But a Work of this Nature requiring Time to grow into the Notice of the World, it happened very luckily, that a little before I had refolved upon this Design, a Gentleman had written Predictions, and Two or Three other Pièces in my Name, which had render'd it famous thro' all Parts of Europe; and by an inimitable Spirit and Humour, raifed it to as high aPitch of Reputation as it could poffibly arrive at.

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By this good Fortune, the Name of Ifaac Bickerstaff gained an Audience of all who had any Taste of Wit, and the Addition of the ordinary Occurrences of common Journals of News brought in a Multitude of other Readers. I could not, I confefs, long keep up the Opinion of the Town, that thefe Lucubrations

were

were written by the same Hand re with the first Works which

tle

his

the were published under my Name; but before I loft the Participation of that Author's Fame, I had already found the Advantage of hisAuthority, to which I owe the ee fudden Acceptance which my Labours met with in the World.

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11 The general Purpose of this Paper, is to expofe the falfe Arts of Life, to pull off the Difguifes of Cunning, Vanity, and Affecta. tion,and to recommend a general Simplicity in our Drefs, our Difcourfe, and our Behaviour. No Man has a better Judgment for 1 the Discovery, or a nobler Spirit S for the Contempt of all ImpoS fture, than your felf; whichQualities render you the most

the most proper

Patron for the Author of these Effays. In the general, the Defign,

fign, however executed, has meet with fo great Success, that there is hardly a Name now eminent among us for Power,Wit, Beauty, Valour, or Wisdom, which is not fubfcribed, for the Encouragement of the Two Volumes in Octavo, on a Royal or Medium Pa/per. This is indeed an Honour for which it is impoffible to exprefs a fuitable Gratitude; and there is nothing could be an Addition to the Pleafure I take in it, but theReflection, that it gives me the most confpicuous Occafion I. can ever have, of fubfcribing my felf,

SIR

Your most Obliged, moft Obedient,

and moft Humble Servant,

Ifaac Bickerstaff.

THE

Ifaac Bickerstaff Esq;

Quicquid agunt Homines noftri Farrago Libelli.

T

Tuesday, April 12. 1709.

HO' the other Papers which are publifhed for the Ufe of the good People of England have certainly very wholfor Effects, and are laudable in their particular Kinds, they do not seem to come up to the main Design of Juch Narrations, which I humbly prefume, fhould be principally intended for the Ufe of politick Perfons, who are fo publick-Spirited as to neglect their own Affairs to look into Transactions of State. Now thefe Gentlemen, for the moft Part, being Perfons of strong Zeal, and weak Intellects, It is both a Charitable and Neceffery Work to offer fomething, whereby fuch worthy and well1-affected Members of the Commonwealth may be inftructed, after their Reading, what to

B

think;

think; which shall be the End and Purpose of this my Paper: Wherein I fhall from Time to Time Report and Confider all Matters of what Kind foever that fall occur to Me, and publish fuch my Advices and Reflections every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday in the Week, for the Convenience of the Poft. I refolved also to have fomething which may be of Entertainment to the Fair Sex, in Honour of whom I have taken the Title of this Paper. I therefore earnestly defire all Perfons, without Diftinction, to take it in for the prefent Gratis, and hereafter at the Price of One Penny, forbidding all Hawkers to take more for it at their Peril. And I defire all Perfons to confider, that I am at a very great Charge for proper Materials for this Work, as well as that before I refolved upon it, I had Jettled a Correspondence in all Parts of the Known and Knowing World. And forafmuch as thus Globe is not trodden upon by meer Drudges of Business only, but that Men of Spirit and Genius are justly to be efteemed as confiderable Agents in it, we shall not, upon a Dearth of News, prefent you with mufty Foreign Edicts, or dull Proclamations, but fhall divide our Relation of the Paffages which occur in Action or Difcourfe throughout this Town as well as elsewhere, under fuch Dates of Places as may prepare you for the Matter you are to expect, in the following Manner:

All Accounts of Gallantry, Pleasure, and Entertainment, shall be under the Article of White's Chocolate-houfe; Poetry under that of Will's Coffee-houfe: Learning, under the Title of Græeian; Foreign and Domeftick News, you will have from St. James's Coffee-houfe; and what elfe I have to offer on any other Subje& shall be dated from my own Apartment.

I once more defire my Reader to confider, That as I cannot keep an ingenious Man to ge daily to

Will's,