Cenfures of himself fall only upon the Creatures of his Imagination; and if any one finds fault with him, the Author may reply with the Philofopher of old, Thou doft but beat the Cafe of Anaxarchus. When I fpeak in my own private Sentiments, I cannot but addrefs my felf to my Readers in a more fubmiffive manner, and with a juft Gratitude, for the kind Reception which they have given to thefe daily Papers that have been published for almost the fpace of two Years laft paft.

I hope the Apology I have made as vto the Licence allowable to a feigned Character, may excufe any thing which has been faid in thefe Difcourfes of the Spectator and his Works; but the Imputation of the groffeft Vanity would ftill dwell upon me, if I did not give fome Account by what means I was enabled to keep up the Spirit of fo long and approyed a Performance. All the Papers marked with a C, an L, an I, or an O, that is to fay, all the Papers which I have diftinguished by any Letter in the Name of the Mufe CLIO, were given me by the Gentleman, of whofe Affiftance I formerly boasted in the Preface and concluding Leaf of

my

my Tatlers. I am indeed much more proud of his long continued Friendship, than I should be of the Fame of being thought the Author of any Writings which he himself is capable of producing. I remember when I finished the Tender Husband, I told him there was nothing I fo ardently wifhed, as that we might fome time or other publish a Work written by us both, which should bear the Name of the Monument, in memory of our Friendship. I heartily with what I have done here, were as Honorary to that facred Name, as Learning, Wit, and Humanity render thofe Pieces which I have taught the Reader how to diftinguish for his. When the Play above-mentioned was laft acted, there were fo many applauded Strokes in it which I had from the fame Hand, that I thought very meanily of my felf that I had never publickly acknowledged them. After I have put other Friends upon importuning him to publish Dramatick, as well as other Writings he has by him, I fhall end what I think I am obliged to, fay on this Head, by giving my Reader this Hint for the better judging of my Productions, that the best Comment

upon

upon

them would be an Account when the Patron to the Tender Husband was in England, or abroad.

THE Reader will alfo find fome Papers which are marked with the Letter X, for which he is obliged to the Ingenious Gentleman who diverted the Town with the Epilogue to the Diftreffed Mother. I might have owned these feveral Papers with the free Confent of these Gentlemen, who did not write them with a defign of being known for the Authors. But as a candid and fincere Behaviour ought to be preferred to all other Confiderations, I would not let my Heart reproach me with a Consciousness of having acquired a Praise which is not my Right.

THE other Affiftances which I have had, have been conveyed by Letter, fometimes by whole Papers, and other times by fhort Hints from unknown Hands. I have not been able to trace Favours of this kind, with any Certainty, but to the following Names, which I place in the Order wherein I received the Obligation; tho' the first I am going to name, can hardly be mentioned in a Lift wherein he would not deferve the Precedence. The Perfons to

whom

whom I am to make thefe Acknowledgments are Mr. Henry Martyn, Mr. Pope, Mr. Hughs, Mr. Carey of NewCollege in Oxford, Mr. Tickell of Queen's in the fame Univerfity, Mr. Parnelle, and Mr. Eufden of Trinity in Cambridge. Thus, to speak in the Language of my late Friend Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, I have ballanced my Accounts with all my Creditors for Wit and Learning. But as these excellent Performances would not have seen the Light without the means of this Paper, I may still arrogate to my self the Merit of their being communicated to the Publick.

I have nothing more to add, but having fwelled this Work to five hundred and fifty five Papers, they will be difpofed into feven Volumes, four of which are already published, and the three others in the Prefs. It will not be demanded of me why I now leave off, though I must own my self obliged to give an Account to the Town of my Time hereafter; fince I retire when their Partiality to me is fo great, that an Edition of the former Volumes of Spectators of above nine thousand each Book is already fold off, and the Tax on each half Sheet has brought into the · VOL. XV.

C

Stamp

Stamp-Office one Week with another above 20%. a-Week arifing from this fingle Paper, notwithstanding it at firft reduced it to lefs than half the number that was usually printed before this Tax was laid,

I humbly befeech the Continuance of this Inclination to favour what I may hereafter produce, and hope I have in many Occurrences of Life tafted fo deeply of Pain and Sorrow, that I am proof against much more profperous Circumftances than any Advantages to which my own Induftry can poffibly

exalt me.

I am,

My Good-natured Reader,

Your moft obedient,

Moft obliged humble Servant,

Vos valete & plaudite.

Richard Steele.

Ter.

THE following Letter regards an ingenious Sett of Gentlemen, who have done me the Honour to make me one of their Society.

Mr.