abovementioned patron, out of zeal, as well to his country, as our
author, procured him from the crown an annual pension of 300 l. which
enabled him to make a tour to Italy the latter end of 1699. His Latin
poems dedicated to Mr. Montague, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, were
printed before his departure, in the Musaæ Anglicanæ, and were as much
esteemed in foreign countries, as at home, particularly by that
noble wit of France, Boileau. It is from Mr. Tickell we learn this
circumstance in relation to Boileau, and we shall present it to the
reader in his own words; 'his country owes it to Mr. Addison, that the
famous Monsieur Boileau first conceived an opinion of the English
genius for poetry, by perusing the present he made him of the Musæ
Anglicanæ. It has been currently reported, that this famous French
poet, among the civilities he shewed Mr. Addison on that occasion,
affirmed, that he would not have written against Perrault, had he
before seen such excellent pieces by a modern hand. The compliment
he meant, was, that these books had given him a very new idea of the
English politeness, and that he did not question, but there were
excellent compositions in the native language of a country, which
possessed the Roman genius in so eminent a degree.'
In 1701 Mr. Addison wrote an epistolary poem from Italy to lord
Hallifax, which is much admired as a finished piece in its kind, and
indeed some have pronounced it the best of Mr. Addison's performances.
It was translated by the Abbot Antonio Mario Salvini, Greek Professor
at Florence into Italian verse, which translation is printed with the
original in Mr. Tickell's 4to. edition of Mr. Addison's works. This poem
is in the highest esteem in Italy, because there are in it the best
turned compliments on that country, that, perhaps, are to be found
any where: and the Italians, on account of their familiarity with
the objects it describes, must have a higher relish of it. This poem
likewise shews his gratitude to lord Hallifax, who had been that year
impeached by the Commons in Parliament, for procuring exorbitant grants
from the crown to his own use; and further charged with cutting down,
and wasting the timber in his Majesty's forests, and with holding
several offices in his Majesty's Exchequer, that were inconsistent, and
designed as checks upon each other: The Commons had likewise addressed
the King to remove him from his councils, and presence for ever. These
were the causes of his retiring, and Mr. Addison's address at this time,
was a noble instance of his fidelity, and stedfastness to his friends.
On his return to England, he published an account of his travels,
dedicated to lord Somers; he would have returned earlier than he did,
had not he been thought of as a proper person to attend prince Eugene,
who then commanded for the emperor in Italy, which employment would much
have pleased him; but the death of king William intervening caused a
cessation of his pension and his hopes.
For a considerable space of time he remained at home, and as his
friends were out of the ministry, he had no opportunity to display his
abilities, or to meet a competent regard for the honour his works had
already done his country. He owed both to an accident: In the year 1704
lord treasurer Godolphin happened to complain to the lord Hallifax, that
the duke of Marlborough's victory at Blenheim, had not been celebrated
in verse, in the manner it deserved, and told him, that he would take
it kind, if his lordship, who was the patron of the poets, would name a
gentleman capable of writing upon so elevated a subject. Lord Hallifax
replied with some quickness, that he was well acquainted with such a
person, but that he would not name him; and observed, that he had long
seen with indignation, men of little or no merit, maintained in pomp and
luxury, at the expence of the public, while persons of too much modesty,
with great abilities, languished in obscurity. The treasurer answered,
very coolly, that he was sorry his lordship had occasion to make such an
observation; but that in the mean time, he would engage his honour, that
whoever his lordship should name, might venture upon this theme, without
fear of losing his time. Lord Hallifax thereupon named Mr. Addison, but
insisted the treasurer should send to him himself, which he promised.
Accordingly he prevailed upon Mr. Boyle, then chancellor of the
exchequer, to go in his name to Mr. Addison, and communicate to him the
business, which he did in so obliging a manner, that he readily entered
upon the task [3]. The lord treasurer saw the Poem before it was
finished, when the author had written no farther than the celebrated
simile of the Angel, and was so much pleased with it, that he
immediately made him commissioner of appeals, in the room of Mr. Locke,
who was promoted to be one of the lords commissioners for trade, &c.
His Poem, entitled the Campaign, was received with loud and general
applause: It is addressed to the duke of Marlborough, and contains a
short view of the military transactions in the year 1704, and a very
particular description of the two great actions at Schellemberg and
Blenheim.
