vii 410 Adventures of Sir Roger de Coverley with a Woman of the Town-Trans- 422 On Railery-Characters of Callis- Earl of Hardwick 404 On the misapplication of Nature's Gifts Unknown 510 On the irresistible Power of Beauty Steele 549 On Reluctance to leave the World- Letter from Sir Andrew Freeport on 551 Translation of Greek Epigrams-Letter Unknown Addison Unknown 552 Recommendations of industrious 520 On the Death of a beloved Wife 521 On the Uncertainty and Absurdity of 522 Advice to Ladies on Marriage Visions of worldly and heavenly $25 Success of the Spectators-on Marriage 526 On Templars turning Hackney-coach- 528 Complaints of Rachel Well-a-day 530 Account of the Marriage of Will Ho- 531 On the Idea of the Supreme Being 532 The Author's Success in produc- Letter from Mr. Sly on Hats Letter from Oxford Correspondents 554 On the Improvement of Genius 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 a pert Baggage-on the Author's re- 561 Account of the Widow's Club 577 Letter from a Person supposed to be crazed-Petition of John-a-nokes and 540 Letter on the Merits of Spenser 541 On Pronunciation and Action 543 Meditation on the Frame of the Human Planting 544 Letter from Captain Sentry on the Character of Sir Roger de Coverley, 517 Cures performed by the Spectator 604 On a Desire of knowing future Events Unknown 608 List of Persons who demanded the 609 Letters on the improper Dress of young 610 Applause of men not to be regarded- 611 Letter from a Lady insulted by her Se- ducer-Reflections on the Subject 613 Letters on Ambition-Eloquence of Beggars-from a Lady marked by the 623 Account of the Custom of Enborne | | || Translation of Cato's Soliloquy ORIGINAL DEDICATIONS. VOLUME THE FIRST. My Lord, TO JOHN LORD SOMERS, BARON OF EVESHAM. 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 Other men pass through oppositions and should have nothing new to say upon any contending interests in the ways of ambi-other character of distinction. I ain, tion; 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 MY LORD, Your Lordship's most devoted, * He was one of the counsel for the seven bishops im |