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LONDON: J. PALMER, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.

DEDICATION

FIFTH VOLUME OF TEE ORIGINAL EDITION.

TO THE BIGHT IIONOEKABLE

THOMAS EARL OF WHARTON/

My Lobs,

The Author of The Spectator having prefixed before each of Lis volumes the name of some great person to whom he has particular obligations, lays his claim to your Lordship's patronage upon the same account I must confess, my Lord, had not I already received great instances of your favour, I should have been afraid of submitting a work of this nature to your perusal.

• Thomas Wharton; appointed by King William comptroller of the homehold, justice in Eyre south of Trent, and lord lieutenant of Oxfordshire; created Viscount Winchindon in the county of Bucks, and Earl of Wharton in the county of Westmorland, December, 1706; appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, November, 1708 (when Mr. Addison became his secretary) : lord privy seal, September, 1714 ; and, in December of the same year, created Marquis of Wharton and Malmcsbnry in England, and Earl of Bathramham and Marquis of Catherlough in Ireland. He died April, 1715, in the 76th year of his age, and was succeeded by his son Philip, whom George I. in 1718, created Duke of Wharton, in consideration of the merits of his rather.

You are so thoroughly acquainted with the characters of men, and all the parts of human life, that it is impossible for the least misrepresentation of them to escape your notice. It is your Lordship's particular distinction, that you are master of the whole compass of business, and have signalized yourself in all the different scenes of it. We admire some for the dignity, others for the popularity of their behaviour; some for their clearness of judgment, others for their happiness of expression; some for the laying of schemes, and others for the putting of them in execution. It is your Lordship only who enjoys these several talents .united, and that too in as great perfection as others possess them singly. Your enemies acknowledge this great extent in your Lordship's character, at the same time that they use their utmost industry and invention to derogate from it. But it is for your honour that those who are now your enemies were always so. You have acted in so much consistency with yourself, and promoted the interest of your country in so uniform a manner, that even those who would misrepresent your generous designs for the public good, cannot but approve the steadiness and intrepidity with which you pursue them. It is a most sensible pleasure to me, that I have this opportunity of professing myself one of your great admirers, and, in a very particular manner,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obliged,

And most obedient, humble servant,

THE SPECTATOR.

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5ft LoHD,

Very, many favours and civilities (received from you in a private capacity) which I have no other way .to acknowledge, will, I hope, excuse this presumption: but the justice I, as a Spectator, owe your character, places me above the Want of an excuse. Candour and openness of heart, which shine in all your words and actions, exact the highest esteem from all who have the honour to know

* The Eight Eon. Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, was appointed Secretary of State, December 5,1706; from which office he wai dismissed June 14, 1710. On the first of September, 1715, he had a pension of 1200/. per annum settled on him; on the 16th of April, 1717, he was again made Secretary of State; on the 16th of March, 1717-18, he was appointed Lord President of the Council; on the 6th of February, 1718-19, made Groom of the Stole; and died on the 19th of April, 1722. He married Lady Ann Churchill, second daughter of John Duko of Marlborough.

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