little beings 2 within my manor. Those who are in a list of the good knight's own hand to be taken care of by me, I have quartered upon such as have taken new leases of me, and added so many advantages during the lives of the persons so quartered, 5 that it is the interest of those whom they are joined with to cherish and befriend them upon all occasions. I find a considerable sum of ready money, which I am laying out among my dependants at the common interest, but with a design to 10 lend it according to their merit, rather than according to their ability. I shall lay a tax upon such as I have highly obliged, to become security to me for such of their own poor youth, whether male or female, as want help towards getting into some 15 being in the world. I hope I shall be able to manage my affairs so as to improve my fortune every year by doing acts of kindness. I will lend my money to the use of none but indigent men, secured by such as have ceased to be indigent by 20 the favor of my family or myself. What makes this the more practicable is, that if they will do any good with my money, they are welcome to it upon. their own security: and I make no exceptions against it, because the persons who enter into the obliga- 25 tions do it for their own family. I have laid out four thousand pounds this way, and it is not to be imagine what a crowd of people are obliged by it. In ca ere Sir Roger has recommended, I have

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lent money to put out children, with a clause which makes void the obligation in case the infant 1 dies before he is out of his apprenticeship; 5 by which means the kindred and masters are extremely care5 ful of breeding him to industry, that he may re-pay it himself by his labor, in three years' journey-work after his time is out, for the use of his securities. Opportunities of this kind are all that have occurred since I came to my estate: but I assure you I will preserve a constant disposition to catch at all the occasions I can to promote the good and happiness of my neighborhood.

ΙΟ

"But give me leave to lay before you a little establishment which has grown out of my past life, 15 that I doubt not will administer great satisfaction to me in that part of it, whatever that is, which is to come.

6

"There is a prejudice in favor of the way of life to which a man has been educated, which I know 20 not whether it would not be faulty to overcome. It is like a partiality to the interest of one's own country before that of any other nation. It is from an habit of thinking, grown upon me from my youth spent in arms, that I have ever held gentlemen, who 25 have preserved modesty, good-nature, justice, and humanity, in a soldier's life, to be the most valuable and worthy persons of the human race. To pass through imminent dangers, suffer painful watchings, frightful alarms, and laborious marches, for the

greater part of a man's time, and pass the rest in sobriety conformable to the rules of the most virtuous civil life, is a merit too great to deserve the treatment it usually meets with among the other parts of the world. But I assure you, sir, were 5 there not very many who have this worth, we could never have seen the glorious events which we have in our days. I need not say more to illustrate the character of a soldier than to tell you he is the very contrary to him you observe loud, saucy, and over- 10 bearing, in a red coat about town. But I was going to tell you that, in honor of the profession of arms, I have set apart a certain sum of money for a table for such gentlemen as have served their country in the army, and will please from time to time to 15 sojourn all, or any part of the year, at Coverley. Such of them as will do me that honor shall find horses, servants, and all things necessary for their accommodation and enjoyment of all the conveniencies of life in a pleasant various country. If 20 Colonel Camperfelt be in town, and his abilities are not employed another way in the service, there is no man would be more welcome here. That gentleman's thorough knowledge in his profession, together with the simplicity of his manners and 25 goodness of his heart, would induce others like him to honor my abode; and I should be glad my acquaintance would take themselves to be invited, or not, as their characters have an affinity to his.

"I would have all my friends know, that they need not fear (though I am become a country gentleman) I will trespass against their temperance and sobriety. No, sir, I shall retain so much of the good 5 sentiments for the conduct of life, which we cultivated in each other at our club, as to contemn all inordinate pleasures; but particularly remember, with our beloved Tully, that the delight in food consists in desire, not satiety. They who most 10 passionately pursue pleasure, seldomest arrive at it. Now I am writing to a philosopher, I cannot forbear mentioning the satisfaction I took in the passage I read yesterday in the same Tully. A nobleman of Athens made a compliment to Plato the morning 15 after he had supped at his house. 'Your entertainments do not only please when you give them, but also the day after.' I am,

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"My worthy friend,

"Your most obedient humble servant,

"WILLIAM SENTRY."

No. 1.

NOTES

1. March 1, 1710-11: Before 1752, it was for many years customary in England to give two numbers for dates between January I and March 25; popular reckoning regarded January 1 as the beginning of the year, but the legal new year began March 25. In 1752 the Gregorian Calendar was adopted.

2. Motto: "He plans no flash to end in smoke, but smoke breaking into flame, to light the further wonders of his show."

3. Black: Dark, of hair or complexion.

4. My own history: This "history" is of course fictitious, but to the imaginary character he describes Addison attributed some of his own characteristics. Macaulay says, "It is not easy to doubt that the portrait was meant to be in some features a likeness of the painter."

5. William the Conqueror's time: William, Duke of Normandy, came to England in 1066, defeated King Harold in the battle of Hastings, and made himself king of England. He died in 1087.

6. Depending: Pending.

7. The controversies of some great men, etc.: About sixty years before, John Greaves, an Oriental scholar, had published a book entitled Pyramidographia or a Discourse on the Pyramids of Egypt. In 1706 appeared a pamphlet on the same subject.

8. Will's: Will's Coffee-house, the favorite resort of men of letters. In Addison's time the coffee and chocolate houses of London were popular places of resort, corresponding to the clubs of to-day.

9. Child's: A coffee-house frequented by clergymen, lawyers, physicians, and philosophers.

10. Postman: A popular newspaper of the day.

11. St. James's: A coffee-house which was the resort of Whig politicians.

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