Abstract
This text was published in the early 18th century, during the Augustan age which was a period of wealth in Great Britain. It reflects the apparition of a new British society. This period saw the development of the middle-classes composed of tradesmen or bankers. Wealth and power were no longer hereditary privileges, and social mobility had become easier. These new important people exerted their influence in clubs and coffee-houses where they read the newspapers, discussed them, and exchanged ideas. It was thus a good period for the development of cultural activities such as theatre, concerts, press etc. "The Spectator? was one of the most famous newspapers of this period. It was a daily publication of 1711-12, founded by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele. They aimed to shape middle-class ideology and it was thus a very influential news-paper.
