Date: Monday, April 28, 1712

"Thus he spends his time as Children do at Puppet-Shows, and with much the same Advantage, in staring and gaping at an amazing Variety of strange things: strange indeed to one who is not prepared to comprehend the Reasons and Meaning of them; whilst he should be laying the solid Foundations of Kn...

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Monday, April 28, 1712

"But how can any of these Advantages be attained by one who is a mere Stranger to the Customs and Policies of his native Country, and has not yet fixed in his Mind the first Principles of Manners and Behaviour? To endeavour it, is to build a gawdy Structure without any Foundation; or, if I may be...

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Monday, April 28, 1712

"This must certainly be a most charming Exercise to the Mind that is rightly turned for it."

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Wednesday, April 30, 1712

"That Devotion to his Mistress kindles in his Mind a general Tenderness, which exerts it self towards every Object as well as his Fair-one."

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Wednesday, April 30, 1712

"Lace and Drapery is as much a Man, as Wit and Turn is Passion."

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Friday, May 30, 1712

"To turn the Discourse, which from being witty grew to be malicious, the Matron of the Family took occasion, from the Subject, to wish that there were to be found amongst Men such faithful Monitors to dress the Mind by, as we consult to adorn the Body."

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Wednesday, June 4, 1712

"It fills the Imagination with an Assemblage of such Ideas and Pictures as are hardly any thing but Shade, such as Night, the Devil, &c. These Portraitures very near over-power the Light of the Understanding, almost benight the Faculties, and give that melancholy Tincture to the most sanguine Com...

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Friday, June 20, 1712

"My Son, th' Instruction that my Words impart, / Grave on the Living Tablet of thy Heart; / And all the wholesome Precepts that I give, / Observe with strictest Reverence, and live."

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)

Date: Friday, June 20, 1712

"Upon her Tongue did such smooth Mischief dwell, / And from her Lips such welcome Flatt'ry fell, / Th' unguarded Youth, in Silken Fetters ty'd, / Resign'd his Reason, and with Ease complied. / Thus does the Ox to his own Slaughter go, / And thus is senseless of th' impending Blow. / Thus flies th...

— Steele, Sir Richard (1672-1729)