On Censure or Backbiting

Impia sub dulci melle venena latent. Ovid. Naturam expellas furca licet, usq; recurret. Hor. There is scarce any one Thing so generally spoke against, and at the same time so universally practis’d, as Censure or Backbiting. All Divines have condemn’d it, all Religions have forbid it, all Writers of Morality have endeavour’d to discountenance it,…

Praise for William Penn

Philadelphia, August 12. Yesterday Afternoon, our Governor having received by Express the agreeable News of the Arrival of the Honourable THOMAS PENN, Esq; our Proprietary, at Chester, immediately dispatch’d his Secretary thither with his Compliments of Congratulation; and next Morning, attended by the Council, and many other Gentlemen, His Honour our Governor set out for…

Celia Single

My Correspondent Mrs. Celia, must excuse my omitting those Circumstances of her Letter, which point at People too plainly; and content herself that I insert the rest as follows. Mr. Gazetteer, I must needs tell you, that some of the Things you print do more Harm than Good; particularly I think so of my Neighbour…

Anthony Afterwit

Mr. Gazetteer, I am an honest Tradesman, who never meant Harm to any Body. My Affairs went on smoothly while a Batchelor; but of late I have met with some Difficulties, of which I take the Freedom to give you an Account. About the Time I first address’d my present Spouse, her Father gave out…

Rules and Proposals for a Club

Rules for a Club Formerly Established in Philadelphia Previous question, to be answer’d at every meeting. Have you read over these queries this morning, in order to consider what you might have to offer the Junto touching any one of them? viz. `1. Have you met with any thing in the author you last read,…