THE SPECTATOR. I No. I. THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1710-11. Non fumum ex fulgore, sed ex fumo dare lucem One with a flash begins, and ends in smoke; HOR ROSCOMMON. book HAVE observed, that a reader seldom peruses a with pleasure, till he knows whether the writer of it be a back or a fair man, of a mild or choleric difpofition, married or a bachelor; with other particulars of the like nature, that conduce very much to the right understanding of an author. To gratify this curiofity, which is so natural to a reader, I design this paper and my next as prefatory difcourses to my following writings, and shal give fome account in them of the several perfons that are engaged in this work. As the chief trouble of compiling, digesting, and correcting, will fall to my share, I must do myself the juftice to open the work with my own history. I was born to a small hereditary estate, which, according to the tradition of the village where it lies, was bounded by the fame hedges and ditches in William the Conqueror's time that it is at present, and has been delivered down from father to fon whole and entire, without the lofs or acquifition of a fingle field or meadow, during C2 during the space of fix hundred years. There runs a ftory in the family, that when my mother was gone with child of me about three months, the dreamt that she was brought-to-bed of a Judge: Whether this might proceed from a law-fuit which was then depending in the family, or my father's being a justice of the peace, I cannot determine; for I am not so vain as to think it presaged any dignity that I should arrive at in my future life, though that was the interpretation which the neighbourhood put upon it. The gravity of my behaviour at my very first appearance in the world, and all the time that I fucked, fseemed to favour my mother's dream; for, as she has often told me, I threw away my rattle before I was two months old, and would not make use of my coral until they had taken away the bells from it. As for the rest of my infancy, there being nothing in it remarkable, I shall pass it over in filence. I find, that, during my nonage, I had the reputation of a very fullen youth; but was always a favourite of my schoolmaster, who used to fay, "that my parts were solid, and would " wear well." I had not been long at the university, before I diftinguished myself by a most profound filence; for during the space of eight years, excepting in the publick exercifes of the college, I scarce uttered the quantity of an hundred words; and, indeed, do not remember that I ever spoke three sentences together in my whole life. Whilft I was in this learned body, I applied myfelf with fo much diligence to my studies, that there are very few celebrated books, either in the learned or the modern tongues, which I am not acquainted with. Upon the death of my father, I was refolved to travel into foreign countries; and therefore left the university, with the character of an odd, unaccountable fellow, that had a great deal of learning, if I would But shew it. An infatiable thirst after knowledge carried me into all the countries of Europe, in which there was any thing new or strange to be seen; nay, to fuch a degree was my curiousity raised, that having read the controverfies of fome great men concerning the antiquities of Egypt, Egypt, I made a voyage to Grand Cairo, on purpose to take the measure of a pyramid; and as foon as I had set myself right in that particular, returned to my native country with great fatisfaction. I have passed my latter years in this city, where I am frequently seen in most public places, though there are not above half a dozen of my select friends that know me; of whom my next paper shall give a more particular account. There is no place of general refort, wherein I do not often make my appearance; sometimes I am seen thrusting my head into a round of politicians at Will's, and liftening with great attention to the narratives that are made in those little circular audiences. Sometimes I smoke a pipe at Child's, and, whilst I feem attentive to nothing but the Postman, overhear the conversation of every table in the room. I appear on Sunday nights at St. James's coffee-house; and fometimes join the little committee of politicks in the inner room, as one who comes there to hear and improve. My face is likewise very well known at the Grecian, the CocoaTree, and in the theatres both of Drury-Lane and the Hay-Market. I have been taken for a merchant upon the Exchange for above these ten years, and fometimes pass for a Jew in the affembly of stock-jobbers at Jonathan's. In short, wherever I fee a cluster of people, I always mix with them, though I never open my lips but in my own club. Thus I live in the world rather as a spectator of mankind, than as one of the species; by which means I have made myself a speculative statesman, foldier, merchant, and artisan, without ever meddling with any practical part in life. I am very well versed in the theory of a husband or a father; and can difcern the errors in the economy, business, and diversion of others, better than those who are engaged in them; as standersby difcover blots, which are apt to escape those who are in the game. I never espoused any party with violence, and am resolved to observe an exact neutrality between the Whigs and Tories, unless I shall be forced to declare myself by the hoftilities of either fide. In short, C3 short, I have acted in all the parts of my life as a look er-on, which is the character I intend to preferve in this paper. I have given the reader just so 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 shall in. fert them in following papers as I shall 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 speech, I am refolved to do it in writing, and to print myself out, if poffible, before I die. I have been often told by my friends, that it is a pity so many useful discoveries which I have made should be in the poffeffion of a filent man. For this reason therefore, I shall publish a sheet-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 shall 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 fpoken to in this paper, and which, for feveral important reasons I must keep to myfelf, at least for fome 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 reasonable; but as for these three. particulars, though I am sensible 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 several falutes and civilitics, which have been always very difagreeable to me; for the greateft pain I can fuffer is, the being talked to, and being ftared at. for this reason likewife, that I keep my complexion and dress as very great fecrets; though it is It is not not impoffible, but I may make discoveries of both in the progrefs of the work I have undertaken. After having been thus particular upon myself, I shall in to-morrow's paper give an account of those 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 stand 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 must further acquaint the reader, that though our club meet only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have appointed a committee to fit every night for the inspection of all fuch papers as may contribute to the advancement of the public weal. C, No. II. FRIDAY, MARCH 2. Aft alii sex Et plures uno conclamant ore Six more at least join their consenting voice. THE first of our fociety is Juv. a Gentleman of Worcef terfhire, of ancient defcent, 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 world, only as he thinks the world is in the wrong. However, this humour creates him no ememies, 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 |