University of Virginia Library

CONTENTS

  • 55 The gay widow's impatience of the growth of her daughter. The history of Miss May-pole 1
  • 56 The necessity of complaisance. The Rambler's grief for offending his correspondents 7
  • 57 Sententious rules of frugality 14
  • 58 The desire of wealth moderated by philosophy 20
  • 59 An account of Suspirius, the human screech owl 26
  • 60 The dignity and usefulness of biography 31
  • 61 A Londoner's visit to the country 37
  • 62 A young lady's impatience to see London 45
  • 63 Inconstancy not always a weakness 51
  • 64 The requisites to true friendship 57
  • 65 Obidah and the hermit; an eastern story 63
  • 66 Passion not to be eradicated. The views of women ill directed69
  • 67 The garden of Hope; a dream 74
  • 68 Every man chiefly happy or miserable at home. The opinion of servants not to be despised 80
  • 69 The miseries and prejudice of old age 86
  • 70 Different men virtuous in different degrees. The vicious not al ways abandoned 91
  • 71 No man believes that his own life will be short 97
  • 72 The necessity of good humour 102
  • 73 The lingering expectation of an heir 108
  • 74 Peevishness equally wretched and offensive. The character of Tetrica 114
  • 75 The world never known but by a change of fortune. The history of Melissa 120
  • 76 The arts by which bad men are reconciled to themselves 127
  • 77 The learned seldom despised but when they deserve contempt 132
  • 78 The power of novelty. Mortality too familiar to raise apprehensions 139
  • 79 A suspicious man justly suspected 145
  • 80 Variety necessary to happiness; a winter scene 151
  • 81 The great rule of action. Debts of justice to be distinguished from debts of charity 156

  • V

  • 82 The virtuoso's account of his rarities. . . . . . . . . . .161
  • 83 The virtuoso's curiosity justified. . . . . . . . . . . . .168
  • 84 A young lady's impatience of controul . . . . . . . . . . .175
  • 8S The mischiefs of total idleness 182
  • 86 The danger of succeeding a great author: an introduction to a criticism on Milton's versification 188
  • 87 The reasons why advice is generally ineffectual 195
  • 88 A criticism on Milton's versification. Elisions dangerous in English poetry 201
  • 89 The luxury of vain imagination 207
  • 90 The pauses in English poetry adjusted 213
  • 91 The conduct of Patronage; an allegory 219
  • 92 The accommodation of sound to the sense, often chimerical 225
  • 93 The prejudices and caprices of criticism 234
  • 94 An inquiry how far Milton has accommodated the sound to the sense 240
  • 95 The history of Pertinax the sceptick 248
  • 96 Truth, Falsehood, and Fiction; an allegory 254
  • 97 Advice to unmarried ladies 260
  • 98 The necessity of cultivating politeness 268
  • 99 The pleasures of private friendship. The necessity of similar dispositions 274
  • 100 Modish pleasures 279
  • 101 A proper audience necessary to a wit 285
  • 102 The voyage of life 291
  • 103 The prevalence of curiosity. The character of Nugaeulus 298
  • 104 The original of flattery. The meanness of venal praise 304
  • 105 The universal register; a dream 310
  • 106 The vanity of an author's expectations.-Reasons why good authors are sometimes neglected 316
  • 107 Properantia's hopes of a year of confusion. The misery of prostitutes 322
  • 108 Life sufficient to all purposes if well employed 329
  • 109 The education of a fop 334
  • 110 Repentance stated and explained. Retirement and abstinence useful to repentance 342
  • 111 Youth made unfortunate by its haste and eagerness 348
  • 112 Too much nicety not to be indulged. The character of Eriphile354

  • VI