I Difficulty of the first addrefs. Practice of the epick poets. 2 The neceffity and danger of looking into futurity. Wri 3 An allegory on criticism The modern form of romances preferable to the ancient. The neceffity of characters morally good Page 7 14 4 20 5 A meditation on the Spring 27 6 Happiness not local 33 7 Retirement natural to a great mind. Its religious use 40 4 8 The thoughts to be brought under regulation; as they respect the past, prefent, and future 46 10 Four billets with their anfwers. Remarks on mafque- 11 The folly of anger. The mifery of a peevish old age 13 The duty of secrecy. The invalidity of all excufes for betraying fecrets 9 The fondness of every man for his profeffion. The gradual improvement of manufactures 53 58 66 73 81. NUMB. 14 The difference between an author's writings and his conversation 15 The folly of cards. A Letter from a lady that has loft 16 The dangers and miseries of literary eminence Page 88 95 103 110 18 The unhappiness of marriage caufed by irregular mo, tives of choice 116 19 The danger of ranging from one ftudy to another. The importance of the early choice of a profession 123 20 The folly and inconvenience of affectation 131 21 The anxieties of literature not less than those of publick ftations. The inequality of authors writings 137 22 An allegory of wit and learning 144 23. The contrariety of criticism. The vanity of objection. An author obliged to depend upon his own judgment 150 24 The neceffity of attending to the duties of common life. The natural character not to be forfaken 25 Rafhnefs preferable to cowardice. Enterprize not to be repressed 156 162 26 The mischief of extravagance, and mifery of dependance 168 27 An author's treatment from fix patrons 28 The various arts of felf-delufion 29 The folly of anticipating misfortunes 30 The obfervance of Sunday recommended; an allegory 33 An allegorical hiftory of reft and labour 34 The uneafinefs and difguft of female cowardice 35 A marriage of prudence without affection 36 The reafons why paftorals delight 175 181 188 194 199 207 213 219 226 232 238 37 The true principles of paftoral poetry 38 The advantages of mediocrity. An Eaftern fable 42 The mifery of a modish lady in folitude 43 The inconveniencies of precipitation and confidence NUMB. 44 Religion and fuperftition, a vision 47 The proper means of regulating forrow 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 mifery of a spendthrift 289 295 332 338 54 A death-bed the true fchool of wisdom. The effects of death upon the furvivors 344 55 The gay widow's impatience of the growth of her daughter. The hiftory of mifs May-pole 351 56 The neceffity of complaisance. The Rambler's grief for offending his correfpondents 57 Sententious rules of frugality 58 The defire of wealth moderated by philofophy 59 An account of Sufpirius the human fcreech-owl 60 The dignity and usefulness of biography 61 A Londoner's vifit to the country 62 A young lady's impatience to fee London 357 364 370 376 381 387 394 400 406 68 Every man chiefly happy or miferable at home. The opinion of fervants not to be despised 429 69 The miseries and prejudice of old age 435 70 Different men virtuous in different degrees. The vi cious not always abandoned 441 THE Page 267. line 17. for fugies, read fugiens. 269. 349. 435. 9. for canis, read curis. 28. for linguis, read linquis. 5. for vitiaquæ, read vitiata quæ. J THE RAMBLER. NUMB. I. TUESDAY, March 20, 1750. Cur tamen hoc libeat potius decurrere campo, Why to expatiate in this beaten field, Why arms, oft us'd in vain, I mean to wield; TH Juva ELPHINSTON. HE difficulty of the first address on any new occafion, is felt by every man in his tranfactions with the world, and confeffed by the fettled and regular forms of falutation which neceffity has introduced into all languages. Judgment was wearied with the perplexity of being forced upon choice, where there was no motive to preference; and it was found convenient that fome eafy method of introduction fhould be established, which, if it wanted the allurement of novelty, might enjoy the fecurity of prescription. VOL. IV. B Perhaps |