THE

I D L E R.

NUMB. I. SATURDAY, April 15, 1758.

TH

HOSE who attempt periodical effays feem, to be often stopped in the beginning, by the difficulty of finding a proper title. Two writers, fince the time of the Spectator, have affumed his name, without any pretenfions to lawful inheritance; an effort was once made to revive the Tatler; and the strange appellations, by which other papers have been called, show that the authors were distressed, like the natives of America, who come to the Europeans to beg a name.

It will be easily believed of the Idler, that if his title had required any fearch, he never would have found it. Every mode of life has its conveniencies. The Idler, who habituates himself to be fatisfied with what he can moft eafily obtain, not only efcapes laVOL. VIII. bours

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bours which are often fruitless, but fometimes fucceeds better than those who despise all that is within their reach, and think every thing more valuable as it is harder to be acquired.

If fimilitude of manners be a motive to kindness, the Idler may flatter himfelf with univerfal patronage. There is no fingle character under which fuch numbers are comprifed. Every man is, or hopes to be, an Idler. Even those who feem to differ most from us are haftening to increase our fraternity; as peace is the end of war, fo to be idle is the ultimate purpose of the busy.

There is perhaps no appellation by which a writer can better denote his kindred to the human species. It has been found hard to describe man by an adequate definition. Some philofophers have called him a reasonable animal, but others have confidered reafon as a quality of which many creatures partake. He has been termed likewife a laughing animal; but it is faid that fome men have never laughed. Perhaps man may be more properly diftinguished as an idle animal; for there is no man who is not fometimes idle. It is at leaft a definition from which none that fhall find it in this paper can be excepted; for who can be more idle than the reader of the Idler?

That the definition may be complete, idleness must be not only the general, but the peculiar characteristick of man; and perhaps man is the only being that can properly be called idle, that does by others what he might do himself, or facrifices duty er pleasure to the love of case.

Scarcely

Scarcely any name can be imagined from which lefs envy or competition is to be dreaded. The Idler has no rivals or enemies. The man of business forgets him; the man of enterprize defpifes him; and though fuch as tread the fame track of life, fall commonly into jealousy and difcord, Idlers are always found to affociate in peace; and he who is most famed for doing nothing, is glad to meet another as idle as himself.

What is to be expected from this paper, whether it will be uniform or various, learned or familiar, ferious or gay, political or moral, continued or interrupted, it is hoped that no reader will enquire. That the Idler has fome fcheme, cannot be doubted; for to form schemes is the Idler's privilege. But though he has many projects in his head, he is now grown fparing of communication, having observed, that his hearers are apt to remember what he forgets himself; that his tardiness of execution expofes him to the encroachments of thofe who catch a hint and fall to work; and that very fpecious plans, after long contrivance and pompous difplays, have fubfided in wearinefs without a trial, and without miscarriage have been blasted by derision.

Something the Idler's character may be fuppofed to promise. Thofe that are curious after diminutive history, who watch the revolutions of families, and the rife and fall of characters either male or female, will hope to be gratified by this paper; for the Idler is always inquifitive, and feldom retentive. He that delights in obloquy and fatire, and wishes to fee clouds gathering over any reputation that dazzles him with its brightness, will snatch up the Idler's effays with a beating

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a beating heart. The Idler is naturally cenforious; those who attempt nothing themselves, think every thing eafily performed, and confider the unfucceffful always as criminal.

I think it neceffary to give notice, that I make no contract, nor incur any obligation. If thofe who depend on the Idler for intelligence and entertainment, should fuffer the disappointment which commonly follows ill-placed expectations, they are to lay the blame only on themselves.

Yet hope is not wholly to be caft away. The Idler, though fluggish, is yet alive, and may fometimes be stimulated to vigour and activity. He may defcend into profoundness, or tower into fublimity; for the diligence of an Idler is rapid and impetuous, as ponderous bodies forced into velocity move with violence proportionate to their weight.

But thefe vehement exertions of intellect cannot be frequent, and he will therefore gladly receive help from any correfpondent, who fhall enable him to please without his own labour. He excludes no style, he prohibits no fubject; only let him that writes to the Idler remember, that his letters must not be long; no words are to be fquandered in declarations of esteem, or confeffions of inability; confcious dulness has little right to be prolix, and praise is not fo welcome to the Idler as quiet,

NUMB. 2. SATURDAY, April 22, 1758.

MAN

ANY pofitions are often on the tongue, and feldom in the mind; there are many truths which every human being acknowledges and forgets. It is generally known, that he who expects much will be often difappointed; yet difappointment feldom cures us of expectation, or has any other effect, than that of producing a moral fentence, or peevish exclamation. He that embarks in the voyage of life, will always wifh to advance rather by the impulfe of the wind, than the ftrokes of the oar; and many founder in the paffage, while they lie waiting for the gale that is to waft them to their wish.

It will naturally be fufpected that the Idler has lately fuffered fome difappointment, and that he does not talk thus gravely for nothing. No man is required to betray his own fecrets. I will, however, confefs, that I have now been a writer almoft a week, and have not yet heard a fingle word of praise, nor received one hint from any correfpondent.

Whence this negligence proceeds I am not able to difcover. Many of my predeceffors have thought themselves obliged to return their acknowledgments in the fecond paper, for the kind reception of the firft; and in a fhort time, apologies have become neceffary to those ingenious gentlemen and ladies, whofe performances, though in the highest degreeelegant

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