was no terrifying labour: many pieces were offered, and many were received. Addifon had enough of the zeal of party, but Steele had at that time almoft nothing else. The Spectator, in one of the first papers, fhewed the political tenets of its authors; but a refolution was foon taken of courting general approbation by general topicks, and fubjects on which faction had produced no diverfity of fentiments; fuch as literature, morality, and familiar life. To this practice they adhered with very few deviations. The ardour of Steele once broke out in praise of Marlborough ; and when Dr. Fleetwood prefixed to fome fermons a preface, overflowing with whiggifh opinions, that it might

be

be read by the Queen, it was reprinted

in the Spectator.

To teach the minuter decencies and inferior duties, to regulate the practice of daily converfation, to correct those depravities which are rather ridiculous than criminal, and remove thofe grie vances which, if they produce no lasting calamities, impress hourly vexation, was first attempted in Italy by Cafa in his book of Manners, and Caftiglione in his Courtier, two books yet celebrated in Italy for purity and elegance, and which, if they are now lefs read, are neglected only because they have effected that reformation which their authors intended, and their precepts now are no longer wanted. Their usefulness

to

to the age in which they were written, is fufficiently attefted by the tranflations. which almost all the nations of Europe were in hafte to obtain.

This fpecies of inftruction was continued, and perhaps advanced, by the French; among whom La Bruyere's Manners of the Age, though, as Boileau remarked, it is written without con-nection, certainly deferves great praife,. for liveliness of defcription and juftnefs of obfervation.

Before the Tatler and Spectator, if the writers for the theatre are excepted, England had no mafters of common life. No writers had yet undertaken to reform either the favageness of neglect, or the impertinence of civility; to teach

who

when to speak, or to be filent; how to refufe, or how to comply. We wanted not books to teach us our more important duties, and to fettle opinions in philofophy or politicks; but an Arbiter elegantiarum, a judge of propriety, was yet wanting, who fhould furvey the track of daily converfation, and free it from thorns and prickles, which teaze the paffer, though they do not wound him.

For this purpofe nothing is fo proper as the frequent publication of fhort papers, which we read not as ftudy but amufement. If the fubject be flight, the treatife likewife is fhort. The bufy may find time, and the idle may find patience.

This mode of conveying cheap and eafy knowledge began among us in the Civil War, when it was much the intereft of either party to raise and fix the prejudices of the people. At that time appeared Mercurius Aulicus, Mercurius. Rufticus, and Mercurius Civicus. It is faid that when any title grew popular, it was stolen by the antagonist, who by this ftratagem conveyed his notions to those who would not have received him had he not worn the appearance of a friend. The tumult of thofe unhappy days left scarcely any man leifure to treasure up occafional compofitions; and fo much were they neglected, that a complete collection is no where to be found.

Thefe