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THE

SPECTATOR.

VOL. IV.

LONDON:

Printed for S. Buckley, at the Dolphin in LittleBritain ; and J. Tonfon, at Shakespear's-Head over-against Catherine-street in the Strand. 1712.

11 FF81933

Li

то тНЕ

DUKE

O F

MARLBOROUGH.

My Lord,

A

S it is natural to have a Fondness for what has cost us much Time and Attention to produce, I hope Your Grace will forgive an Endeavour to preferve this Work from Oblivion, by affixing it to Your memorable Name.

I shall not here presume to mention the illuftrious Paffages of Your Life, which are celebrated by the whole Age, and have been the Subject of the moft fublime Pens; but if I could convey You to Pofterity in Your private Character, and defcribe the Stature, the Behaviour and Afpect of the Duke of Marlborough, I question not but it would fill the Reader with more agreeable Images, and give him a more delightful Entertainment than what can be found in the following, or any other Book.

ONE cannot indeed without Offence, to Yourfelf, obferve, that You excel the reft of Mankind in the leaft, as well

as

as the greatest Endowments. Nor were it a Circumftance to be mentioned, if the Graces and Attractions of Your Perfon were not the only Preheminence You have above others, which is left, almoft, unobferved by greater Writers.

YET how pleasing would it be to those who fhall read the furprising Revolutions in Your Story, to be made acquainted with Your ordinary Life and Deportment? How pleasing would it be to hear that the fame Man who had carried Fire and Sword into the Countries of all that had opposed the Cause of Liberty, and ftruck a Terrour into the Armies of France, had in the midst of His high

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