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THE COVERLEY PAPERS

FROM THE 'SPECTATOR'

EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES, BY O. M. MYERS

PREFACE

The following selection comprises all numbers of the Spectatorwhich are concerned with the history or character of Sir Roger deCoverley, and all those which arise out of the Spectator's visit to hiscountry house. Sir Roger's name occurs in some seventeen other papers,but in these he either receives only passing mention, or is introducedas a speaker in conversations where the real interest is the subjectunder discussion. In these his character is well maintained, as, forexample, at the meeting of the club described in Spectator 34,where he warns the Spectator not to meddle with country squires, butthey add no traits to the portrait we already have of him. No. 129 isincluded because it arises naturally out of No. 127, and illustrates therelation between the town and country. No. 410 has been omitted becauseit was condemned by Addison as inconsistent with the character of SirRoger, together with No. 544, which is an unconvincing attempt toreconcile it with the whole scheme. Some of the papers have beenslightly abridged where they would not be acceptable to the taste of alater age.

The papers are not all signed, but the authorship is never in doubt.Where signatures are attached, C, L, I, and O are the mark of Addison'swork; R and T of Steele's, and X of Budgell's. [Footnote: Spectator555.]

I have availed myself freely of the references and allusions collectedby former editors, and I have gratefully to acknowledge the help of MissG. E. Hadow in reading my introductory essay.

O. M. M.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

COVERLEY PAPERS.

Spectator 1 Addison (C)

" 2 Steele (R)

" 106 Addison (L)

" 107 Steele (R)

" 108 Addison (L)

" 109 Steele (R)

" 110 Addison (L)

" 112 " (L)

" 113 Steele (R)

" 114 " (T)

" 115 Addison (L)

" 116 Budgell (X)

" 117 Addison (L)

" 118 Steele (T)

" 119 Addison (L)

" 120 " (L)

" 121 " (L)

" 122 " (L)

" 123 " (L)

" 125 " (C)

" 126 " (C)

" 127 " (C)

" 128 " (C)

" 129 " (C)

" 130 " (C)

" 131 " (C)

" 132 Steele (T)

" 269 Addison (L)

" 329 " (L)

" 335 Addison (L)

" 359 Budgell (X)

" 383 Addison (I)

" 517 " (O)

NOTES

APPENDIX I. On Coffee-Houses

APPENDIX II. On the Spectator's Acquaintance

APPENDIX III. On the Death of Sir Roger

APPENDIX IV. On the Spectator's Popularity

INDEX

INTRODUCTION

...