No. 1.

1711

turnity; and since I have neither Time nor Inclination Thursday, to communicate the Fulness of my Heart in Speech, I am March 1, resolved to do it in Writing; and to Print my self out, if possible, before I Die, I have been often told by my Friends that it is Pity so many useful Discoveries which I have made, should be in the Possession of a Silent Man For this Reason therefore, I shall publish a Sheet-full of Thoughts every Morning, for the Benefit of my Contem poraries; and if I can any way contribute to the Diver sion or Improvement of the Country in which I live, I shall leave it, when I am summoned out of it, with the secret Satisfaction of thinking that I have not Lived in vain

There are three very material Points which I have not spoken to in this Paper, and which, for several im portant Reasons, I must keep to my self, at least for some Time: I mean, an Account of my Name, my Age, and my Lodgings. I must confess I would gratifie my Reader in any thing that is reasonable; but as for these three Particulars, though I am sensible they might tend very:: much to the Embellishment of my Paper, I cannot yet come to a Resolution of communicating them to the Publick. They would indeed draw me out of that Obscurity which I have enjoyed for many Years, and expose me in Publick Places to several Salutes and Civilities, which have been always very disagreeable to me; for the greatest Pain I can suffer, is the being talked to, and being stared at. It is for this Reason likewise, that I keep my Complexion and Dress, as very great Secrets; tho' it is not impossible, but I may make Discoveries of both, in the Progress of the Work It

have undertaken.

After having been thus particular upon my self, I shall in to Morrow's Paper give an Account of those Gentlemen who are concerned with me in this Work. For, as I have before intimated, a Plan of it is laid and concerted (as all other Matters of Importance are) in a Club. However, Friends have engaged me to stand in the Front, those who have a mind to correspond with me, may direct their Letters To the SPECTATOR, at Mr Buckley's in Little Britain. For I must further acquaint the Reader, that tho' our Club meets only on Tuesdays and Thursdays

as my

Thursdays, we have appointed a Committee to sit every No. 1 14ight, for the Inspection of all such Papers as may con Thursday, tribute to the Advancement of the Public Weal.

y

C

March 1, 1711

No. 2.
STEELE.]

T

Haec alii sex

Friday, March 2.

—Juv.

Vel plures uno conclamant ore,—

HE first of our Society is a Gentleman of Worcester e shire, of antient Descent, a Baronet, his Name Sir ROGER DE COVERLY. His great Grandfather was Inventor ef that famous Country Dance which is call'd after him. All who know that Shire are very well acquainted with ethe Parts and Merits of Sir ROGER. He is a Gentleman ¿'hat is very singular in his Behaviour, but his Singularities rproceed from his good Sense, and are Contradictions to ethe Manners of the World, only as he thinks the World yis in the wrong. However, this Humour creates him tao Enemies, for he does nothing with Sourness or Obstinacy; and his being unconfined to Modes and Forms, makes him but the readier and more capable to please and oblige all who know him. When he is in dtown he lives in Soho Square: It is said, he keeps himself a Batchelor by reason he was crossed in Love, by a perverse beautiful Widow of the next County to him. Before this Disappointment, Sir ROGER was what y you call a fine Gentleman, had often supped with my Lord Rochester and Sir George Etherege, fought a Duel upon his first coming to Town, and kick'd Bully Dawson in a publick Coffee house for calling him Youngster. 1 But being ill used by the above-mentioned Widow, he was very serious for a Year and a half; and though, his Temper being naturally jovial, he at last got over it, 1 he grew careless of himself, and never dressed afterwards; he continues to wear a Coat and Doublet of the same Cut that were in Fashion at the Time of his Repulse, which, in his merry Humours, he tells us, has been in and out twelve Times since he first wore it. 'Tis said Sir ROGER grew humble in his Desires after he had forgot this cruel Beauty, insomuch that it is reported

he

No. 2.
Friday,

he has frequently offended in Point of Chastity with Beggars and Gypsies: But this is look'd upon by his March 2, Friends rather as Matter of Raillery than Truth. He is

1711.

now in his Fifty sixth Year, cheerful, gay, and hearty keeps a good House both in Town and Country; al great Lover of Mankind; but there is such a mirthfuls Cast in his Behaviour, that he is rather beloved than esteemed: His Tenants grow rich, his Servants look satisfied, all the young Women profess Love to him and the young Men are glad of his Company: When he comes into a House he calls the Servants by their Names, and talks all the way up Stairs to a Visit. must not omit that Sir ROGER is a Justice of the Quorum that he fills the chair at a Quarter Session with great Abilities, and three Months ago gain'd universal Ap plause by explaining a Passage in the Game-Act.

