Spectator

Spectator English daily periodical published jointly by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele with occasional contributions from other writers. It succeeded the Tatler, a periodical begun by Steele on Apr. 12, 1709, under the pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff. The Tatler appeared twice weekly until it ended Jan. 2, 1711. The Spectator began Mar. 1, 1711, appearing as a daily, and lasted until Dec. 6, 1712. Valuable as social history, the papers (dated from various London coffeehouses) provide an excellent commentary on the manners, morals, and literature of the day. The Spectator was supposedly written by members of a small club, representing figures of the British middle class: Sir Roger de Coverley (country gentry), Captain Sentry (military), Sir Andrew Freeport (commerce), Will Honeycomb (town), and Mr. Spectator himself. Addison joined Steele in writing the Tatler and continued his collaboration with him, writing about the same number of articles, in the Spectator. Both periodicals had a tremendous influence on public opinion and gave great impetus to the growth of journalism and periodical writing. The Spectator, which was succeeded by the Guardian, was revived for a time by Addison in 1714.

Bibliography: See edition of the Spectator by G. Smith (1945); studies by G. S. Streatfeild (1923) and R. P. Bond (1971).

spec·tate / spekˈtāt/ • v. [intr.] be a spectator, esp. at a sporting event: an entire defense starts to spectate like fans in the stands.

Spectator. The most famous periodical of Anne's reign appeared daily between March 1711 and December 1712, and was briefly revived in 1714. It was reprinted regularly throughout the 18th cent. Professing to be ‘above party’, the Spectator's essays on social, moral, literary, or philosophical themes, mostly written by Addison and Steele, subtly promoted Whig values, Macaulay's portrait of a Tory being clearly influenced by the character of Sir Roger de Coverley.

J. A. Downie