The AUTHOR to Himself.

Moft Honoured Sir,

T

HESE labours, upon many confiderations, so properly belong to none as to you: first, that it was your most earnest defire alone that could prevail upon me to make them publick: then, as I am fecure (from that conftant indulgence you have ever shown to all which is mine) that no man will fo readily take them into protection, or fo zealously defend them. Moreover, there's none can fo foon difcover the beauties; and there are fome parts, which 'tis poffible few befides yourself are capable of understanding. Sir, the honour, affection, and value I have for you are beyond expreffion; as great, I am fure, or greater, than any man elfe can bear you. As for any defects which others may pretend to difcover in you, I do faithfully declare I was never able to perceive them; and doubt not but thofe perfons are actuated purely by a spirit of malice or envy, the infeparable attendants on shining merit and parts, fuch as I have always efteemed yours to be. It may perhaps be looked upon as a kind of violence to modefty, to say this to you in publick; but you may believe me, 'tis no more than I have a thousand times thought of you in private. Might I follow the im

pulfe of my foul, there is no fubject I could launch into with more pleasure than your panegyrick: But fince fomething is due to modefty, let me conclude by telling you, that there's nothing I so much defire as to know you more thoroughly than I have yet the happiness of doing. I may then hope to be capable to do you fome real fervice; but, 'till then, can only affure you, that I fhall continue to be, as I am more than any man alive,

Deareft SIR,

Your Affectionate Friend, and

The greatest of your Admirers.

N° 11. Tuesday, March 24.

Huc propiùs me,

Dum doceo infanire omnes, vos ordine adite.

Hor. Sat. iii. lib. ii. v. 80.

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SIR,

To the GUARDIAN.

S you profefs to encourage all those who

A any way contribute to the Publick Good, I

"flatter myself I may claim your Countenance and "Protection. I am by Profeffion a Mad Doctor, "but of a peculiar Kind, not of those whofe Aim it "is to remove Phrenzies, but one who make it my "bufinefs to confer an agreeable Madness on my "Fellow-Creatures for their mutual Delight and "Benefit. Since it is agreed by the Philofophers, "that Happiness and Mifery consist chiefly in the Imagination, nothing is more neceffary to Man"kind in general than this pleafing Delirium, which "renders every one satisfied with himself, and per"fuades him that all others are equally fo.

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5

"I have for feveral Years, both at home and abroad, made this Science my particular Study, "which I may venture to say I have improved in "almost all the Courts of Europe; and have reduced it into fo fafe and eafy a Method, as to "practise it on both Sexes, of what Difpofition Age, or Quality foever, with Succefs. What en"ables me to perform this great Work, is the Ufe "of my Obfequium Catholicon, or the Grand Elixir, to "fupport the Spirits of human Nature. This Re"medy is of the most grateful Flavour in the World, "and agrees with all Taftes whatever. 'Tis deli"licate to the Senfes, delightful in the Operation,

may be taken at all 'Hours without Confinement, "and is as properly given at a Ball or Play-house, "as in a private Chamber. It restores and vivifies "the most dejected Minds, corrects and extracts all "that is painful in the Knowledge of a Man's self. "One Dose of it will inftantly disperse itself through "the whole Animal Syftem, diffipate the firft Mo"tions of Diftruft fo as never to return, and fo ex"hilarate the Brain and rarify the Gloom of Reflection, as to give the Patients a new flow of Spi"rits, a Vivacity of Behaviour, and a pleafing De'pendence upon their own Capacities.

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"Let a Perfon be never fo far gone, I advife "him not to defpair; even though he has been "troubled many Years with reftless Reflections,

"which by long Neglects have hardened into fet"tled Confideration. Thofe that have been ftung "with Satire may here find a certain Antidote, "which infallibly difperfes all the Remains of Poi"fon that has been left in the Understanding by bad "Cures. It fortifies the Heart against the Rancour "of Pamphlets, the Inveteracy of Epigrams, and "the Mortification of Lampoons; as has been often experienced by feveral Perfons of both fexes, dur"ing the Seafons of Tunbridge, and the Bath.

"I could, as further Inftances of my Success, "produce Certificates and Teftimonials from the "Favourites and Ghoftly Fathers of the moft emi

nent Princes of Europe; but shall content myself "with the Mention of a few Cures, which I have "performed by this my Grand Univerfal Reflorative, during the Practice of one Month only fince I came "to this City.

Cures in the Month of February, 1713.

"George Spondee, Efq; Poet, and Inmate of "the Parish of St. Paul's Covent-Garden, fell in"to violent Fits of the Spleen upon a thin Third Night. He had been frighted into a Vertigo by "the Sound of Cat-calls on the First Day; and