The Gentleman next in Esteem and Authority among us, is another Batchelor, who is a Member of the Inner Temple; a Man of great Probity, Wit, and Understand ing; but he has chosen his Place of Residence rather to obey the Direction of an old humoursom Father. than in pursuit of his own Inclinations. He was placed there to study the Laws of the Land, and is the most learned of any of the House in those of the Stage. Aristotle and Longinus are much better understood by him than Littleton or Cooke. The Father sends up every Post Questions relating to Marriage-Articles, Leases, and Tenures, in the Neighbourhood; all which Questions he agrees with an Attorney to answer and take care of in the Lump: He is studying the Passions themselves, when he should be inquiring into the Debates among Men which arise from them. He knows the Argument of each of the Orations of Demosthenes and Tully, but not one Case in the Reports of our own Courts. No one ever took him for a Fool, but none, except his intimate Friends, know he has a great deal of Wit. This Turn makes him at once both disinterested and agreeable: As few of his Thoughts are drawn from Business, they are most of them fit for Conversation, His Taste of Books is a little too just for the Age he lives in; he has read all, but approves of very few. His Familiarity

1711

thith the Customs, Manners, Actions, and Writings of No. 2.
ishe Antients, makes him a very delicate Observer of Friday,,
isyhat occurs to him in the present World. He is an
March 2,
yexcellent Critick, and the Time of the Play is his Hour
of Business; exactly at five he passes thro' New Inn,
utrosses thro' Russel-Court, and takes a turn at Will's
náll the play begins; he has his Shooes rubbed and his
Perriwig powder'd at the Barber's as you go into the
the Good of the Audience when he is
Rose.

enat a Play, for the Actors have an Ambition to please him.
ir The Person of next Consideration is Sir ANDREW
FREEPORT, a Merchant of great Eminence in the City of
ondon. A Person of indefatigable Industry, strong
aReason, and great Experience. His Notions of Trade
pare noble and generous, and (as every rich Man has
Usually some sly Way of Jesting, which would make
agno great_Figure were he not a rich Man) he calls the
erSea the British Common. He is acquainted with Com
merce in all its Parts, and will tell you that it is a stupid and
eroarbarous Way to extend Dominion by Arms; for true
Power is to be got by Arts and Industry. He will often
edargue, that if this Part of our Trade were well cultivated,
stwe should gain from one Nation; and if another, from
e.another. I have heard him prove, that Diligence makes
ymore lasting Acquisitions than Valour, and that Sloth
pas ruined more Nations than the Sword. He abounds
sin several frugal Maxims, among which the greatest
as Favourite is, 'A Penny saved is a Penny got.' A General
of Trader of good Sense, is pleasanter company than a general
s Scholar; and Sir ANDREW having a natural unaffected
g Eloquence, the Perspicuity of his Discourse gives the same
at Pleasure that Wit would in another Man. He has made
ut his Fortunes himself; and says that England may be
e richer than other Kingdoms, by as plain Methods as he
e himself is richer than other Men; tho' at the same Time
n I can say this of him, that there is not a point in the Com
pass but blows home a Ship in which he is an Owner,
y Next to Sir ANDREW in the Club-room sits Captain
ENTRY, a Gentleman of great Courage, good Under-
e standing, but invincible Modesty. He is one of those that
y deserve very well, but are very awkward at putting their
Talents

h

Talents within the Observation of such as should take Notic of them. He was some Years a Captain, and behave himself with great Gallantry in several Engagements, an at several Sieges; but having a small Estate of his own and being next Heir to Sir ROGER, he has quitted a Way d Life in which no Man can rise suitably to his Merit, wh is not something of a Courtier as well as a Soldier, have heard him often lament, that in a Profession wher Merit is placed in so conspicuous a View, Impudenc should get the better of Modesty. When he has talked t this Purpose I never heard him make a sour Expression but frankly confess that he left the World, because he wa not fit for it. A strict Honesty and an even_regula Behaviour, are in themselves Obstacles to him that mus press through Crowds, who endeavour at the same En with himself, the Favour of a Commander. He wi however in his Way of Talk excuse Generals, for no disposing according to Mens Desert, or enquiring into it For, says he, that great Man who has a Mind to help me has as many to break through to come at me, as I have t come at him: Therefore he will conclude, that the Mar who would make a Figure, especially in a military Way must get over all false Modesty, and assist his Patro against the Importunity of other Pretenders, by a prope Assurance in his own Vindication. He says it is a civi Cowardice to be backward in asserting what you ought t expect, as it is a military Fear to be slow in attacking when it is your Duty. With this Candour does th Gentleman speak of himself and others. The sam Frankness runs through all his Conversation.

The

military Part of his Life has furnish'd him with many Adventures, in the Relation of which he is very agreeable to the Company; for he is never over-bearing, though accustomed to command Men in the utmost Degree below him; nor ever too obsequious, from an Habit of obeying Men highly above him

and

But that our Society may not appear a Set o Humourists unacquainted with the Gallantries Pleasures of the Age, we have among us the gallar WILL. HONEYCOMB, a Gentleman who according to his Years should be in the Decline of his Life, but having