Age, either in Morality, Criticism, or Good Breeding, he has boldly
assur'd them, that they were altogether in the wrong, and commanded them
with an Authority, which perfectly well became him, to surrender
themselves to his Arguments, for Vertue and Good Sense.

'Tis incredible to conceive the effect his Writings have had on the
Town; How many Thousand follies they have either quite banish'd, or
given a very great check to; how much Countenance they have added to
Vertue and Religion; how many People they have render'd happy, by
shewing them it was their own fault if they were not so; and lastly, how
intirely they have convinc'd our Fops, and Young Fellows, of the value
and advantages of Learning.

He has indeed rescued it out of the hands of Pedants and Fools, and
discover'd the true method of making it amiable and lovely to all
mankind: In the dress he gives it, 'tis a most welcome guest at
Tea-tables and Assemblies, and is relish'd and caressed by the Merchants
on the Change; accordingly, there is not a Lady at Court, nor a Banker
in Lumbard-Street, who is not verily perswaded, that Captain Steele is
the greatest Scholar, and best Casuist, of any Man in England.

Lastly, His Writings have set all our Wits and Men of Letters upon a new
way of Thinking, of which they had little or no Notion before; and tho'
we cannot yet say that any of them have come up to the Beauties of the
Original, I think we may venture to affirm, that every one of them
Writes and Thinks much more justly than they did some time since.

The vast variety of Subjects which he has treated of in so different
manners, and yet All so perfectly well, made the World believe that
'twas impossible they should all come from the same hand. This set every
one upon guessing who was the Esquires Friend, and most people at first
fancied it must be Dr. Swift; but it is now no longer a Secret, that his
only great and constant assistant was Mr. Addison.

This is that excellent Friend to whom Mr. Steele ow's so much, and who
refuses to have his Name set before those Pieces, which the greatest
Pens in England would be Proud to own. Indeed, they could hardly add to
this Gentleman's Reputation, whose Works in Latin and English Poetry,
long since convinc'd the World, that he was the greatest Master in
Europe of those Two Languages.

I am assur'd from good hands, That all the Visions, and other Tracts in
that way of Writing, with a very great number of the most exquis