In 1705 Mr. Addison attended the lord Hallifax to Hanover; and in the
succeeding year he was made choice of for under-secretary to Sir Charles
Hedges, then appointed secretary of state. In the month of December, in
the same year, the earl of Sunderland, who succeeded Sir Charles in that
office, continued Mr. Addison in the post of under secretary.
Operas being now much in fashion, many people of distinction and true
taste, importuned him to make a trial, whether sense and sound were
really so incompatible, as some admirers of the Italian pieces would
represent them. He was at last prevailed upon to comply with their
request, and composed his Rosamond: This piece was inscribed to the
duchess of Marlborough, and met with but indifferent success on the
stage. Many looked upon it as not properly an Opera; for considering
what numbers of miserable productions had born that title, they were
scarce satisfied that so superior a piece should appear under the same
denomination About this time our author assisted Sir Richard Steel, in a
play called the Tender Husband; to which he wrote a humorous Prologue.
Sir Richard, whose gratitude was as warm and ready as his wit, surprized
him with a dedication, which may be considered as one of the few
monuments of praise, not unworthy the great person to whose honour it
was raised.
In 1709 he went over to Ireland, as secretary to the marquis of Wharton,
appointed lord lieutenant of that kingdom. Her majesty also, was
pleased, as a mark of her peculiar favour, to augment the salary annexed
to the keeper of the records in that nation, and bestow it upon him.
While he was in Ireland, his friend Sir Richard Steel published the
Tatler, which appeared for the first time, on the 12th of April 1709:
Mr. Addison (says Tickell) discovered the author by an observation on
Virgil he had communicated to him. This discovery led him to afford
farther assistance, insomuch, that as the author of the Tatler well
exprest it, he fared by this means, like a distrest prince, who calls
in a powerful neighbour to his aid: that is, he was undone by his
auxiliary.
The superiority of Mr. Addison's papers in that work is universally
admitted; and being more at leisure upon the change of the ministry, he
continued assisting in the Tatler till 1711, when it was dropt.
No sooner was the Tatler laid down, but Sir Richard Steel, in concert
with Mr. Addison, formed the plan of the Spectator. The first paper
appeared on the first of March 1711, and in the course of that great
work, Mr. Addison furnished all the papers marked with any Letters of
the Muse CLIO; and which were generally most admired. Tickell, who had
no kindness for Sir Richard Steel, meanly supposes that he marked his
paper out of precaution against Sir Richard; which was an ill-natur'd
insinuation; for in the conclusion of the Spectators, he acknowledges to
Mr. Addison, all he had a right to; and in his letter to Congreve, he
declares that Addison's papers were marked by him, out of tenderness to
his friend, and a warm zeal for his fame. Steel was a generous grateful
friend; it therefore ill became Mr. Tickell in the defence of Mr.
Addison's honour, which needed no such stratagem, to depreciate one of
his dearest friends; and at the expence of truth, and his reputation,
raise the character of his Hero. Sir Richard had opposed Mr. Addison,
in the choice of Mr. Tickell as his secretary; which it seems he could
never forget nor forgive.
In the Spectators, Sir Roger de Coverly was Mr. Addison's favourite
character; and so tender was he of it, that he went to Sir Richard, upon
his publishing a Spectator, in which he made Sir Roger pick up a woman
in the temple cloisters, and would not part with his friend, until he
promised to meddle with the old knight's character no more. However, Mr.
Addison to make sure, and to prevent any absurdities the writers of the
subsequent Spectators might fall into, resolved to remove that character
out of the way; or, as he pleasantly expressed it to an intimate friend,
killed Sir Roger, that no body else might murther him. When the old
Spectator was finished, a new one appeared; but, though written by men
of wit and genius, it did not succeed, and they were wise enough not to
push the attempt too far. Posterity must have a high idea of the taste
and good sense of the British nation, when they are informed, that
twenty-thousand of these papers were sometimes sold in a day. [4]
The Guardian, a paper of the same tendency, entertained the town in the
years 1713 and 1714, in which Mr. Addison had likewise a very large
share; he also wrote two papers in the Lover.
In the year 1713 appeared his famous Cato. He entered into a design of
writing a Tragedy on that subject, when he was very young; and when
he was on his travels he actually wrote four acts of it: However, he
retouched it on his return, without any design of bringing it on the
stage; but some friends of his imagining it might be of service to the
cause of liberty, he was prevailed upon to finish it for the theatre,
which he accordingly did. When this play appeared, it was received with
boundless admiration; and during the representation on the first night,
on which its fate depended, it is said that Mr. Addison discovered
uncommon timidity; he was agitated between hope and fear, and while he
remained retired in the green-room, he kept a person continually going
backwards and forwards, from the stage to the place where he was, to
inform him how it succeeded, and till the whole was over, and the
success confirmed, he never ventured to move.
