465 The TATLER. [N° 271. From Saturday Dec. 30. to Tuesday Jan. 2. 1710. TH HE Printer having informed me, that there are as many of thefe Papers printed as will make Four Volumes, I am now come to the End of my Ambition in this Matter, and have nothing further to fay to the World under the Character of Ifaac Bickerstaff This Work has indeed for fome Time been difagreeable to me, and the Purpose of it wholly loft by my being fo long understood as the Author. I never defigned in it to give any Man any fecret Wound by my Concealment, but spoke in the Character of an old Man, a Philofopher, an Humorist, an Aftrologer, and a Cenfor," to allure my Reader with the Variety of my Subjects, and infinuate, if I could, the Weight of Reafon with the Agreeableness of Wit. The general Purpose of the whole has been to recommend Truth, Innocence, Honour, and Virtue, as the chief Ornaments of Life ; but I confidered, that Severity of Manners was abfolutely neceffary to him who would: cenfure others, and for that Reason, and that only, chose to talk in a Mask. Ifhall not carry my Humility fo far as to call my self a vicious Man; but at the fame Time muft confefs, my Life is at beft but pardonable. : [Vol. 4.] Hh And And with no greater Character than this, a Man would make but an indifferent Progrefs in attacking prevailing and fashionable Vices, which Mr. Bickerstaff has done with a Freedom of Spirit that would have loft both its Beauty and Efficacy, had it been pretended to by Mr. Steele. As to the Work it felf, the Acceptance it has met with is the best Proof of its Value; but I should err against that Candour which an honest Man fhould always carry about him, if I did not own, that the most approved Pieces in it were written by others, and those which have been most excepted againft by my felf. The Hand that has affifted me in those noble Difcourfes upon the Immortality of the Soul, the glorious Prospects of another Life, and the most fublime Idea's of Religion and Virtue, is a Perfont who is too fondly my Friend ever to own them; but I fhould little deferve to be his, if I ufurped the Glory of them. I muft acknowledge at the fame Time, that I think the finest Strokes of Wit and Humour in all Mr. Bickerftaff's Lucubrations are thofe for which he is alfo beholden to him. As for the Satyrical Parts of these Writings, those against the Gentlemen who profefs Gaming are the most licentious ; but the main of them I take to come from lofing Gamefters, as Invectives against the Fortunate; for in very many of them, I was very little elfe but the Tranfcriber. If any have been been more particularly marked at, fuch Perfons may impute it to their own Behaviour, (before they were touched upon) in publickly Speaking their Refentment against the Author, and profeffing they would support any Man who fhould infult him. When I mention this Subject, I hope Major-General Davenport, Brigadier Biffet, and my Lord Forbes, will accept of my Thanks for their frequent good Offices, in profeffing their Readiness to partake any Danger that should befal me in fo just an Undertaking, as the Endeavour to banish Fraud and Couzenage from the Prefence and Converfation of Gentlemen. But what I find is the least excufable Part of all this Work, is, That I have, in fome Places in it, touched upon Matters which concern both the Church and State. All I hall fay for this is, That the Points I alluded to are fuch as concerned every Christian and Freeholder in England; and I could not be cold enough to conceal my Opinion on Subjects which related to either of those Characters. But Politicks apart. I must confess, it has been a most exquifite Pleasure to me to frame Characters of Domestick Life, and put thofe Parts of it which are leaft obferved into an agreeable View, to enquire into the Seeds of Vanity and Affectation, to lay before my Readers the Emptiness of Ambition: In a Word, to trace Humane Life through all its Mazes and Receffes, and fhow much shorter Methods than than Men ordinarily practise, to be happy, agreeable, and great. But to enquire into Men's Faults and Weakneffes has fomething in it fo unwelcome, that I have often feen People in Pain to act before the, whofe Modefty only make them think themfelves liable to Cenfure. This and a Thousand other nameless Things, have made it an irksome Task to me to perfonate Mr. Bickerstaff any longer; and I believe it does not often happen, that the Reader is delighted where the Author is displeased. All I can now do for the further Gratification of the Town, is to give them a faithful Index and Explication of Paffages and Allufions, and fometimes of Perfons intended in the several scattered Parts of the Work. At the fame Time, the fucceeding Volumes fhall difcover which of the whole have been written by me, and which by others, and by whom, as far as I am able, or permitted. Thus I have voluntarily done what I think all Authors fhould do when call'd upon. I have published my Name to my Writings, and given my felf up to the Mercy of the Town (as Shakespear expreffes it) with all my Imperfections on my Head. The indulgent Readers ni Lev Moft Obliged, Moft Obedient Humble Servant, Richard Steele. The End of the Fourth Volume. Sex. Ambition in Grotesque, what. P. 74 63 Apollo, the God of Verse and Phy- 284 287 Both nearly related in the Fair Apothecaries, great Orators. 13 -The remarkable Incident be- tween him and his Phyfician. 113 B. His Speech to his Physician. 116 Bacon (Sir Francis), his Character. per. 73 No true Happiness in the Suc- ibid. 443 Banbury, famous for Cakes and Zeal. 180 Beauty, an overstock of it. His Letter to the French King. |