5. spindle. Thin like the stick with which the thread is twisted in spinning.
21. the book I had considered last Saturday. The Tenth Book of Paradise Lost. Addison's famous criticism of this poem, which appeared in the Saturday issue of the Spectator from January 5 to May 3, 1712, was written before Milton had come into his kingdom.
23. the following lines. Paradise Lost, x. 888-908.
SPECTATOR 383.
Page 129.
20. bounces. Rough, disorderly knocks.
26. Spring-Garden, The new gardens at Vauxhall, not the old Spring Gardens in Whitehall. They are mentioned by Pepys as a place of bad repute.
Page 130.
7. The Temple Stairs were the landing stairs in the grounds of the Temple. Although there was much wheeled traffic in London the river remained a very favourite highway.
14. bate him. Let him off, remit him. Cf. Shakespeare, Tempest, I. ii. 250: