the Ill-natured, that I may do it effectually, I must acquaint them, they have very often praised me when they did not design it, and that they have approved my Writings when they thought they had derogated from them. I have heard feveral of thefe unhappy Gentlemen proving, by undeniable Arguments, that I was not able to pen a Letter which I had written the Day before. Nay, I have heard fome of them throwing out ambiguous Expreffions, and giving the Company reafon to fufpect that they themfelves did me the Honour to fend me fuch and fuch a particular Epistle, which happened to be talked of with the Efteem or Approbation of thofe who were prefent. Thefe rigid Criticks are fo afraid of allowing me any thing which does not belong to me, that they will not be pofitive whether the Lion, the wild Boar, and the Flower-pots in the Play-houfe, did not actually write those Letters which came to me in their Names. I must therefore inform these Gentlemen, that I ofton chufe this way of calling myThoughts into a Letter, for the following Reafons: Firft, out of the Policy of those who try their Jest upon another, before

they

they own it themselves. Secondly, because I would extort a little Praife from fuch who will never applaud any thing whose Author is known and certain. Thirdly, because it gave me an Opportunity of introducing a great variety of Characters into my Work, which could not have been done, had I always written in the Perfon of the Spectator. Fourthiy, because the Dignity Spectatorial would have fuffered, had I publifhed as from my felf thofe feveral ludicrous Compofitions which I have af cribed to fictitious Names and CharaEters. And lastly, because they often ferve to bring in, more naturally, fuch additional Reflections as have been pla ced at the end of them.

THERE are others who have likewife done me a very particular Honour, though undefignedly. These are fuch who will needs have it, that I have tranflated or borrowed many of my Thoughts out of Books which are writ ten in other Languages. I have heard of a Perfon, who is more famous for his Library than his Learning, that has afferted this more than once in his private Conversation. Were it true, I am fure he could not speak it from his own

Know

Knowledge; but had he read the Books which he has collected, he would find this Accufation to be wholly groundless. Those who are truly learned will acquit me in this Point, in which I have been fo far from offending, that I have been fcrupulous perhaps to a Fault in quoting the Authors of feveral Paffages which I might have made my own. But as this Affertion is in reality an Encomium on what I have published, I ought rather to glory in it, than endeavour to confute it.

SOME are so very willing to alienate from me that fmall Reputation which might accrue to me from any of thefe my Speculations, that they attribute fome of the best of them to those imaginary Manufcripts with which I have introduced them. There are others, I must confess, whofe Objections have given me a greater concern, as they seem to reflect, under this Head, rather on my Morality than on my Invention. These are they who fay an Author is guilty of Falfhood, when he talks to the Publick of Manuscripts which he never faw, or describes Scenes of Action or Difcourfe in which he was never engaged. But thefe Gentlemen

would

would do well to confider, there is not a Fable or Parable which ever was made ufe of, that is not liable to this Exception; fince nothing, according to this Notion, can be related innocently, which was not once Matter of Fact. Befides, I think the most ordinary Reader may be able to discover, by my way of writing, what I deliver in thefeOccurrences as Truth, and what as Fiction.

SINCE I am unawares engaged in anfwering the several Objections which have been made against these my Works, I must take notice that there are fome who affirm a Paper of this nature should always turn upon diverting Subjects, and others who find fault with every one of them that hath not an immediate Tendency to the advancement of Religion or Learning. I fhall leave these Gentlemen to dispute it out among themfelves, fince I fee one half of my Conduct patronized by each fide. Were I ferious on an improper Subject, or trifling in a serious one, I fhould defervedly draw upon me the Cenfure of my Readers; or were I conscious of any thing in my Writings that is not innocent at leaft, or that the greatest part of 'em were not fincerely defigned to discounte

nance

nance Vice and Ignorance, and support the Intereft of true Wifdom and Virtue, I fhould be more fevere upon my felf than the Publick is difpofed to be. In the mean while I defire my Reader to confider every particular Paper or Discourse as a diftinct Tract by it felf, and independent of every thing that goes - before or after it..

I fhall end this Paper with the following Letter, which was really fent me, as fome others have been which I have published, and for which I must own my felf indebted to their respective Writers.

SIR,

I

Was this Morning in a Company of your Well-wishers, when we read over, with great Satisfaction, Tully's Obfervations on Action adapted to the British Theatre: Though, by the way, we were very forry to find that you have difpofed of another • Member of your Club. Poor Sir Roger is dead, and the worthy Clergyman dying. Captain Sentry has ta'ken Poffeffion of a good Eftate. Will. • Honeycomb has marrried a Farmer's Daughter; and the Templer withdraws

him