the most part, persons of considerable ability; but the virulence and rancour with which they attacked Steele and calumniated their opponents, reflect no small share of disgrace upon their memory. The early numbers of the Examiner were published under the superintendence of Dr. William King, who was the author of the fifth, eleventh, and twelfth papers. He was assisted by Bolingbroke, by Prior, who contributed N° 6, by Dr. Atterbury, and Dr. Friend.` Dr. King was soon superseded, however, by Swift, who, commencing with N° 14, wrote thirty-three Essays in succession, and then relinquished the task to Mrs. Manley, who concluded the first volume, in point of literary merit the best portion of the work. The management of this scurrilous undertaking was then entrusted to Mr. Oldisworth, who completed the fifth volume, published nineteen numbers of a sixth, and would probably have printed many more had not the death of the Queen arrested the progress of his pen. The Examiner existed during the four last years of Queen Anne, the first number being dated August 3d, 1710, and the last July 26th, 1714. It had the merit of giving origin to the Whig-Examiner of Addison, to the Reader of Steele, and to,

18. THE MEDLEY. This paper, which was

not strictly confined to politics, immediately. succeeded the Whig-Examiner, and carried on, with considerable spirit, the attack upon Swift and his party. It began on the 5th of October, 1710, under the auspices of Mr. Maynwaring, a gentleman of great accomplishments and ability, and of whom, as intimately connected with Steele, I shall give a short biographical sketch. He was born at Ightfield in Shropshire, in 1668; and, after the usual grammatical education, was sent, at the age of seventeen, to Christ Church, Oxford. Having employed a residence of several years at this university, in the ardent cultivation of classical literature, he retired, for a short time, into the country; but, adopting the profession of the law, he found it necessary to fix in the metropolis. Here he prosecuted his studies until the conclusion of the peace of Ryswic; when, availing himself of that event, he visited Paris, and became intimately acquainted with the celebrated Boileau. Upon his return to England, he was made a commissioner of the customs; and, on the accession of Queen Anne, through the interest of the lord-treasurer Godolphin, auditor of the imprests, a place of great pecuniary emolument. In 1705 he was chosen a member of parliament for Preston in Lancashire. He died at St. Alban's, November 13th, 1712, aged 44. Mr.

Maynwaring was greatly attached to Mrs. Oldfield, whose theatrical abilities at that time excited the admiration of the lovers of the drama; and by her he left an only son. Oldmixon, who published in 1715, in 8vo, the life and posthumous works of our author, affirms, that he "loved that lady for about eight or nine years before his death, and with a passion that could hardly have been stronger had it been both her and his first love." For Mrs. Oldfield he wrote many prologues and epilogues, and took infinite pains and delight in improving her talents for the stage. The elegance of his manners and taste, and his proficiency in the belle lettres, attracted many friends and admirers, and among these were Addison and Steele, the latter of whom dedicated to him the first volume of the Tatler. He was universally allowed, says the Biographia Britannica, to be the best critic of his times; and Mr. Egerton, in his Memoirs of Mrs. Oldfield, has declared, that his learning was without pedantry, his wit without affectation, his judgment without malice, his friendship without interest, his zeal without violence; in a word, he was the best subject, the best friend, the best relation, the best master, the best critic, and the best political writer in Great Britain. Though this be doubtless exaggerated praise, Mr. Maynwaring is entitled to most respectable distinction

for his good sense and moderation in politics, at a time when faction and party zeal ran with so headstrong a current. His Medleys are generally written with much strength of argument,

They were continued,

and freedom from abuse. with occasional assistance, until August 6th, 1711, extending to forty-five numbers, one of which was contributed by Steele, and another by Anthony Henley; and several were the composition of Mr. Oldmixon. After an interval of some months, they were resumed, and a new Medley appeared on the 3d of March, 1712, which, having likewise reached to forty-five numbers, finally expired on August 4th, 1712. A selection from the first Medley was published in 1789, by Mr. Nichols, together with the Lover, and Reader, of Steele.

19. THE OBSERVATOR. Though this political paper commenced many years anterior to the Tatler, it continued to exist until 1712; when an act of parliament, annexing a stamp of a halfpenny to every half-sheet, effected its ruin. It was a weekly Essay, originally published by John Tutchin, who, for his participation in the rebellion of Monmouth, and for a defence of that chieftain, which he subsequently printed, was sentenced by Jefferies to be whipped through several towns in the west. The sentence was

carried into execution with so much severity, that the unfortunate man absolutely petitioned James II. to be hanged. Dying in September, 1707, his paper was continued by other hands, but never merited or acquired much celebrity. Gay, in May, 1711, thus notices it, "The Observator, since our party struggles have run so high, is much mended for the better; which is imputed to the charitable assistance of some outlying friends." And Swift, in his journal to Stella, dated August 7th, 1712, has exultingly recorded its extinction. "Do you know that Grub-street is dead and gone last week? No more ghosts or murders I plied it pretty close.

now for love or money. the last fortnight, and published at least seven papers of my own, besides some of other people's; but now every single half-sheet pays a half-penny to the Queen. The Observator is fallen."

20. THE RAMBLER. It is probable, from circumstances which we shall afterwards have occasion to mention, that Dr. Johnson was ignorant of this anticipation of title. The first Rambler appeared in 1712, but only one number has escaped the ravages of time; this is in the British Museum, and does not appear, observes the annotator on the Tatler, inferior to any of the earlier