THE GUARDIAN

London: J. and R. Tonson, 1714. [All 175 numbers, complete, from Thursday, March 12 to Thursday, October 1, 1713. In two volumes]. Pp. [xii]+348+[12](index)+[xii]+347+[13](index), title page ornaments, head and tailpiece decorations; cr. 12mo; early speckled calf, spines lettered and decorated in gilt between raised bands, with gilt lettered red leather title labels, the boards featuring double gilt rule outer borders, gilt edges, and inner decorative panels with corner ornaments enclosing a central blind decoration and the small initials D E, edges of boards a trifle rubbed, fore-corners lightly worn, the joints tender and spines slightly chipped at extremities; edges sprinkled red; early inked signature on upper free endpaper Volume I, hinges starting, a couple of small edge chips, a little light foxing; printed for J. Tonson, London, 1714. First duodecimo edition. ESTC T119506. *Founded by Richard Steele, The Guardian was a short-lived daily with contributions from Steele, Joseph Addison, Alexander Pope, Thomas Tickell and Ambrose Phillips. Steele is credited with at least 80 of the total numbers, Addison with about 50, and Pope with at least eight. 'For its criticism, rather than anything else, is the Guardian valuable to students of literature. Steele's plea for tolerant and catholic criticism (No. 12), his wise advice about the difficulties of easy writing (15), his various animadversions on pastoral poetry, Hughes' praise of Othello (37), Pope's sly essay in which he contrasts Philips's pastorals with his own (40), the several essays on Cato, Pope's satirical receipt for the epic poem (78), to say nothing of references to Prior and Congreve, to Boileau and Longinus, and to various dramas then on the stage - these make up a not inconsiderable body of critical literature' [Graham, The Beginnings of English Literary Periodicals, pp. 82-3].