fearful Come on, Sir, here's the Place; ftand ftill! How And dizzy 'tis to caft ones Eyes fo low? The Crows and Choughs that wing the Midway Air, Show Scarce as grofs as Beetles. Half-way down Hangs one that gathers Samphire. Dreadful Trade! Methinks he seems no bigger than his Head. The Fishermen that walk upon the Beach, Appear like Mice, and yond tall anchoring Bark Diminish'd to her Boat; her Boat! a Buoy Almoft too fmall for Sight. The murmuring Surge (That on the unnumber'd idle Pebble beats). Cannot be heard fo high. I'll look no more, Left my Brain turn.

The TATLER. [N°118.

Lufifti fatis, edifti fatis, atque bibifti,
Tempus abire tibi.

Hor.

From Saturd. Jan. 7. to Tuefd. Jan. 10. 1709.

From my own Apartment, January 8.

Thought to have given over my Profecution of the Dead for this Seafon, having by me many other Projects for the Reformation of Mankind, but I have received fo many Complaints from fuch different Hands, that I fhall difoblige Multitudes of my Correfpondents, if I do not take Notice of them. Some of the Deceafed, who I thought had been laid quietly in their Graves, are fuch

Hob

Hobgoblins in publick Affemblies, that I must be forced to deal with them as Evander did with his triple-liv'd Adversary, who, according to Virgil, was forced to kill him Thrice over before he could dispatch him.

Ter Letho fternendus erat.

I am likewife informed, That several Wives of my Dead Men have, fince the Decease of their Husbands, been seen in many publick Places without Mourning, or Regard to common Decency.

I am further advifed, That feveral of the Defunct, contrary to the Woollen A&t, prefume to dress themselves in Lace, Embroidery, Silks, Mullins, and other Ornaments forbidden to Perfons in their Condition. Thefe and other the like Informations moving me thereunto, I must desire, for Diftinction-Sake, and to conclude this Subject for ever, that when any of thefe Pofthumous Perfons appear, or are spoken of, that their Wives may be called Widows; their Houses, Sepulchres; their Chariots, Hearses; and their Garments, Flannel: On which Condition, they shall be allowed all the Conveniences that Dead Men can in Reason defire.

As I was writing this Morning on this Subject, I received the following Letter:

Mr. Bickerstaff,

From the Banks of Styx. Muft confess I treated you very scurrilously when you first fent me hither; but you have difpatched fuch Multitudes

I

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after me to keep me in Countenance, that I am very well reconciled both to you and my Condition. We live very lovingly together; for as Death makes us all equal, it makes us very much delight in one another's Company. Our Time paffes away

much after the fame Manner as it did when we were among you: Eating, Drinking, and Sleeping, are our chief Diversions. Our Quid Nuncs between Whiles go to a Coffee-houses, where they have feveral warm Liquors made of the Waters of Lethe, with very good Poppy Tea. We that are the sprightly Genius's of the Place, refresh our felves frequently with a Bottle of Mum, and tell Stories till we fall asleep. You ' would do well to fend among us Mr. Dodwell's Book against the Immortality of the Soul, which would be of great Confolation to our whole Fraternity, who would be very glad to find that they are dead for good and all, and would in particular make me reft for ever,

Yours,

John Partridge.

P. S. Sir James is just arrived here in good

'Health.

The foregoing Letter was the more pleafing to me, because I perceive fome little Symptoms in it of a Refufcitation; and having lately feen the Predictions of this Au

thor,

thor, which are written in a true Protestant Spirit of Prophecy, and a particular Zeal against the French King, I have fome Thoughts of fending for him from the Banks of Styx, and reinftating him in his own House, at the Sign of the Globe in Salisbury-Street. For the Encouragement of him and others, I fhall offer to their Confideration a Letter which gives me an Account of the Revival of one of their Brethren.

'

SIR,

December 31.

Have perufed your Tatler of this Day, and have wept over it with great Pleafure: I wish you would be more frequent ' in your Family-Pieces. For as I confider you under the Notion of a great Defigner, I think these are not your leaft valuable Performances. I am glad to find you have given over your Face-painting for fome Time, becaufe, I think, you have employed your felf more in Grotefque Figures, than in Beauties; for which Reason, I would rather fee you work upon Hiftory-Pieces, than on fingle Portraicts. Your feveral Draughts of Dead Men appear to me as Pictures of Still-Life, and have done great "Good in the Place where I live. The 'Squire of a neighbouring Village, who had been a long Time in the Number of Non-Entities, is entirely recovered by them. For these several Years paft, there was not an Hare in the County that could be at Rest

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(

• for

for him; and I think, the greatest Exploit he ever boasted of, was, That when he was High-Sheriff of the County, he hunted a Fox fo far, that he could not follow him any further by the Laws of the Land. All the Hours he spent at Home, were in fwelling himself with October, and rehearfing the Wonders he did in the Field. Upon-reading your Papers, he has fold his Dogs, fhook off his dead Companions, looked into his Eftate, got the Multiplica'tion-Table by Heart, paid his Tythes, and intends to take upon him the Office of 'Church-warden next Year. I wish the fame Succefs with your other Patients, and am, &c.

Ditto, January 9.

When I came Home this Evening, a very tight middle-aged Woman prefented to me the following Petition:

To the Worshipful Ifaac Bickerstaff Efq; Cenfor of Great Britain.

The humble Petition of Penelope Prim, Widow; Sheweth,

TH

HAT your Petitioner was bred a Clear-ftarcher and Sempftrefs, and for many Years worked to the Exchange; and to feveral Aldermens Wives, Lawyers Clerks, and Merchants Apprentices.

That through the Scarcity caused by Regraters of Bread-Corn, (of which Starch is • made)