When it was published, it was recommended by many Copies of Verses
prefixed to it, amongst which the sincerity of Mr. Steele, and the
genius of Eusden, deserve to be distinguished: But, as I would not omit
any particulars relative to this renowned play, and its great author, I
shall insert a letter of Mr. Pope's to Sir William Turnbull, dated
the 30th of April 1713, in which are some circumstances that merit
commemoration.
SIR,
'As to poetical affairs, I am content at present to be a bare looker on,
and from a practitioner turn an admirer; which as the world goes, is not
very usual. Cato was not so much the wonder of Rome in his Days, as he
is of Britain in ours; and though all the foolish industry possible had
been used to make it thought a party play, yet what the author once said
of another, may the most properly in the world be applied to him on this
occasion.
Envy itself is dumb, in wonder lost,
And factions strive who shall applaud him most.
The numerous and violent claps of the Whig party, on the one side of the
theatre, were ecchoed back by the Tories on the other; while the
author sweated behind the scenes, with concern to find their applause
proceeding more from the hand than the head. This was the case too with
the Prologue writer, who was clapp'd into a staunch Whig at the end of
every two lines. I believe you have heard, that after all the applauses
of the opposite faction, my lord Bolingbroke sent for Booth, who played
Cato, into the box, between one of the acts, and presented him with
fifty guineas, in acknowledgment as he expressed it, for defending the
cause of liberty so well against a perpetual dictator. The Whigs are
unwilling to be distanced this way, and therefore design a present to
the same Cato very speedily; in the mean time, they are getting ready
as good a sentence as the former on their side, so betwixt them it is
probable, that Cato (as Dr. Garth exprest it) may have something to live
upon after he dies.'
Immediately after the publication of this Tragedy, there came abroad a
pamphlet, entitled, Observations on Cato; written by the ingenious Dr.
Sewel: The design of this piece was to show that the applause this
Tragedy met with was founded on merit. It is a very accurate and
entertaining criticism, and tends to secure the poet the hearts of his
readers, as well as of his audience.
Our author was not however without enemies, amongst whom was Mr. Dennis,
who attacked it, first in a pamphlet, and then in a subsequent work, in
which he employed seven letters in pulling it to pieces: In some of his
remarks he is candid, and judicious enough, in others he is trifling and
ill natur'd, and I think it is pretty plain he was agitated by envy; for
as the intent of that play was to promote the Whig interest, of which
Mr. Dennis was a zealous abettor, he could not therefore disesteem it
from party principles.
Another gentleman, who called himself a scholar at Oxford, considered
the play in a very different light; and endeavoured to serve his party
by turning the cannon upon the enemy. The title of this pamphlet is, Mr.
Addison turned Tory: It is written with great spirit and vivacity. Cato
was speedily translated into French by Mr. Boyer, but with no spirit: It
was translated likewise into Italian.
Voltaire has commended, and condemned Mr. Addison by turns, and in
respect to Cato, he admires, and censures it extravagantly. The
principal character he allows superior to any before brought upon the
stage, but says, that all the love-scenes are absolutely insipid: He
might have added unnecessary, as to the plot; and the only reason that
can be assigned for the poet's introducing them was, the prevalence
of custom; but it must be acknowledged, that his lovers are the most
sensible, and address each other in the best language, that is to be
found in any love dialogues of the British stage: It will be difficult
to find a more striking line, or more picturesque of a lover's passion.
than this pathetic exclamation;
A lover does not live by vulgar time.
Queen Anne was not the last in doing justice to our author and his
performance; she was pleased to signify an inclination of having it
dedicated to her, but as he intended that compliment to another, it came
into the world without any dedication.
If in the subsequent part of his life, his leisure had been greater, we
are told, he would probably have written another tragedy on the death of
Socrates; but the honours accruing from what he had already performed
deprived posterity of that production.
This subject was still drier, and less susceptible of poetical ornament
than the former, but in the hands of so great a writer, there is no
doubt but genius would have supplied what was wanting in the real
story, and have covered by shining sentiments, and noble language, the
simplicity of the plot, and deficiency in business.
