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from the example of fuccessful merit, than the deferving man himself can possibly be poffefsed of. Your country knows how eminently you excel in the several parts of military skill, whether in assigning the encampment, accommodating the troops, leading to the charge, or pursuing the enemy: the retreat being the only part of the profession which has not fallen within the experience of those who learned their warfare under the Duke of Marlborough. But the true and honeft purpose of this epiftle is, to defire a place in your friendship, without pretending to add any thing to your reputation; who, by your own gallant actions, have acquired, that your name through all ages shall be read with honour, where-ever mention shall

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THE

Publisher to the Reader.

IT

is a justice which Mr Ironside owes gentle. men who have sent him their assistances from time to time, in the carrying on of this work to acknowledge that obligatior; though at the fame time he himself dwindles into the character of a mere publisher, by making the acknowledgment. But whether a man does it out of justice or grati. tude or any other virtuous reason, or not, it is al. fo a prudential act, to take no more upon a man than he can bear. Too large a credit has made many a bankrupt; but taking even less than a man can anfwer with ease, is a fure fund for extending it whenever his occasions require. All those papers which are diftinguished by this mark †+†, were written by a gentleman who has obliged the world with productions too fublime to admit that the au thor of them should receive any addition to his reputation, from fuch loose occasional thoughts as make up these little treatises. For which reason his name shall be concealed. These which are marked with a star, were composed by Mr Budgell. That upon dedications, with the epistle of an author to himself; The club of little men; The receipt to make an epic poem; The paper of the gardens of Alcinous, and the catalogue of greens; That against barbarity to animals, and fome others, have Mr Pope for their author. Now viii

The Publisher to the Reader.

I mention this gentleman, I take this opportunity, out of the affection I have to his person, and respect to his merit, to let the world know, that he is now tranflating Homer's Iliad by subscription. He has given good proof of his ability for the work; and the men of greatest wit and learning of this nation, of all parties, are, according to their different abilities, zealous encouragers, or folicitors for the work.

But to my present purpose: The letter from Gnatho of the cures performed by flattery, and that of comparing dress to criticism, are Mr Gay's. Mr Martin, Mr. Philips, Mr Tickell, Mr Carey, Mr Eufden, Mr Ince, and Mr Hughes have oblig. ed the town with entertaining difcourses in thefe volumes sand Mr Berkeley of Trinity college in Dublin, has embellished them with many excellent arguments in honour of religion and virtue. Mr Parnelle will, I hope, forgive me, that without his leave, I mention, that I have seen his hand on the like occafionio There are some discourses of a lefs pleasing nature, which relate to the divisions amongst us; and fuch, lest any of these gentlemen should fuffer from any unjust fufpicion, I mustvimpute to the right author of them, who is one Mr Sreele of Langunnor, in the county of Carmarthen in South

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THE

GUARDIAN.

L

1

N° 1. Thursday, March 12. 1713.

-Ille quem requiris. Mart. Epig. 2. 1. 1. 441, He whom ye seek.

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HERE is no passion so univerfal, however diverfified or disguised under different forms

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and appearances, as the vanity of being known to the rest of mankind, and communicating a man's parts, virtues, or qualifications, to the world. This is so strong upon men of great genius, that they have a ressless fondnefs for fatisfying the world in the mistakes they might possibly be under, with relation even to their physiognomy. Mr Airs, that excellent penman, has taken care to affix his own image opposite to the title page of his learned treatife, wherein he instructs the youth of this nation to arrive at a flourishing hand. The author of the Key to Interest, both fimple and compound; con taining practical rules, plainly expressed in words at length, for all rates of interest and times of payment, for what time foever, makes up to us the misfortune of his living at Chester, by following the example of the above-mentioned Airs, and coming up to town, overagainst his title page, in a very becoming periwig, and a flowing robe or mantle, inclosed in a circle of foliages. Below his portraiture, for our further fatisfaction as to the age of that useful writer, is subscribed Johannes Ward de civitat. Ceftria, etat. fuæ 58. An. Dom. 1706. The serene aspect of these writers, joined with the great encouragement Fobserve is given to another, or, what is indeed to be fufpected, in which he indulges himself, confirmed me in the notion I have of the prevalence of

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