EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION

Author's Preface

1. Letter from a rural correfpondent-Pleafures of the

country-Mr. Bickerstaff's account of himself

Genealogy of the Staffs, and how the race was

improved -

-

11. Mr. Bickerftaff's account of the Club at the Trumpet

and its characters-Abuses of Speech-Swearers,

Hum-drums, and tittle-tattlers -

III. Mr. Bickerstaff's youthful reminifcences-His first

grief-His firft love-Enlarges on the tender paffion

in general-Its allegorical history

Iv. Mr. Bickerstaff is confulted by an unfortunate lover

-His advice and confeffion of his own experience

v. Mr. Bickerstaff's dream of his betrothed-Anticipa-

tion of evil more haraffing than the reality

VI. Maria declares her tenderness for Mr. Bickerstaff

VII. Maria's vifit to Mr. Bickerstaff, and their difcourfe

VIII. Mr. Bickerstaff further dwells upon the tender fubject

and relates fome pathetic ftories

IX. Mr. Bickerstaff affumes the office of a public Cenfor-

Its nature among the Romans-Its ufe-and Mr.

Bickerftaff's mode of difcharging its duties

I

5

13

22

29

35

40

44

42X562

47

55

62

CHAP.

XI. Mr.Bickerstaff obtains the aid of Pacolet, a good genius,

in the difcharge of his Cenforial duties

XII. Pacolet gives an account of himself and his adventures

-Gamefters-

PAGE

66

70

75

80

XIII. Pacolet continued-Duellifts and the Purgatory of

the murdered

XIV. Pacolet's account of the Genii-Shades of Confcience

and Honour-Genuis of Credit

xv. A lover's reafon for fuccefs, and a lady's reafon for the

choice of a husband-Pacolet employed in a delicate

million

86

XVI. Pacolet vanishes-Characters of a Rake and a Coquette 90

XVII. Mr. Bickerstaff vifits the family of an early friend
Scene of domeftic felicity

XVIII. The fcene of felicity clouded -

XIX. Mr. Bickerstaff introduces (as betrothed) his half-

fifter, Jenny Diftaff, who speaks for herself-The

Empire of Beauty

xx. Jenny Diftaff's history-False friends

å mo

93

98

102

- 107

XXI. Jenny Diftaff continued-Characters at Epfom

XXII. Jenny Diftaff continued-Love and Matrimony-

The Fox-hunter's Speech

-

-

XXII. Jenny Diftaff continued-Duelling — Whisperer's
without business, and Laughers without occafion

XXIV. Jenny Diftaff continued-Mr. Bickerftaff's advice

to married people-Jenny's wedding dinner

xxv. Sifter Jenny's matrimonial difference and reconciliation

-The Dappers

-

xxvI. Mr. Bickerstaff counfels Jenny how to fecure happiness

in the married ftate

XXVII. Sifter Jenny appears in her own chariot, and incurs

Mr. Bickerftaff's disapproval—On Marriage and

the customary ceremonies-Impertinence of wags-

Jenny aud Tranquillus

XXVIII. Sifter Jenny anfwers the letter of Almeira, in the
intereft of her fex-And exits -

-

XXIX. Mr. Bickerstaff's opinion on the means of female im-

provement, mental and perfonal

113

117

123

129

134

138

143

149

153

PAGE

CHAP.

xxx. Mr. Bickerstaff thinks the faults of the fair fex chiefly

owing to the falfe manner in which they are

addreffed by men-His difcoveries by means of his ring 157

xxxi. Mr. Bickerstaff introduces his three Nephews-Their
characters and his manner of difpofing of them

XXXII. Entertains his three Nephews and a lady

XXXIII. An example of judicious Education-Character of

Samuel Bickerstaff and his family

-

-

-

163
166

- 169

XXXIV. Effects of a paffion for gay and fhowy drefs-Method

taken with Margery Bickerstaff to keep her from

marrying

XXXV. Mr. Bickerstaff pronounces all worthless men dead in

reafon

XXXVI. Mr. Bickerstaff's Court of Judicature-Firft fitting,

on the dead in reafon

-

XXXVII. Court of Judicature continued-On the hooped

Petticoat

-

xxxvIII Mr. Bickerstaff finds it expedient to alter his tactics

and wink at offenders, but expects hush-money for

the breach of his Sumptuary Laws, and in confidera-

tion of his powers of divination.

-

173

177

180

189

195

xxxix. Mr.Bickerstaff professes phyfic-Quacks and Impoftors

of the time-The Widow and dumb Fortune-teller. 198

XL. Mr. Bickerftaff's extraordinary Cures-On the

affectation of faults and imperfections.

XLI. Mr. Bickerftaff illuftrates the prevalent corruption of

manners and language

XLII. Mr. Bickerstaff's reflections and dream on the ftate

of Great Britain

203

211

215

XLIII. Mr. Bickerstaff a benefactor to his enemies of Grub

Street-Fable of the Owls, the Bats, and the Sun 222

XLIV. Mr. Bickerstaff learns fencing, and his reafons for fo

doing His vindication from the imputation of in-

juring any worthy perfon by his fatire

XLVI. Mr. Bickerftaff gives his opinion of the practice of

praife, with exceptions, of libellers and ill-natured

jefters

- 233

CHAP.

PAGE

XLVII. Mr. Bickerstaff gives his opinion on the fubject of

Pride, and adduces fome whimsical inftances of it-

Pernicious effects of Vanity, Pride, and Ambition - 238

XLVIII. Mr. Bickerstaff on growing old becomingly, with an

account of a fantastic paffion of two old ladies, and Sam.

Trufty's visit to them

XLIX. Mr. Bickerstaff received at the Theatre with extra-

ordinary civility

L. Difadvantages of fuddenly acquired wealth

244

249

- 253

LI. Mr. Bickerstaff purchases a Ticket in the Lottery - 256

LII. Mr. Bickerftaff fups in company with two characters
remarkable for impudence and abfurdity

LIII. Mr. Bickerftaff's adventures on a journey to Land's
End moralifed

-

LIV. Mr. Bickerstaff makes his Will-Its tenor

Lv. Mr. Bickerstaff removes his Mafk, and Exits

NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

260

- 263
- 267

PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS,

FROM DESIGNS BY

THOMAS STOTHARD, HENRY SINGLETON, HENRY THOMPSON, P. J. DE LOUTHERBERG, R.A., W. M. CRAIG,

City Widow consulting a Dumb Fortune-teller Henry Singleton

Mrs. Barry the Actress, at Bickerstaff's Funeral Thomas Stothard