This is a essay book. It must always remain to a great extent a matter of conjecture as to the exact authorship of 'The Tatler' papers. In the preface to the fourth volume the authorship of a very few of the articles was admitted. Peter Wentworth wrote to his brother, Lord Raby, on May 9th, 1709, saying the Tatlers 'are writ by a club of wits, who make it their business to pick up all the merry stories they can. Three of the authors are guessed at, viz:. Swift, Yalden, and Steele' ('Wentworth Papers', 85). Swift’s first recognized prose contribution to 'The Tatler' was in No. 32 (June 23rd), and he continued from time to time, as the following reprint will show, to assist his friend; but, unfortunately, party politics separated the two, and Swift retired from the venture.
