The Tatler, Volume 2

Steele, Richard, Sir, 1672-1729Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 746K words
Chapters: 75

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Tatler, Volume 2 by Joseph Addison and Sir Richard SteeleAuthor: Steele, Richard, Sir, 1672-1729,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 26, 2014

Editor's review

The Tatler, Volume 2 is an important text for understanding early eighteenth-century English essayistic literature and social manners. Addison and Steele discuss etiquette, taste, morality, and the varieties of daily life in a relaxed tone; the essays are short and intimate in voice, offering both literary pleasure and rich details of urban life at the time. Compared with the more polished periodical articles of later eras, these pieces retain the immediacy and dialogic quality of the essay genre and are suitable as an introduction to the English essay tradition. They can be read as a kind of “observation of the age,” without seeking narrative continuity, focusing instead on the author's measure of satire, moral intent, and stylistic rhythm. For readers studying periodical literature, eighteenth-century British society and culture, or the evolution of English prose, this volume has both documentary and aesthetic value. Because the original is in English and contains period vocabulary, beginners should use annotated editions or read selected famous pieces to gradually appreciate its language style and historical context.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English majors who wish to understand the eighteenth-century English essay style
Lovers of English literature who want to read representative works by Addison and Steele
Readers in literature and history studying the rise of the modern periodical and public opinion
Intermediate and advanced learners who want to build English language sense through short essays

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer complete long narratives and are unaccustomed to essay fragments
Beginners with weak English who need modern Chinese annotations
Readers concerned only with contemporary issues and impatient with historical context

Reading tips

First read the editor's introduction and chapter summaries, then choose three to five essays with clear themes for close reading.
After each essay, note the social phenomena and targets of satire the author discusses, then compare them with the historical background.
Read alongside a Chinese translation or chapters of literary history to reduce the obstacle of period vocabulary.
Read the essays week by week, writing two or three sentences of summary after each, maintaining rhythm without trying to read everything at once.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a collection of periodical articles?

It is a collection of articles from the early eighteenth-century British periodical The Tatler, belonging to essays and commentary rather than a novel with a continuous plot. The articles mostly discuss etiquette, taste, morality, and daily observations, and are suitable for selective reading in sections rather than following a story from beginning to end.

Can readers with average English read this original edition?

The original contains eighteenth-century English vocabulary and sentence patterns, which will be difficult for readers with only basic English. It is advisable to read selected pieces or a Chinese translation first, and return to the original after becoming familiar with the style; annotated editions can also help, with the reading goal placed on understanding the general meaning and stylistic features.

What historical background knowledge is needed to read this book?

It helps to understand the rise of the British periodical press in the early eighteenth century, coffeehouse culture, the tastes of the urban middle class, and the movement for moral reform. It is not necessary to study history systematically first; relevant background can be added while reading each essay, with the focus on grasping the author's observations and commentary on the social manners of the time.

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About the author

Steele, Richard, Sir, 1672-1729 Author

Sir Richard Steele (1672–1729) was an English essayist and playwright, and, together with Joseph Addison, a leading figure of the early eighteenth-century periodical essay. This collection holds 13 of his works, including volumes 1 and 2 of The Tatler, volumes 1 to 3 of The Spectator, and the De Coverley papers built around the fictional country gentleman Sir Roger de Coverley. Written in an easy, conversational essay style, these pieces discuss manners, fashion, morality and everyday life, combining gentle instruction with humour. They became a model of English periodical writing and deeply influenced later essays and moral journals. Because public information is limited, biographical details are omitted here; readers may best come to know his writing through the works listed above.