No r. ambition this way. The author whom I hint at, shall be nameless; but his countenance is communicated to the public in feveral views and aspects, drawn by the most eminent painters, and forwarded by engravers, artifts by way of metzotinto, etchers, and the like. There was, I remember, fome years ago, one John Gale, a fellow that played upon a pipe, and diverted the multitude, by dancing in a ring they made about him; whofe face became generally known, and the artists employed their fkill in delineating his features, becaufe every man was judge of the fimilitude of them. There is little elfe than what this John Gale, arrived at in the advantages nen enjoy from common fame; yet do I fear it has always a part in moving us to exert ourselves in fuch things as ought to derive their beginnings from nobler confiderations. But I think it is no great matter to the public what is the incentive which makes men bellow time in their fervice, provided there be any thing ufeful in what they produce: I fhall proceed therefore to give an ac count of my intended labours, not without fome hope of having my vanity, at the end of them, indulged in the fort above mentioned.

Ifhould not have affumed the title of Guardian, had I not maturely confidered, that the qualities neceflary for doing the duties of that character, proceed from the integrity of the mind, more than the excellence of the underftanding. The former of thefe qualifications it is in the power of every man to arrive at; and the more he endeavours that way, the lefs will he want the ad vantages of the latter. To be faithful, to be honest, to be jult, is what you will demand in the, choice of your guardian; or if you find added to this, that he is pleafant, ingenious, and agreeable, there will overflow Jatisfactions which make for the ornament, if not fo im mediately to the ufe of your life. As to the diverting part of this paper, by what affistance I fhall be capacitate ed for that, as well as what proofs I have given of my behaviour as to integrity in former life, will appear from my history, to be delivered in enfuing difcourses. The main purpose of the work fall be, to protect the modeft, the induftrious; to celebrate the wife, the va liant to encourage the good, the pious; to confront

the impudent, the idle; to contemn the vain, the cowardly; and to difappoint the wicked and profane. This work cannot be carried on but by preferving a flrict regard, not only to the duties, but civilities of life, with the utmost impartiality towards things and perfons. The unjuft application of the advantages of breeding and fortune, is the fource of all calamity, both public and private; the correction therefore, or rather admonition of a guardian, in all the occurrences of a various being, if given with a benevolent fpirit, would certainly be of general service.

In order to contribute as far as I am able to it, I fhall publifh, in refpective papers, whatever I think may conduce to the advancement of the converfation of gentlemen, the improvement of ladies, the wealth of traders, and the encouragement of artificers. The circumftance relating to thofe who excel in mechanics, fhall be con fidered with particular application. It is not to be immediately conceived by fuch as have not turned themfelves to reflections of that kind, that Providence, to inforce and endear the neceffity of focial life, has given one man hands to another man's head; and the carpenter, the smith, the joiner, are as immediately neceffary to the mathematician, as my amanuenfis will be to me, to write much fairer than I can myfelf. I am so well convinced of this truth, that I fhall have a particular regard to mechanics; and to fhew my honour for them, I fhall place at their head the painter. This gentleman is, as to the execution of his work, a mechanic ; but as to his conception, his fpirit and defign, he is hardly below even the poet, in liberal art. It will be from these confiderations useful to make the world fee, the affinity between all works which are beneficial to mankind, is much nearer, than the illiberal arrogance of fcholers will, at all times, allow. But I am from experience convinced of the importance of mechanic heads; and fhall therefore take them all into my care, from Rowley, who is improving the globes of the earth and heaven in Fleetstreet, to Bat. Pidgeon the hair-cutter in the Strand.

But it will be objected, opon what pretenfions I take upon me to put in for the prochain ami, or nearest friend

of all the world, How my head is accomplished for this employment towards the public, from the long exercife of it in a private capacity, will appear by reading me the two or three next days with diligence and at tention. There is no other paper in being which tends to this purpose. They are most of them hiftories, or advices of public tranfactions; but as thofe reprefentations affect the paffions of my readers, I fhall fometimes take care, the day after a foreign mail, to give them an account of what it has brought. The parties amongit us are too violent to make it poffible to pass them by without observation. As to these matters, I shall be impartial, though I cannot be neuter. I am, with re, lation to the government of the church, a Tory; with regard to the state, a Whig.

