sake, in receiving
compliments of this nature, I depend upon your known humanity for
pardon; when I acknowledge that you have this present trouble, for
mine. When I take myself to be ill treated with regard to my
behaviour to the merit of other men; my conduct towards you is an
argument of my candour that way, as well as that your name and
authority will be my protection in it. You will give me leave
therefore, in a matter that concerns us in the Poetical World, to
make you my judge whether I am not injured in the highest manner!
for with men of your taste and delicacy, it is a high crime and
misdemeanour to be guilty of anything that is disingenuous. But I
will go into my matter.

Upon my return from Scotland, I visited Mr. TONSON's shop, and
thanked him for his care in sending to my house, the Volumes of my
dear and honoured friend Mr. ADDISON; which are, at last, published
by his Secretary, Mr. TICKELL: but took occasion to observe, that I
had not seen the Work before it came out; which he did not think fit
to excuse any otherwise than by a recrimination, that I had put into
his hands, at a high price, a Comedy called _The Drummer_; which, by
my zeal for it, he took to be written by Mr. ADDISON, and of which,
after his [_ADDISON's_] death, he said, I directly acknowleged he
was the author.

To urge this hardship still more home, he produced a receipt under
my hand, in these words--

_March 12, 1715 [-16]_.

_Received then, the sum of Fifty Guineas for the Copy_ [copyright]
_of the Comedy called_, The Drummer or the Haunted House. _I say,
received by order of the Author of the said Comedy_,

_RICHARD STEELE_.

and added, at the same time, that since Mr. TICKELL had not thought fit
to make that play a part of Mr. ADDISON's _Works_; he would sell the Copy
to any bookseller that would give most for it [_i.e., TONSON threw the
onus of the authenticity of the_ Drummer _on STEELE_].

This is represented thus circumstantially, to shew how incumbent it is
upon me, as well in justice to the bookseller, as for many other
considerations, to produce this Comedy a second time [_It was first
printed in_ 1716]; and take this occasion to vindicate myself against
certain insinuations thrown out by the Publisher [_THOMAS TICKELL_] of
Mr. ADDISON's Writings, concerning my behaviour in the nicest
circumstance--that of