In dating his news of the town from these well-known coffee-houses, Steele was imitating the practice of contemporary newspapers in dating local and foreign news from London and various foreign cities. White's Chocolate-house and the St. James's Coffee-house, both near the royal palace, were rendezous of those concerned with court society and with the latest political news. Will's, in the theater district, was the haunt of poets and dramatists, and the Grecian of men of learning. As The Tatler progressed, more and more of the papers tended to be made up of a single essay, dated "From my own Apartment" or, later, from "Sheer Lane."
NB. Although Steele's post as Gazeteer gave him access to the latest political news until October, 1710, the dispatches from St. James's Coffee-house appeared infrequently after the first fifty numbers.