too, contain many contemporary references (see, e.g., Manuscripts of the Hon. Frederick Lindley Wood (1913), p. 247; Manuscripts of the Marquess of Downshire, I (1924, 889)).  It is interesting to observe, further, that Gay makes no reference to the political prejudices of the Spectator though it was not without criticism at the time for its meddling in politics. The Plain Dealer of May 24, 1712, for example, objected to the publication of No. 384 (the reprinting of the Bishop of St. Asaph’s Introduction to his Sermons) and hinted at a “Mercenary Consideration” behind this sorry attempt to “propagate ill Principles.”  Gay’s attitude on this point would, be another reason for Swift’s dislike of the pamphlet.

The “continuations” of the Tatler are given due attention by Gay, as well as three of its imitators:  The Grouler (6 numbers, 1711), The Whisperer (one number, 1709), and The Tell Tale, which may be The Tatling Harlot (3 numbers, 1709), or, as Churton Collins conjectured, The Female Tatler (1709-10).  Gay’s postscript makes an agreeable reference to The British Apollo (1708-11), which has “of late, retreated out of this end of the town into the country,” where “it still recommends itself by deciding wagers at cards, and giving good advice to shopkeepers and their apprentices,” an interesting comment in view of Gay’s own possible connection with this journal (cf.  Irving, pp. 40-56).  It is these casual remarks, as well as the more extensive critical comments on the present state of “wit,” which give Gay’s pamphlet a permanent interest.

The typescript copy of the Present State of Wit is taken from the pamphlet owned by the Henry E. Huntington Library.

Donald F. Bond

University of Chicago

THE

PRESENT STATE

of

WIT, &c.

SIR,

You Acquaint me in your last, that you are still so busie Building at
-----, that your Friends must not hope to see you in Town this Year; At
the same time you desire me that you may not be quite at a loss in
Conversation among the Beau Monde next Winter, to send you an account of
the present State of Wit in Town; which, without further Preface, I
shall therefore endeavour to perform, and give you the Histories and
Characters of all our Periodical Papers, whether Monthly, Weekly, or
Diurnal, with the same freedom I used to send you our other Town News.

I shall only premise, that as you know I never cared one Farthing either for Whig or Tory, So I shall consider our Writers purely as they are such, without any respect to which Party they may belong.

Dr. King has for some time lain down his MONTHLY PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, which the Title Page informed us at first, were only to be continued as they Sold; and tho’ that Gentleman has a World of Wit, yet as it lies in one particular way of Raillery, the Town soon grew weary of his Writings; tho’ I cannot but think, that their Author deserves a much better Fate, than to Languish out the small remainder of his Life in the Fleet Prison.