you now take as much pleasure in the planting of young Trees, as you did formerly in the Cutting down of your old ones. In short, we hear from all Hands that You are thoroughly reconciled to your dirty Acres, and have not too much Wit to look into your own Estate.

After having spoken thus much of my Patron, I must take the Privilege of an Author in saying something of my self. I fhall therefore beg leave to add, that I have purposely omitted setting those Marks to the End of every Paper, which appeared in my former Volumes, that you may have an Opportunity of showing Mrs. Honeycomb the Shrewdness of your Conjectures, by

As ascribing

ascribing every Speculation to its proper Author: Though You know how often many profound Criticks in Style and Sentiments have very judiciously erred in this Particular, before they were let into the Secrer.

I am,

S IR,

Your most Faithful,

Humble Servant,

The SPECTATOR.

THE

Bookfeller to the Reader.

N the Six hundred and thirty Second

Spectator, the Reader will find an Account of the Rise of this Eighth and Last Volume.

IS

I have not been able to prevail upon the several Gentlemen who were concerned in this work to let me acquaint the World with their Names.

Perhaps it will be unnecessary to inform the Reader, that no other Papers, which have appeared under the Title of Spectator, since the closing of this Eighth Volume, were written by any of those Gentlemen who had a Hand in this or the former Volumes.

THE

Qualis ubi in lucem coluber mala gramina paffus,
Frigida sub terrâ tumidum quem bruma tegebat;
Nunc pofitis novus exuviis, nitidusque juventa,
Lubrica convolvit fublato pectore terga
Arduus ad folem, & linguis micat ore trisulcis. Virg.

PON laying down the Office of Spec

TATOR, I acquainted the World with my Design of electing a new Club, and

of opening my Mouth in it after a most folemn Manner. Both the Election and

the Ceremony are now past ; but not finding it so easy, as I at first imagined, to break thro' a Fifty Years Silence, I would not venture into the World under the Character of a Man who pretends to talk like other People, 'till I had arrived at a full Freedom of Speech.

I shall reserve for another time the History of such Club or Clubs of which I am now a talkative, but unworthy Member; and shall here give an Account of this

surprising

U