of the Lovers; what I hope from this Remonstrance, is only that we plain People may not be served as if we were Idolaters; but that from the time of publishing this in your Paper, the Idols would mix Ratsbane only for their Admirers, and take more care of us who don’t love them.  I am, SIR, Yours, T.T. [2]

R.

[Footnote 1:  just before]

[Footnote 2:  This letter is ascribed to Laurence Eusden.]

* * * * *

ADVERTISEMENT.

This to give Notice,
That the three Criticks
who last Sunday settled the Characters
of my Lord Rochester and Boileau,
in the Yard of a Coffee House in Fuller’s Rents,
will meet this next Sunday at the same Time and Place,
to finish the Merits of several Dramatick Writers: 
And will also make an End of the Nature of True Sublime.

* * * * *

No. 88.  Monday, June 11, 1711.  Steele.

      ‘Quid Domini facient, audent cum tulia Fures?’

      Virg.

  May 30, 1711.

  Mr. SPECTATOR,

I have no small Value for your Endeavours to lay before the World what may escape their Observation, and yet highly conduces to their Service.  You have, I think, succeeded very well on many Subjects; and seem to have been conversant in very different Scenes of Life.  But in the Considerations of Mankind, as a SPECTATOR, you should not omit Circumstances which relate to the inferior Part of the World, any more than those which concern the greater.  There is one thing in particular which I wonder you have not touched upon, and that is the general Corruption of Manners in the Servants of Great Britain.  I am a Man that have travelled and seen many Nations, but have for seven Years last past resided constantly in London, or within twenty Miles of it:  In this Time I have contracted a numerous Acquaintance among the best Sort of People, and have hardly found one of them happy in their Servants.  This is matter of great Astonishment to Foreigners, and all such as have visited Foreign Countries; especially since we cannot but observe, That there is no Part of the World where Servants have those Privileges and Advantages as in England: They have no where else such plentiful Diet, large Wages, or indulgent Liberty:  There is no Place wherein they labour less, and yet where they are so little respectful, more wasteful, more negligent, or where they so frequently change their Masters.  To this I attribute, in a great measure, the frequent Robberies and Losses which we suffer on the high Road and in our own Houses.  That indeed which gives me the present Thought of this kind, is, that a careless Groom of mine has spoiled me the prettiest Pad in the World with only riding him ten Miles,