I sat one December morning in the library of the Speculative; a very humble-minded youth, though it was a virtue I never had much credit for; yet proud of my privileges as a member of the Spec.; proud of the pipe I was smoking in the teeth of the Senatus; and in particular, proud of being in the next room to three very distinguished students, who were then conversing beside the corridor fire.

"The hours of the day and night," says Steele, (Spec.

I spec' dey mus' be mos' here by dis time, so I 'll git outen de way, fer I don' want nobody fer ter think I wuz mix' up in dis business."

I 'spec' she's lookin' at the picture on the opposite wall, suh.

I didn't spec' no in-trus', but I don' never 'fuse gol' w'en

I can assure you, Mr. SPEC, I was very near being qualify'd to have given you a faithful and painful Account of this walking Bagnio, if I may so call it, my self: For going the other night along Fleet-street, and having, out of curiosity, just enter'd into Discourse with a wandring Female who was travelling the same Way, a couple of Fellows advanced towards us, drew their Swords, and cry out to each other, A Sweat!

He seem'd at first a little uneasy under the Operation, and was going in all haste to take the Numbers of their Coaches; but at length by the Mediation of the worthy Gentleman in the Coach, his Wrath was asswaged, and he prevail'd upon to pursue his Journey; tho' indeed I thought they had clapt such a Spoke in his Wheel, as had disabled him from being a Coachman for that Day at least: For I am only mistaken, Mr. SPEC.

Dear SPEC.

'I cannot conclude my Letter, Dear SPEC., without telling thee one very odd Whim in this my Dream, I saw, methoughts, a dozen Women employed in bringing off one Man; I could not guess who it should be, till upon his nearer approach I discover'd thy short Phiz.

If thou thinkest this Dream will make a tolerable one, it is at thy Service, from, 'Dear SPEC.

'Quis non invenit turbâ quod amaret in illâ?' Ovid, Dear SPEC. 'Finding that my last Letter took, I do intend to continue my epistolary Correspondence with thee, on those dear confounded Creatures, Women.

But now you must know, SPEC.

I say, two or three Touches with your own Pen; for I have really observed, Mr. SPEC, that those Spectators which are so prettily laced down the sides with little c's, how instructive soever they may be, do not carry with them that Authority as the others.

I am, Dear SPEC.

I must confess I suspected something more than ordinary, when upon opening the Letter I found that Will was fallen off from his former Gayety, having changed Dear Spec.

Pray deliver us out of this Perplexity, and among the Multitude of your Readers you will particularly oblige Your most Sincere Friend and Servant, Philo-Spec.

I spec' he was a two faced Yankee or carpetbagger.

I 'spec' nice white folks talked 'bout 'em an' wouldn' have nothin' to do wid 'em.

"Slaves didn' know what to 'spec from freedom, but a lot of 'em hoped dey would be fed an' kep' by de gov'ment.

De white folks say, 'Old Jim is de las' leaf on de tree,' an' I 'spec dey's 'bout right.

Mr. Chisolm send de Kloo Kluxes' names to de Gov'nor an' spec' him to do somethin' 'bout runnin' 'em out.

"I didn' spec nothin' out of freedom 'ceptin' peace an' happiness an' the right to go my way as I pleased.

I spec' its all right.

An' min' what you're about; Or I'll send you to de debil Faster dan you 'spec to go.

'No, missis, me go to hospital; me almost dead and sick so long, 'spec Driver Bran him forgot 'bout de flogging.'