purposely omitted fetting thofe Marks to the End of every Paper, which appeared in my former Volumes, that You may have an oppor tunity of fhowing Mrs. Honeycomb the Shrewdnefs of your Conjectures, by afcribing every Speculation to its proper Au thor: Though You know how often many profound Criticks in Stile and Sentiments have very judiciously erred erred in this Particular, before they were let into the Secret. I am, SIR, Your most Faithful Humble Servant, The SPECTATOR. THE Bookfeller to the Reader. IN N the Six hundred and thirty fecond Spectator, the Reader will find an Account of the Rife of this Eighth and Laft Volume. I have not been able to prevail upon the feveral Gentlemen who were concerned in this Work to let me acquaint the World with their Names. Perhaps it will be unnecessary to inform the Reader, that no other Papers, which have appeared under the Title of Spectator, fince the clofing of this Eighth Volume, were written by any of thofe Gentlemen who had a Hand in this or the former Volumes. THE . THE SPECTATOR. VO L. VIII. N° 556. Friday, June 18. 1714. Qualis ubi in lucem coluber, mala gramina paftus, Arduus ad folem, et linguis micat ore trifulcis. Virg. U PON laying down the Office of SPECTATOR, I acquainted the World with my Design of electing a new Club, and of opening my Mouth in it after a moft folemn Manner. Both the Election and the Ceremony are now paft; but not finding it fo eafy as I at firft imagined, to break thro' a Fifty Years Silence, I would not venture into the World under the Character of a Man who pretends to talk like other People, 'till I had arrived at a full Freedom of Speech. I fhall referve for another time the Hiftory of fuch Club or Clubs of which I am now a Talkative, but unworthy Member; and fhall here give an Account of this this furprifing Change which has been produced in me, and which I look upon to be as remarkable an Accident as any recorded in Hiftory, fince that which happened to the Son of Crafus, after having been many Years as much Tongue-tied as my felf. UPON the firft opening of my Mouth, I made a Speech confifting of about half a Dozen well-turned Periods; but grew fo very hoarfe upon it, that for three Days together, inftead of finding the ufe of my Tongue, I was afraid that I had quite loft it. Besides, the unusual Extenfion of my Muscles on this Occafion, made my Face ake on both Sides to fuch a Degree, that nothing but an invincible Refolution and Perfeverance could have prevented me from falling back to my Monfyllables. I afterwards made feveral Effays towards Speaking; and that I might not be startled at my own Voice, which has happen'd to me more than once, I used to read, aloud in my Chamber, and have often stood in the Middle of the Street to call a Coach, when I knew there was none within hearing. WHEN I was thus grown pretty well acquainted with my own voice, I laid hold of all Opportunities to exert it. Not caring however to speak much by my felf, and to draw upon me the whole Attention of those I converfed with, I used, for fome time, to walk every Morning in the Mall, and talk in Chorus with a Parcel of Frenchmen. I found my Modefty greatly relieved by the communicative Temper of this Nation, who are so very fociable, as to think they are never better Company than when they are all o pening at the fame time. I then fancied I might receive great Benefit from Female Converfation, and that I fhould have a Convenience of talking with the greater Freedom, when I was not under any Impediment of thinking: I therefore threw my felf into an Affembly of Ladies, but could not for my Life get in a Word among them; and found that if I did not change my Company, I was in Danger of being reduced to my primitive Taciturnity. THE |