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as a looker on, which is the character I intend to preserve in this Paper.

I have given the reader juft fo much of my history and character, as to let him fee I am not altogether unqualified for the business I have undertaken. As for other particulars in my life and adventures, I fhall infert them in following Papers, as I fhall fee occafion. In the mean time, when I confider how much I have feen, read, and heard, I begin to blame my own taciturnity; and fince I have neither time, nor inclination, to communicate the fulness of my heart in fpeech, I am refolved to do it in writing, and to print myfelf out, if poffible, before I die. I have been often told by my friends, that it is pity fo many ufeful difcoveries which I have made fhould be in the poffeffion of a filent man. For this reafon, therefore, I fhall publish a fheet-full of thoughts every morning, for the benefit of my contemporaries; and if I can any way contribute to the diverfion, or improvement of the country in which I live, I hall leave it, when I am fummoned out of it, with the fecret fatisfaction of thinking that I have not lived in vain.

There are three very material points which I have not spoken to in this Paper; and which for feveral important reafons, I must keep to myself, at least for some time: I mean, an account of my name, my age, and my lodgings. I must confefs, I would gratify my reader in any thing that is reafonable; but as for thefe three particulars, though I am fenfible they

might tend very much to the embellishment of my Paper, I cannot yet come to a refolution of communicating them to the public. They would indeed draw me out of that obfcurity which I have enjoyed for many years, and expofe me in public places to feveral falutes and civilities, which have been always very difagreeable to me; for the greatest pain I can fuffer, is It is the being talked to, and being ftared at. for this reafon likewife, that I keep my complection and dress as very great fecrets; though it is not impoffible, but I may make difcoveries of both in the progrefs of the work I have undertaken.

After having been thus particular upon myself, I fhall in to-morrow's Paper give an account of thofe gentlemen who are concerned with me in this work; for, as I have before intimated, a plan of it is laid and concerted, (as all other matters of importance are) in a club, However, as my friends have engaged me to ftand in the front, those who have a mind to correfpond with me, may direct their letters to the SPECTATOR, at Mr. Buckley's in Little-Britain. For I muft further acquaint the Reader, that though our club meets only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have appointed a committee to fit every night for the infpection of all fuch Papers as may contribute to the advancement of the Public-Weal.

C*.

*By ADDISON. The letter C, fignifies probably, that it was written at Chelsea, where he had lodgings, about this time.

B 4

N° 2.

N° 2. Friday, March 2, 1710-11.

-Aft alii fex

Et plures, uno conclamant ore- Juv. Sat. vii. 167.
Six more at least join their confenting voice.

TH

HE firft of our fociety is a Gentleman of Worcestershire, of an ancient descent, a Baronet, his name Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY*. His great grandfather was inventor of that famous country-dance which is called after him. All who know that shire are very well acquainted with the parts and merits of Sir ROGER. He is a gentleman that is very fingular in his behaviour, but his fingularities proceed from his good fenfe, and are contradictions to the manners of

the

The late Mr. Tyers, in "An historical effay on Mr. Addifon," 8vo. 1783, p. 42, fays, that "this character was understood to be drawn for "Sir John Packington of Wor"cefterfhire, a tory, not without good fenfe, but abounding "in abfurdities." The Annotator did not find on enquiry, that the writer of the Effay had any credible authority for the affertion, which is therefore only to be confidered as a vague report. Mr. Tickell fays, in the preface to his edition of Addifon's Works, p. xv. "The characters here drawn "by STEELE, may ferve as a Dramatis Perfona, or fo many "pictures for ornament, and explication of the whole." It feems then to have been Mr. Tickell's opinion, that the account of the Spectator and the Club are altogether fictitious, and contrived merely to give novelty and variety to the work. The members of the Society are selected from the most confpicuous claffes of mankind; the character of the Spectator, and that of Sir Roger, are new, and fupported with infinite humour. By this contrivance, the inftruction of didactic, is happily united with the entertainment of drama

the world, only as he thinks the world is in the wrong. However, this humour creates him no enemies, for he does nothing with fourness or obftinacy; and his being unconfined to modes. and forms, makes him but the readier and more capable to please and oblige all who know him. When he is in town, he lives in Soho-Square *. It is faid, he keeps himself a bachelor by reafon he was croffed in love, by a perverse beautiful widow + of the next county to him. Before this difappointment, Sir ROGER was what you call a fine gentleman, had often fupped with my lord Rochester and Sir George Etherege, fought a duel upon his first coming to town, and kicked bully Dawson in a public coffee-houfe for calling him youngfter. But being ill-ufed by the above mentioned widow, he was very ferious for a year and a half; and though, his temper being naturally jovial, he at last got over it, he grew

tic writers, and the reader is agreeably amufed and edified by actions, characters, and examples, rather than by precept.

At that time the genteeleft part of the town. See the old Map.

+ The Annotator hopes to be able foon, to give a circumftantial and well-authenticated account of the real lady alluded to, under the character of this widow.

This fellow was a noted fharper, fwaggerer, and debauchee about town, at the time here pointed out; he was well known in Black Friars and it's then infamous purlieus. Oldys affirms, on the authority of old John Bowman the player, that the character of Capt. Hackam in SHADWELL'S comedy called "The Squire of Alfatia," was drawn to expofe Bully DAWSON. Oldys's MS. Notes on Langbaine's Lives, &c. p. 450, B. Mufeum. See "The Squire of Al"fatia," in the London Cries and Habits by Lauroon, 74 half fheets. Printed and fold by P. Tempeft, &c. 1711.

careless

careless of himself, and never dreffed afterwards, He continues to wear a coat and doublet of the fame cut that were in fafhion at the time of his repulfe, which, in his merry humours, he tells us, has been in and out twelve times fince he first wore it. It is faid Sir ROGER grew humble in his defires after he had forgot his cruel beauty, infomuch that it is reported he has frequently offended in point of chastity with beggars and gypfies: but this is looked upon by his friends rather as matter of raillery than truth, He is now in his fifty-fixth year, chearful, gay, and hearty; keeps a good houfe both in town and country; a great lover of mankind; but there is fuch a mirthful caft in his behaviour, that he is rather beloved than efteemed.

His tenants grow rich, his fervants look fatiffied, all the young women profefs love to him, and the young men are glad of his company. When he comes into a house he calls the fervants by their names, and talks all the way up stairs to a vifit. I muft not omit, that Sir ROGER is a juftice of the Quorum; that he fills the chair at a quarter-feffion with great abilities, and three months ago, gained univerfal applause, by explaining a paffage in the game-act.

The gentleman next in efteem and authority among us is another bachelor, who is a member of the Inner-Temple; a man of great probity, wit, and underftanding; but he has chofen his place of refidence rather to obey the direction of an old humourfome father, than in purfuit of his own inclinations. He was placed there

to

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