2. “Character of Will Wimble”
• Sir Richard Steele was a famous English
essayist, dramatist, journalist, and politician.
With Joseph Addison he wrote the periodicals
The Tatler and The Spectator.
• Steele’s essay, “The Character of Will
Wimble” is about a person called Will Wimble.
3. Will’s Letter
• Richard Steele visits his friend Sir Roger
de Coverley at his house. He receives a man
with a huge fish and a letter. The messenger
says that Will Wimble caught the fish. He also
informs that Will Wimble would dine with
Roger. Sir Roger reads the letter given by the
messenger. Will Wimble has written it. It says
that Will is willing to stay with him for a week.
Will promises to bring lash for his whip.
4. He also informs that he had been busy helping
Sir John’s family.
Will is a younger brother of a baronet.
He is about forty and fifty. He had no specific
business to do. He helps people with his
handicraft skills. He makes angle rods. He always
carries tulips, which he gifts to the family
members. He some times gifts puppies. Many
people love him. He presents hand made
clothes to women.
5. He comes to Sir Roger’s house. On his way, he
cuts a few hazel twigs. He is given a hearty welcome.
He requests Roger to give a servant who would carry
shuttle cocks to a lady nearby. He then talks about
adventurous stories, which attracts Steele.
They eat the fish, during which time Will talks
about the way he caught the fish. After dinner Steele
feels pity for Will. He considers Will as a responsible
man but he is without a job on his own. It is been a
practice in Europe that the elder brothers take care of
the business and the younger ones are left for the
family. Steele does not like this. If Will had been into
the field of commerce, he would have shined.