for above these ten years, and sometimes pass for a Jew in the assembly of stock-jobbers at Jonathan's in short, wherever I see 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 specics, by which means I have made myself a speculative statesman, soldier, 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 discern the errors in the economy, business, and diversion of others, better than those who are engaged in them; as standers by discover 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 hostilities of either side. In short, I have acted in all the parts of my life as a looker on, which is the character I intend to preserve in this paper.

I have given the reader just so much of my history and character, as to let him see I am not altogether unqualified for the business I have undertaken. In the mean time, when I consider how much I have seen, read, and heard,

I begin to blame my own taciturnity; and since I have neither time nor inclination to communicate the fulness of my heart in speech, I am resolved to do it in writing, and to print myself out, if possible, before I die. I have been often told by my friends, that it is pity so many so many useful discoveries which I have made, should be in the possession of a silent man. For this reason therefore, I shall publish a sheetfull of thoughts every morning, for the benefit of my contemporaries and if I can any way contribute to the diversion or improvement of the country in which I live, I shall leave it, when I am summoned out of it, with the secret satisfaction 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 several important reasons, I must keep to myself, at least for some time : I mean an account of my name, my age, and my lodgings. I must confess, 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, F cannot yet come to a resolution of communicating them to the public. They would

I

indeed draw me out of that obscurity which I have enjoyed for many years, and expose me in public places to several salutes and civilities, which have been always very disagreeable to me; for the greatest pain I can suffer, is the being talked to, and being stared at. It is for this reason likewise, that I keep my complexion and dress as very great secrets; though it is not impossible, but I may make discoveries of both in the progress 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 correspond 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 meets only on tuesdays and thursdays, we have appointed a commitee to sit every night, for the inspection of all such papers as may contribute to the advancement of the public weal.

(No. I. C.)

II.

Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas,
Nocturnos lemures, portentaque Thessala rides?

HOR. Ep. 2, L. 2, v. 208.

Say, can you laugh indignant at the schemes
Of magic terrors, visionary dreams,
Portentous wonders, witching imps of hell,
The nightly goblin, and enchanting spell?

FRANCIS

GOING yesterday to dine with an old acquaintance, I had the misfortune to find his whole family very much dejected. Upon asking him the occasion of it, he told me, that his wife had dreamed a strange dream the night before, which they were afraid, portended some misfortune to themselves, or to their children. At her coming into the room, I observed a settled melancholy in her countenance, which I should have been troubled for, had I not heard from whence it proceeded. We were no sooner sat down but after having looked upon me a little while My dear, says she, turning to her

husband, you may now see the stranger that was in the candle last night. Soon after this, as they began to talk of family affairs, a little boy, at the lower end of the table, told her that he was to go into joinhand on Thursday. Thursday? says she, No, child, if it please God, you shall not begin upon Childermas-day; tell your writingmaster that Friday will be soon enough. I was reflecting with myself on the oddness of her fancy, and wondering that any body would establish it as a rule to lose a day in every week. In the midst of these my musings, she desired me to reach her a little salt upon the point of my knife, which I did in such a trepidation, and hurry of obedience, that I let it drop by the way; at which she immediately startled, and said it fell towards her. Upon this I looked very blanck; and, observing the concern of the whole table, began to consider myself with some confusion, as a person that had brought a disaster upon the family. The lady, however, recovering herself after a little space, said to her husband, with a sigh: My dear, misfortunes never come single. My friend, I found, acted but an underpart at his table, and being a man of more good nature than