imperfect works of nature; and if Providence shews itself even in the blemishes of these creatures, how much more does it discover itself in the several endowments which it has variously bestowed upon such creatures as are more or less finished and compleated in their several faculties, according to the condition of life in which they are posted.

I could wish our Royal Society would compile a body of natural bistory, the best that could be gathered together from books and observations. If the several writers among them took each his particular species, and gave us a distinct account of its original, birth and education; its policies, hostilities, and alliances, with the frame, and texture of its inward and outward parts, and particu larly those that distinguish it from all other animals, with their peculiar aptitudes for the state of being in which Providence has placed them, it would be one of the best services their studies could do mankind, and not a little redound to the glory of the All-wise Contriver.

It is true, such a natural history, after all the disquisitions of the learned, would be infinitely short and defective. Seas and deserts hide millions of animals from our observation. Innumerable artifices and stratagems are acted in the bowling wilderness and in the great deep, that can never come to our knowledge. Besides that there are infinitely more species of creatures which are not to be seen without, nor indeed with the help of the finest glasses, than of such as are bulky enough for the naked eye to take hold of. However, from the consideration of such animals as lie within the compass of our knowledge, we might easily form at conclusion of the rest, that the same variety of wisdom and goodness runs through the whole creation, and puts every creature in a condition to provide for its safety and subsistence in its proper station.

TULLY has given us an admirable sketch of natural history, in his second book concerning the Nature of

the Gods; and that in a stile so raised by metaphors and descriptions, that it lifts the subject above raillery and ridicule, which frequently fall on such nice observations when they pass through the hands of an ordinary writer.

L.

INDEX.

TO THE

SPECTATOR.

VOL. II.

A

ABIGAILS (male) in fashion among the ladies, No. 55.
Absence in conversation, a remarkable instance of it in Will Ho-

neycomb, No. 77. The occasion of this absence, ibid. and
means to conquer it, ib. The character of an absent man,
out of Bruyere, ib.

Acrostic, a piece of false wit, divided into simple and compound,
No. 60.

Advertisement from a gentlewoman that teaches birds to speak, 36.
From another that is a fine flesh-painter, 41.

Advice; no order of persons too considerable to be advised,

No. 34.

Affectation, a greater enemy to a fine face than the small-pox,

No. 33. It deforms beauty, and turns wit into absurdity, 38.
The original of it, ib. found in the wise man as well as the
coxcomb, ib. the way to get clear of it, ib.

Affliction and sorrow, not always expressed by tears, No. 95. True
affliction labours to be invisible, ib.

Alexander the Great, wry-necked, 32.

Americans, their opinion of souls, No. 56. Exemplified in a vi
sion of one of their countrymen, ib.

Ample (Lady) her uneasiness, and the reason of it. No. 32.

VOL. 11.

D d

Amusements

Amusements of life, when innocent, necessary and allowable,

No. 93.

Anagram, what and when first produced. No. 60.

Andromache, a great fox-hunter, No. 57.

Animals, the different make of every species, No. 120. The in-
stinct of brutes, ib. exemplified in several instances, ih. God
himself the soul of brutes, 121. The variety of arms by which
they are provided by nature, ib.

Apparitions, the creation of weak minds, No 110.

April (the first of) the merriest day in the year, No. 47.
Aristotle, his observation upon the Iambick verse, No. 31. upon
tragedies, 40, 42.

Avarice, the original of it, No. 55. Operates with Luxury, ib.
at war with Luxury, ib. its officers and adherents, ib, comes to
an agreement with Luxury, ib.

Author, the expedient made use of by those that write for the
stage, No. 51.

B

Bawdry, never writ but where there is a dearth of invention,

No. 51.
Beauties, whether male or female, very untractable, No. 87. and
fantastical, 144. impertinent and disagreeable, ib. The ef
ficacy of beauty, ib. The trues ecret how to improve beau-
ty, 33. then the most charming when heightened by virtue, ib.
Beaver, the haberdasher, a great politician, No. 49.
Biters, their business, No. 47.

Blank Verse proper for tragedy, No. 39.

Board-wages, the ill effects of it, No. 88.

Bohours, (Monsieur) a great critic among the French, No. 62.
Bouts Rimez, what, No. 60.

Breeding, fine breeding distinguished from good, No. 66.
British ladies distinguished from the Picts, No. 41.

Brunetta and Phillis, their adventures, No. 80.

Bruyere, (Monsieur) his character of an absent man, No. 77.
Bullock and Norris, differently habited, prove great helps to a silly

play,, No. 44.

Butts described, No. 47. The qualification of a Butt, ib.

Cambray

C

Cambray (the Bishop of) his education of a daughter recommended,

No. 95.

Carbuncle, (Dr.) his dye, what, No. 52.

Censure, a tax, by whom paid to the public, and for what,

No. 101.

Chaplain, the character of Sir Roger de Coverley's, No, 106.
Chastity, the great point of honour in women, No. 99.

Charles I, a famous picture of that prince, No. 58.
Chevy-chase, the Spectator's examen of it, No. 70, 74•

Children in the Wood, a ballad, wherein to be commended,

No. 85.

Church-yard, the country Change on Sunday, No. 112.

Chronogram, a piece of false wit, No. 60.

Cicero, a punster, No. 61. The entertainment found in his phi
losophic writings, ib.

Clarinda, an Idol, in what manner worshipped, No. 73.
Clubs. The Sighing Club, 30. The Fringe-glove Club, ib. The
Amorous Club, ib. The Hebdomadal Club: some account of
the members of that club, 43, and of the Everlasting Club,
72. The Club of Ugly Faces, 78. The difficulties met with in
erecting that club, 16.

Commerce, the extent and advantage ot it, No. 69.

Compliments in ordinary discourse censured, No. 103. Exchange
of compliments, No. 155.

Consciousness, when called affectation, No. 38.

Conversation most straitned in numerous assemblies, No. 68;
usually stuffed with too many compliments, No. 103.

Conde (Prince of), his face like that of an eagle, No. 86.
Connecte (Thomas) a monk in the 14th century, a zealous preacher
against the women's commodes in those days, No. 98.
Coquettes, the present numerous race, to what owing, No. 66.
Courtiers habit, on what occasions hieroglyphical, 64.
Cowley abounds in mixt wit, No. 62.

Coverly (Sir Roger de) he is something of an humourist, No. 106.
His choice of a chaplain, ib. His management of his family,
107. His account of his ancestors, 109. Is forced to have
every room in his house exorcised by his chaplain, 110. A
great benefactor to his church in Worcestershire, 112. in which
he suffers no one to sleep but himself, ib. He gives the Spec-
tator an account of his amours, and the character of his widow,
D d 2
113,