:

The charge of intelligence, the pain in compiling and digefting my thoughts in proper ftyle, and the like, ob. lige me to value my paper an halfpenny above all other half fheets and all perfons who have any thing to communicate to me, are defired to direct their letters (poftage paid) to Neftor Ironfide, Efq; at Mr Tonfon's in the Strand. I declare beforehand, that I will at no time be converfed with any other ways than by letter: for as I am an ancient man, I fhall find enough to do to give orders proper for their fervice, to whom I am by will of their parents guardian, though I take that to be too narrow a scene for me to pals my whole life in. But I have got my wards fo well off my hands, and they are fo able to act for themfelves, that I have little to do but give an hint, and all that I defire to be amended, is altered accordingly.

My defign, upon the whole, is no less, than to make the pulpit, the bar, and the ftage, all act in concert in the care of piety, juftice, and virtue: for I am paft all the regards of this life; and have nothing to manage with any perfon or party, but to deliver myself as becomes an old man, with one foot in the grave, and one who thinks he is paffing to eternity. All forrows which can arrive at me, are comprehended in the fenfe of guilt and pain. If I can keep clear of these two evils, I shall not be apprehenfive of any other. Ambition, luft, envy, and revenge, are excrefcencies of the mind which I

have cut off long ago; but as they are excrefcencies which do not only deform, but also torment thofe on whom they grow, I fhall do all I can to perfuade all others to take the fame meafures for their cure which I have.

N° 2.

Friday, March 13.

HE readiest way to proceed in my great undertak

Ting, is to explain who I am myself, that promife

to give the town a daily half-fheet. I fhall therefore enter into my own history, without lofing any time in preamble. I was born in the year 1642, at a lone house, within half a mile of the town of Brentford, in the county of Middlesex. My parents were of ability to beftow upon me a liberal education, and of an humour to think that a great happiness, even in a fortune which was but just enough to keep me above want. In my fixteenth year, I was admitted a commoner of Magdalenball in Oxford. It is one great advantage, among many more, which men enducated at our univerfities do uTually enjoy above others, that they often contract friendships there, which are of fervice to them in all the parts of their future life. This good fortune happened to me; for, during the time of my being an under-graduate, I became intimately acquainted with Mr Ambrofe Lizard, who was a fellow-commoner of the neighbouring college. I have the honour to be well known to Mr Jofeph Pullen, of our hall above mentioned; and attribute the florid old age I now enjoy, to my conftant morningwalks up Hedington-hill in his chearful company. If the gentleman be ftill living, I hereby give him my humble fervice. But as I was going to fay, I contracted in my early youth an intimate friendship with young Mr Lizard of Northamptonshire. He was fent for, a little before he was of batchelor's standing, to be married to Mrs Jane Lizard, an heiress, whole father would have it fo for the fake of the name. Mr. Ambrofe knew nothing of it till he came to Lizard hall on the Satur day night, faw the young lady at dinner the next day,

VOL. I.

B

and was married, by order of his father Sir Ambrofe, between eleven and twelve the Tuesday following. Some years after, when my friend came to be Sir Ambrose himself, and finding, upon proof of her, that he had lighted upon a good wife, he gave the curate who joined their hands the parfonage of Welt, not far off Wellinborough. My freind was married in the year 62; and every year following, for eighteen years together, I left the college, (except that year wherein I was chof en fellow of Lincoln,) and fojourned at Sir Ambrofe's for the months of June, July, and Auguft. I remember very well, that it was on the fourth of July, in the year 1674, that I was reading in an arbour to my friend, and stopped of a fudden, obferving he did not attend. Lay by your book,' faid he, and let us take a turn in the grafs-walk; for I have fomething to fay to you.' After a filence for above forty yards, walking both of us with our eyes downward, one big to hear, t'other to fpeak a matter of great importance, Sir Ambrofe expreffed himself to this effect. My good friend, faid he, you may have obferved, that from the firft moment 1 was in your company at Mr Willis's chambers at Univerfity college, I ever after fought and courted you. That inclination towards you, has improved from fi• militude of manners, if I may fo fay, when I tell you, I have not observed in any man a greater candour and implicity of mind than in yourfelf. You are a man that are not inclined to launch into the world, but prefer fecurity and ease in a collegiate or fingle life, to going into the cares which neceffarily attend a public character, or that of a master of a family. You fee within my fon Marmaduke, my only child: I have a thousand anxieties upon me concerning him; the greater part of which I would transfer to you; and ⚫ when I do so, I would make it in plain English, worth your while.' He would not let me fpeak; but proceeded to inform me, that he had laid the whole scheme of his affairs upon that foundation. As foon as he went into the house, he gave me a bill upon his goldsmith in London of two thousand pounds and told me, with that he had purchased me, with all the talents I was