Swift gave some hints for the early Spectators, and he does not deny them the merit of being 'often prettily written. ' There is more of contempt than praise in his repeating elsewhere, as the common report, not a matter of his own knowledge, 'They say abundance of them are very pretty.' When party feeling gets stronger, Swift's contempt for the mannerisms increases — 'I'll not meddle with the Spectator, let him fair-sex it as he will.'