Upon the death of the Queen, the Lords Justices appointed Mr. Addison
their secretary. This diverted him from the design he had formed of
composing an English Dictionary upon the plan of a famous Italian
one: that the world has much suffered by this promotion I am ready
to believe, and cannot but regret that our language yet wants the
assistance of so great a master, in fixing its standard, settling its
purity, and illustrating its copiousness, or elegance.
In 1716 our author married the countess of Warwick; and about that time
published the Freeholder, which is a kind of political Spectator. This
work Mr. Addison conducted without any assistance, upon a plan of his
own forming; he did it in consequence of his principles, out of a desire
to remove prejudices, and contribute all he could to make his country
happy; however it produced his own promotion, in 1717, to be one of
the principal secretaries of state. His health, which had been
before impaired by an asthmatic disorder, suffered exceedingly by an
advancement so much to his honour, but attended with such great fatigue:
Finding, that he was not able to manage so much business as his station
led him to, he resigned, and in his leisure hours began a work of a
religious nature, upon the Evidence of the Christian religion; which he
lived not to finish. He likewise intended a Paraphrase on some of the
Psalms of David: but a long and painful relapse broke all his designs,
and deprived the world of one of its brightest ornaments, June 17, 1719,
when he was entering the 54th year of his age. He died at Holland-house
near Kensington, and left behind him an only daughter by the countess of
Warwick.
After his decease, Mr. Tickell, by the authority and direction of the
author, collected and published his works, in four volumes 4to. In this
edition there are several pieces, as yet unmentioned, which I shall
here give account of in order; the first is a Dissertation upon Medals,
which, though not published 'till after his death; was begun in 1702,
when he was at Vienna.
In 1707 there came abroad a pamphlet, under the title of The Present
State of the War, and the Necessity of an Augmentation Considered. The
Whig Examiner came out September 14 1710, for the first time: there were
five papers in all attributed to Mr. Addison; these are by much the
tartest things he ever wrote; Dr. Sacheverel, Mr. Prior, and many other
persons are severely treated. The Examiner had done the same thing on
the part of the Tories, and the avowed design of this paper was to make
reprisals.
In the year 1713 was published a little pamphlet, called The Late Trial,
and Conviction of Count Tariff; it was intended to expose the Tory
ministry on the head of the French Commerce Bill: This is also a severe
piece.
The following have likewise been ascribed to our author;
Dissertatio de insignioribus Romanorum Poetis, i. e. A Dissertation upon
the most Eminent Roman Poets: This is supposed to have been written
about 1692.
A Discourse on Ancient and Modern Learning; the time when it was written
is uncertain, but probably as early as the former. It was preserved
amongst the manuscripts of lord Somers, which, after the death of Sir
Joseph Jekyl, being publickly sold, this little piece came to be printed
1739, and was well received. To these we must add the Old Whig, No. 1
and 2. Pamphlets written in Defence of the Peerage Bill: The scope of
the Bill was this, that in place of 16 Peers sitting in Parliament, as
Representatives of the Peerage of Scotland, there were for the future to
be twenty five hereditary Peers, by the junction of nine out of the body
of the Scotch nobility, to the then 16 sitting Peers; that six English
Peers should be added, and the peerage then remain fixed; the crown
being restrained from making any new lords, but upon the extinction of
families. This gave a great alarm to the nation, and many papers were
wrote with spirit against it; amongst the rest, one called the Plebeian,
now known to have been Sir Richard Steele's. In answer to this came out
the Old Whig N°. 1. on the State of the Peerage, with some Remarks on
the Plebeian. This controversy was carried on between the two friends,
Addison and Steele, at first without any knowledge of one another, but
before it was ended, it appears, from several expressions, that the
author of the Old Whig was acquainted with his antagonist.
Thus we have gone through the most remarkable passages of the life
of this great man, in admiration of whom, it is but natural to be
an Enthusiast, and whose very enemies expressed their dislike with
diffidence; nor indeed were his enemies, Mr. Pope excepted, (if it be
proper to reckon Mr. Pope Mr. Addison's enemy) in one particular case,
of any consequence. It is a true, and an old observation, that the
greatest men have sometimes failings, that, of all other human
weaknesses, one would not suspect them to be subject to. It is said of
Mr. Addison, that he was a slave to flattery, that he was jealous, and
suspicious in his temper, and, as Pope keenly expresses it,
Bore, like the Turk, no rival near the
throne.
