In this

real and well-known characters. STEELE acted wisely, in his character of CENSOR MORUM, and performed a duty which, we are told, was not always unattended with personal danger. Characters like these are at all times the legitimate objects of satire; but to what extent it is really useful to expose them, cannot be so easily ascertained. No character is considered so impious or immoral, as that of him who studies to accumulate the unavoidable miseries of life, to precipitate adversity, and bring on immature destruction. Yet men who have thus hardened their hearts against all moral principles, who despise the laws of all civilized nations, and are the common robbers of the young and unsuspecting, men who know themselves to be proscribed, and glory in an exemption which leaves them unrestrained by shame or pride, may be supposed beyond the reach of wit or argument. To the world, however, it is still necessary that they should be exposed in their full depravity. It is a duty which the moralist and the wit owe to society. Such crimes are the legitimate objects of asperity and contempt. Ridicule will not perhaps reform the vicious; but it may strengthen the principles of the virtuous, by making them afraid to incur the contempt which they know to be just, and by affording a mode of defence suited to the gaiety and spirit of conversation. It is not what a teacher would begin with; but it is what he may

superadd to more serious counsels. Those who have been convinced of the turpitude of vice, may be safely shewn its absurdity.

With respect to the female sex, the consequences of a passion for play, although too obvious, are yet too shocking for contemplation: here, indeed, ridicule seems frequently out of place; for who can survey with gaiety of humour, the ruins of beauty and innocence? the charms of feature lost in the fiend-like distortions of disappointed avarice, or successful fraud? Still there are gradations even in this vice, which may admit of being treated less seriously; and in the course of these volumes, the humours of a card-table have furnished some excellent papers of the lighter sort. But upon the whole we must allow with Dr. JOHNSON that, with respect to a great proportion of the fashionable world, the fatal passion for cards and dice seems to have overturned, not only the ambition of excellence, but the desire of pleasure; to have extinguished the flames of the lover as well as of the patriot; and threatens, in its farther progress, to destroy all distinctions both of rank and sex, to crush all emulation but that of fraud.'

Such are a few of the leading topics which have engaged the attention of the Essayists; but in examining these papers, it will be found that no subject connected with the general good of mankind is left untouched; and that they have succeeded in conveying

that knowledge of the world,' which is esteemed by many an indispensable accomplishment, by means less noxious thair what are usually employed. The effect however of this new species of popular instruction on the manners of the age, would have been very inconsiderable, and the authors could have inculcated neither the moral virtues nor the social obligations with the success they have experienced, had they trusted merely to the powers of wit and humour, and disregarded the more important consideration, that errors in manners are not far removed from dege. neracy in morals and that there is no substantial foundation for the utility of the one, or the integrity of the other, but in the principles of the pure religion of our ancestorsa religion, beyond all controversy, more admirably adapted than any human institution can boast, to direct us in every duty of life and in every dispensation of Providence. Of this solid and only source of real happiness, it does not appear that our authors ever lost sight. When they had allured public attention by sprightliness of address and familiarity of intercourse, they endeavoured to lead the young and frivolous by insensible gradations and gentle persuasion, to connect the lesser with the greater obligations, and to secure an interest in that favour which alone can alleviate the calamities of life and the terrors of death. Without invading the province of more serious instructors, they

they would not degrade their writings to the rank of mere amusement, but watched every opportunity and fortunate moment, the molissima fandi tempora, when the mind was prepared to receive a timely caution, or encourage a momentous consideration. Some papers are expressly devoted to religious subjects; and in others the precepts of inspiration are introduced in that easy and unobtrusive manner, which appears opportune and affectionate, and has commanded, we hope, more than a temporary veneration. To this, the highest praise that can be bestowed, the earlier Essayists are justly entitled; and it is most probable that by thus uniting the serious and the gay part of mankind in their favour, they secured that popularity which they have so long enjoyed, and which no revolutions in taste, style, or opinions, have yet interrupted.

Of the works written upon this plan, the first in point of time, and that which prescribed a form to all the others, is the TATLER. The design of this work belongs exclusively to SIR RICHARD STEELE, concerning whom it may be necessary to collect what information is upon record. It is to be regretted that our materials are but scanty: there are periods of STEELE'S life with which it would be desirable to be better acquainted; but the envy which his talents created during his life appears in some degree to have pursued him in the grave, and much information is lost which his sur

viving contemporaries did not think worth preserving. The fullest account is that given in the Biographia Britannica, but it is in many instances inaccurate and defective; and until the publication of the Tatler in six volumes crown octavo in 1786, and the subsequent publication of Steele's Letters by Mr. Nichols, nothing was attempted in justice to the memory of a man to whom the world is so eminently indebted.

RICHARD STEELE was born in Dublin, in 1671. His father, who had been for some time private secretary to JAMES the first duke of ORMOND, was of English extraction, and sent his son, then very young, to London, where he was placed in the Charter-house by the Duke, who was one of the governors of that seminary. From thence he was removed to Merton College, Oxford, and admitted a Post-master in 1691. Of his father we have no farther information, except that he died when his son was not quite five years of age.

While at college, Mr. STEELE is said to have amused himself by writing a comedy, which a fellow collegian advised him to suppress, as unworthy of his genius. After pursuing his studies for some time, he left the University without a degree, and indulged an early pre-possession for a military life, by entering as a private gentleman in the Horseguards. This step was taken against the opinion of his friends, and is said to have deprived him of the succession to his Irish