Geddes Fareidy

4-6-32

CONTENTS.

VOL. XIX.

No. HISTORICAL and Biographical Preface.

1. Difficulty of the first Address-Practice

of the epick Poets-Convenience of

periodical Performances · ·

...JOHNSON

2. The Necessity and Danger of looking

into Futurity-Writers naturally san-

guine their Hopes liable to Disap-

pointment.

.....

3. An Allegory on Criticism..

4. The Modern Form of Romances prefer-

able to the Ancient-the Necessity of

Characters morally good..

.....

5. A Meditation on the Spring ·

6. Happiness not local....

7. Retirement natural to a great Mind-its

religious Use..

The Thoughts to be brought under Re-

gulation; as they respect the Past, Pre-

sent, and Future.

9. The Fondness of every Man for his Pro-
fession the gradual Improvement of
Manufactures

No.

10. Four Billets with their Answers-Remarks

on Masquerades......

...... MISS MULSO

11. The Folly of Anger-the Misery of a

peevish old Age..........

12. The History of a young Woman that came

to London for a Service.

13. The Duty of Secrecy-the Invalidity of all

Excuses for betraying Secrets...

.......

14. The Difference between an Author's

Writings and his Conversation.

15. The Folly of Cards-a Letter from a Lady

that has lost her Money.....

16. The Dangers and Misery of Literary

Eminence..

17. The frequent, Contemplation of Death

necessary to moderate the Passions..

18. The Unhappiness of Marriage caused by

irregular Motives of Choice..............

19. The Danger of ranging from one Study to

another the Importance of the early

Choice of a Profession....

20. The Folly and Inconvenience of Affecta-

tion....

21. The Anxieties of Literature not less than

those of publick Stations-the Inequality

of Authors' Writings.

22. An Allegory on Wit and Learning.

23. The Contrariety of Criticism-the Vanity

of Objection--an Author obliged to de-

pend upon his own Judgment...

.....

24. The Necessity of attending to the Duties

of common Life--the natural Character

not to be forsaken..

JOHNSON

No.

25. Rashness preferable to Cowardice-Enter-

prise not to be repressed..

...........

26. The Mischief of Extravagance, and Misery

of Dependence....

27. An Author's Treatment from six Patrons

28. The various Arts of Self-Delusion.

29. The Folly of anticipating Misfortunes. .

30. The Observance of Sunday recommended;

an Allegory...

JOHNSON

... MISS TALBOT

31. The Defence of a known Mistake highly

culpable

32. The Vanity of Stoicism-the Necessity of

Patience

33. An allegorical History of Rest and Labour

34. The Uneasiness and Disgust of Female

Cowardice

.....

35. A Marriage of Prudence without Affection

36. The Reason why Pastorals delight......

37. The true Principles of pastoral Poetry..

38. The Advantage of Mediocrity-an East-

ern Fable..

39. The Unhappiness of Women, whether

single or married..

40. The Difficulty of giving Advice without

offending

41. The Advantages of Memory ·

42. The Misery of a modish Lady in Solitude

43. The Inconveniencies of Precipitation and

Confidence

JOHNSON

44. Religion and Superstition, a Vision MRS, CARTER

45. The Causes of Disagreement in Marriage JOHNSON

46. The Mischiefs of rural Faction...........

47. The proper Means of regulating Sorrow

No.

48. The Miseries of an infirm Constitution

49. A Disquisition upon the Value of Fame

50. A virtuous old Age always reverenced

51. The Employments of a Housewife in the

Country

52. The Contemplation of the Calamities of

others, a Remedy for Grief ..............、

53. The Folly and Misery of a Spendthrift

JOHNSON

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

PREFACE

ΤΟ

THE RAMBLER.

W

HEN Dr. JOHNSON undertook to write

this justly celebrated paper, he had many difficulties to encounter. If, lamenting that during the long period which had elapsed since the conclusion of the writings of ADDISON, vice and folly had begun to recover from depression and contempt, he wished again to rectify publick taste and manners, to " give confidence to virtue and ardour to truth," he knew that the popularity of those writings had constituted them a precedent, which his genius was incapable of following, and from which it would be dangerous to depart. In the character of an ESSAYIST he was hitherto unknown to the publick. He had written nothing by which a favourable judgment could be formed of his success in a species of composition, which seemed to require the ease, and vivacity and humour of polished life; and he had probably often heard it repeated that ADDISON and his