That he was jealous of the fame of Pope, many have believed, and perhaps
not altogether without ground. He preferred Tickel's translation of the
first Book of Homer, to Pope's. His words are,
'the other has more of Homer',
when, at the same time, in a letter to Pope, he strenuously advises him
to undertake it, and tells him, there is none but he equal to it; which
circumstance has made some people conjecture, that Addison was himself
the author of the translation, imputed to Mr. Tickell: Be this as it
may, it is unpleasing to dwell upon the failings, and quarrels of great
men; let us rather draw a veil over all their errors, and only admire
their virtues, and their genius; of both which the author, the incidents
of whose life we have now been tracing, had a large possession. He added
much to the purity of the English stile in prose; his rhime is not so
flowing, nervous, or manly as some of his cotemporaries, but his prose
has an original excellence, a smoothness and dignity peculiar to it. His
poetry, as well as sentiments, in Cato, cannot be praised enough.
Mr. Addison was stedfast to his principles, faithful to his friends, a
zealous patriot, honourable in public stations, amiable in private life,
and as he lived, he died, a good man, and a pious Christian.
[Footnote 1: Tickell's Preface to Addison's works.]
[Footnote 2: Tickell. Ubi supra.]
[Footnote 3: Budgel's Memoirs of the Boyles.]
[Footnote 4: Tickell's Preface.]
* * * * *
ANNE, Countess of WINCHELSEA.
This lady, deservedly celebrated for her poetic genius, was daughter of
Sir William Kingsmill of Sidmonton, in the county of Southampton. She
was Maid of Honour to the Duchess of York, second wife to King James II.
and was afterwards married to Heneage earl of Winchelsea, who was in his
father's life-time Gentleman of the Bed-chamber to the Duke of York.
One of the most considerable of this lady's poems, is that upon the
Spleen, published by Mr. Charles Gildon, 1701, in 8vo. That poem
occasioned another of Mr. Nicholas Rowe's, entitled an Epistle to
Flavia, on the sight of two Pindaric Odes on the Spleen and Vanity,
written by a Lady to her Friend. This poem of the Spleen is written
in stanzas, after the manner of Cowley, and contains many thoughts
naturally expressed, and poetically conceived; there is seldom to be
found any thing more excellently picturesque than this poem, and it
justly entitles the amiable countess to hold a very high station amongst
the inspired tribe. Nothing can be more happily imagined than the
following description of the pretended influence of Spleen upon surly
Husbands, and gay Coquetes.
Patron thou art of every gross abuse;
The sullen husband's feign'd excuse,
When the ill humours with his wife he spends,
And bears recruited wit, and spirits to his friends
The son of Bacchus pleads thy pow'r
As to the glass he still repairs
Pretends but to remove thy cares,
Snatch from thy shades, one gay, and smiling hour,
And drown thy kingdom in a purple show'r.
When the coquette (whom ev'ry fool admires)
Would in variety be fair;
And changing hastily the scene,
From light, impertinent, and vain,
Assumes a soft, a melancholy air
And of her eyes rebates the wand'ring fires,
The careless posture, and the head reclin'd
(Proclaiming the withdrawn, the absent mind)
Allows the fop more liberty to gaze;
Who gently for the tender cause enquires;
The cause indeed is a defect of sense,
Yet is the Spleen alledged, and still the dull pretence.
The influence which Spleen has over religious minds, is admirably
painted in the next stanza.
By spleen, religion, all we know;
That should enlighten here below,
Is veiled in darkness, and perplext
With anxious doubts, with endless scruples vext
And some restraint imply'd from each perverted text;
Whilst touch not, taste not what is freely given,
Is but thy niggard voice disgracing bounteous Heaven.
From speech restrain'd, by the deceits abus'd,
To desarts banish'd; or in cells reclus'd,
Mistaken vot'ries, to the powers divine,
Whilst they a purer sacrifice design,
Do but the spleen obey, and worship at thy shrine.
A collection of this lady's poems was published at London 1713 in 8vo.
containing likewise a Tragedy never acted, entitled Aristomenes, or the
Royal Shepherd. The general scenes are in Aristomenes's camp, near the
walls of Phærea, sometimes the plains among the Shepherds. A great
number of our authoress's poems still continue unpublished, in the hands
of the rev. Mr. Creake, and some were in possession of the right hon.
the countess of Hertford.