In 1713, a small and bitter pamphlet, entitled The late Trial and Conviction of Count Tariff, was published to expose the Tory ministry, on the subject of the French Commerce Bill. These are all, that were included in Mr. Tickell's edition; no notice being taken in it of the Drummer, or the Haunted House,' a comedy subsequently published as Addison's by Sir Richard Steele.*

Prior to the appearance of Pope's Iliad, in 1715, the translator had a quarrel with Addison, upon the grounds of which both were silent. But the feelings of the nation were engaged in tracing the obscure commencement, and it's secret growth: for literature at that time, as it has been remarked, divided with politics the public interest; and Blackstone himself did not refuse to withdraw a while from the severity of his professional labours in order to scrutinise it's causes. Superior then as the statesman was to the bard in age, rank, and fortune, of established literary fame, and high in the list of successful politicians, he could not suppress his ambition of being regarded as a great poet. His agitation, indeed, on the first night of his Cato' was such, that it was supposed it's damnation would have sensibly affected his health, Hinc ille lacrymæ. He was jealous of Pope. Through the mediation of Steele and Gay, however, they were prevailed upon to see each other. They

* To Addison, likewise, the following pieces have been ascribed; Dissertatio de insignioribus Romanorum Poetis; or, 'A Dissertation upon the most eminent Roman Poets,' supposed to have been written about 1692; and A Discourse on Ancient and Modern Learning;' preserved among the manuscripts of Lord Somers, and with them publicly sold after the death of Sir Joseph Jekyl, upon which it found it's way to the press in 1739.

met with cold civility. With wine Addison's reserve began to melt away. Pope then professed his willingness to hear his faults.' Addison made a formal speech upon the subject, particularly asserting the superiority of Tickell's first Book of the Iliad, which Pope believed to have proceeded from the pen of the panegyrist himself. From this partial judgement, therefore, he appealed with great vehemence; and they separated with increased hostility.*

In the latter end of 1718, the Peerage Bill began first to be talked of; and, from the alarm which it inspired, many papers were written with great spirit against it; among the rest, one called the Plebeian,' and now known to have been drawn up by Sir Richard Steele. To this, several answers were published; but, of all the pieces circulated in support of the project, none were favourably received. At length came forth the first number of the Old Whig,' upon the state of the peerage, containing remarks on the Plebeian; a pamphlet, written with considerable strength and perspicuity. To this the author of the Plebeian replied with much asperity, alleging that the work bore a very proper title; the author, if he was a Whig, seeming so old as to have forgotten his principles.'

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The second Old Whig was written in support of the first. It is a judicious, and at the same time an extremely animated and humorous production; from the very beginning of which, for the first time during the controversy, it appears that Addison considered Steele as his opponent. He stiles him, a "perfect master of the vocation of pamphlet-writing" in one

place; calls him Little Dicky in another; tells him, " he has made the most of a bad cause in a third; and advises him as a friend, in the close, if he goes on in his new vocation, to "take care that he be as happy in the choice of his subject, as he is in the talents of a pamphleteer."

The fourth Plebeian, containing an answer to the second Old Whig, exceeds in virulence the rest of the papers. It's conclusion, in particular, is remarkable:

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Authors," he remarks, " in these cases are named upon suspicion; and if it is right as to the Old Whig, I leave the world to judge of this cause by comparison of this performance with his other writings; and I shall say no more of what is written in support of vassalage, but end this paper by firing every free breast with that noble exhortation of the tragedian,

Remember, O! my friends,' &c.

(Addison's Cato.)

This may suffice to show Sir Richard's conjecture; nor has any one questioned it's accuracy.— The Peerage Bill went off, notwithstanding, for that session; and Addison died before it came on again.*

Of the manner of his death, some account has been given by Dr. Young. After a long and manly struggle with his distemper, he dismissed his physicians, and with them all hopes of life. With his hopes of life, however, he dismissed not his concern for the living. He sent for the young Earl of War

It may not, however, be amiss to observe, that in December 1719, on a motion in the House of Commons for it's committal, it was carried in the negative by 269 against 177.

wick, the issue of his lady by a former husband, who immediately obeyed the summons. After a decent and proper pause, his Lordship said, "Dear Sir, you sent for me: I believe and hope that you have some commands; I shall hold them most sacred." Forcibly grasping his noble step-son's hand, Mr. Addison softly replied, "See in what peace a Christian can die!" He spoke with great difficulty, and soon afterward expired.

J

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"His works, in Latin and English poetry," remarks Mr. Gay, long since convinced the world that he was the greatest master in Europe of these two languages:" and Felton pronounces him a perfect pattern of true poetic writing.' "He is more laboured than Prior like his great master Virgil, he hath weighed every word; nor is there any expression in all his lines, that can be changed for any juster or more forcible than itself."

Dr. Johnson observes of him, that "if any judge⚫ment be made from his books or his moral character, nothing will be found but purity and excellence. Knowledge of mankind indeed, less extensive than that of Addison, will show, that to write and to live are very different. Many, who praise virtue, do no more than praise it. Yet it is reasonable to believe, that Addison's professions and practice were at no great variance; since, amidst that storm of faction in which most of his life was passed, though his station made him conspicuous and his activity made him formidable, the character given him by his friends was never contradicted by his enemies. Of those, with whom interest or opinion united him, he had not only the esteem, but the kindness; and of others, whom the

violence of opposition drove against him, though he might lose the love, he retained the reverence.

It is justly observed by Tickell, that he employed wit on the side of virtue and religion.' He not only made the proper use of wit himself, but he taught it to others; and from his time it has been, generally, subservient to the cause of reason and of truth. He has dissipated the prejudice, that had long connected gayety with wit, and easiness of manners with laxity of principles. He has restored virtue to it's dignity, and taught innocence not to be ashamed, This is an elevation of literary character,

Above all Greek, above all Roman fame.'

No greater felicity can genius attain, than that of having purified intellectual pleasure, separated mirth from indecency, and wit from licentiousness; of having taught a succession of writers to bring elegance and gayety to the aid of goodness; and, if I may use expressions yet more aweful, of having turned many to righteousness."

EXTRACTS.

'Freeholder,' No. 54.

• THE general division of the British nation is into Whigs and Tories, there being very few if any who stand neuters in the dispute, without ranging themselves under one of these denominations. One would therefore be apt to think, that every member of the community, who embraces with this vehemence the principles of either of these parties, had thoroughly