage.................... 41. Exercise at Arms-Character of a Questioner- The Author accused of Personalities.... HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL PREFACE ΤΟ THE TATLER, 1803. THE Commencement of the Eighteenth Century was distinguished by the appearance of a class of writers so eminent for wit, elegance, and taste, that the period in which they flourished has, almost by universal consent, been recorded as the Augustan age of English literature; criticism, however, has since endeavoured to explode a term which, while it consigned the past to oblivion, might check the hope of future improvement: yet, if we fairly estimate the writings of the principal ornaments of that time, we must at least allow that they formed a combination which has not often graced the annals of literature, and that they have bestowed upon the world labours, whose intrinsic worth must be great, since they have outlived many revolutions of taste, and have attained unrivalled popularity and classic fame, while multitudes of their contemporaries, successors, and imitators, have perished, with the accidents, or caprice, or fashion, which procured them any share of public attention. To this preeminence the Essayists whose works are now before us, seem justly entitled from the importance of the task they undertook, and the manner in which they executed what has seldom been attempted but with a repulsive and unaccommodating sternness. The more serious duties of religion had not been neglected by those who wrote to reform the age; but for common life and manners, no precepts were laid down, except what were too general or too precise. The instructions contained in the systematic writers on morality, were not devoid of force, or argument; but their style was unpolished, and with the gay and idle their tediousness was ill-calculated to agree. Abuses crept in, which were beneath the attention of the pulpit, or the bar. Public amusements, which are not indifferent to the manners of a nation, became disgraced by absurdities, which impeded their usefulness even as vehicles of mere entertainment. Though purified from much of their licentiousness by the indefatigable zeal of Collier, they were not yet |