already found the advantage of his authority, to which I owe the fudden acceptance which my labours met with in the world.

* The general purpose of this Paper is to expose the falfe arts of life, to pull off the difguifes of cunning, vanity, and affectation, and to recommend a general fimplicity in our drefs, our difcourfe, and our behaviour. No man has a better judgement for the discovery, or a nobler spirit for the contempt of all imposture, than yourfelf; which qualities render you the most proper patron for the Author of thefe Effays. In the general, the defign, however executed, has met with fo great fuccefs, 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 these volumes. This is, indeed, an honour, for which it is impoffible to exprefs a fuitable gratitude; and there is nothing could be an

ཀ

"During the prevalence of parties and prejudices, he that "would be believed by every body, should be known to nobody, left, instead of liftening to the good advice of the cenfor, "the cenfured fhould endeavour by retorting on his frailties to 66 extenuate or justify their own.”

Although the TATLER joined an odd furname to no very common Chriftian one, there was a man found in this large town, who owned both the names. SWIFT's Letters, Vol, XV. P. 408.

addition

addition to the pleasure I take in it but the reflection, that it gives me the most confpicuous occafion I can ever have, of fubfcribing myself,

SIR,

Your most obliged,

moft obedient, and

moft humble fervant,

ISSAC BICKERSTAFF.

N.

See more concerning the purposes of this paper in N° 3. 5. No 9. N° 51. No 64. and N° 271. See alfo Dr. JOHNSON'S "Lives of English Poets," Vol. II. p. 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, and 366. Ed. 8vo. 1781.

ORIGINAL DEDICATION TO VOL. II,

TO EDWARD WORTLEY MOUNTAGUE, Efq.

SIR,

WHEN I fend you this volume, I am

rather to make you a request than a Dedication. I must defire, that if you think fit to throw away any moments on it, you would

not

* Second fon of the Hon. Lady Wortley Montague, and grandfon of Edward Montague, the first Earl of Sandwich. He was chosen a member of parliament for Huntingdon in the 4th year of Queen Anne; and in all other parliaments but two to the end of her reign. On the acceffion of George I. he was conftituted one of the Lords Commiflioners of the Treasury: and being sent Ambassador-extraordinary to the Grand Signior, he fet out for Vienna, Jan. 27, 1716, and, proposed to be at Peterwaradin in eight days; and having finished his negotiations, he, with his Lady, arrived at Leghorn, Aug. 22, 1718, in the Preston man of war, from Conftantinople, and failed the next day for Toulon; and travelling through France, arrived in England, and waited on his Majefty at Hampton-court, Oct. 4 following, and was gracioufly received. In the first par

liament

not do it after reading thofe excellent pieces with which you are ufually converfant. The images which you will meet with here, will be very faint, after the perufal of the Greeks and Romans, who are your ordinary companions. I muft confefs I am obliged to you for the taste of many of their excellencies, which I had not obferved until you pointed them to me. I am very proud that there are fome things in these Papers which I know you pardon; and it is no fmall pleasure to have one's labours fuffered by the judgment of a man, who fo well understands the true charms of eloquence and poefy. But I direct this address to you; not that I think I can entertain you with my Writings, but to thank you for the new delight I have, from your converfation, in those of other men.

May you enjoy a long continuance of the true relifh of the happiness heaven has bestowed upon you. I know not how to fay a more af

liament called by King George I. he was chosen for the city of Weftminster, and afterwards ferved for Huntingdon, and was a member for the city of Peterborough, when he died, Jan. 22, 1761, aged 80 years. He married the Lady Mary Pierrepont, eldest daughter to his Grace Evelyn Duke of Kingston, and by her (who died Auguft 21, 1762) he had iffue an only fon Edward-Wortley Montagu, who was teprefentative in three parlia ments for Boffiney in Cornwall; and a daughter Mary, married to John Stuart, Earl of Bute, Aug. 24, 1736.

*This feems to amount to a declaration that, E. WORTLEY MONTAGUE, Efq. was himself a writer in thefe papers.

tectionate

fectionate thing to you, than to with that you may be always what you are *; and that you may ever think, as I know you now do, that you have a much larger fortune than you want. I am, Sir,

Your most obedient, and

most humble fervant,

ISAAC BICKERSTAEF.

The wife of this gentleman, an uncommonly fine woman, of very fuperior understanding, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, the celebrated authorefs of a little volume of excellent poems, and feveral volumes of curious letters, for many years furvived her husband. He died, it is faid, very fuddenly, without being able to alter his will, as he intended, in favour of his fon, an extraordinary and ingenious man, author of the "Reflections on "the rife and fall of ancient Republics," &c. This fon was a wanderer from his early youth, and lived long in fingular ways, and a variety of fituations, greatly unknown, eftranged from his family. He had returned, and was reconciled to his father fome years before the old gentleman's death, but in that time, or soon after, he unfortunately offended his mother irreconcileably, for the cut him off with a fhilling from all the inheritance which he had it in her power to leave him. Mr. Montague was abroad, when he received his mother's legacy, which he gave, with great gaiety of heart, to the friend from whom the writer received this information. By these accidents a vast estate came to Lord Bute, who married their daughter. Nevertheless, this generous nobleman ceded to his brother-in-law much more than he could have poffibly obtained, and even more than he could have claimed, by litigation. Mr. Montague had, it is said, very accommodating principles, and a fine conftitution for travelling, It had been abundantly exercised in this way before; but the laft fourteen years of his life, more or lefs, were entirely spent in foreign parts, where he became enamoured of the dress and manners of Arabia, to which he conformed to the end of his VOL. I.

d

Life.