need of money brought about the publication of the Tatler, in which connection his name is best known. Following this periodical came the Spectator, the Guardian, and numerous other papers having the same general purpose. Steele became member of Parliament and in 1715 was knighted by George I. He died at Carmarthen, September 1, 1729.

The lives of these two men, so nearly the same age, and so closely connected, varied much in experiences. From letters of Steele, it is evident that he was thrown on his own resources when a mere boy, his father, a lawyer, dying when Richard was but five years old, and the mother surviving but a short time. Addison's father, a prominent dean in good circumstances, had a comfortable and somewhat luxurious home, and the boy knew nothing of privation and struggle with poverty. In their college days Thackeray marks the dif ference. "Addison wrote his (Steele's) exercises. Addison did his best themes. He ran on Addison's messages; fagged for him and blacked his shoes." In middle life both gained friends and lucrative positions by their writings; yet Steele was continually in trouble financially and socially, while Addison moved serenely along and experienced little difficulty in getting what he wanted. Steele's home was probably a happier one than Addison's—if there can be a comparison between a home where the whole gamut of

chords and discords is sounded at various times, and one where it is invariably at low pitch. There was undoubtedly much love and much fault-finding from Mrs. Steele, much coldness and much haughtiness from Mrs. Addison. Addison had one child, Charlotte, who lived to old age but never married. Only one of Steele's children, Elizabeth, reached maturity, and she became the wife of Lord Trevor.

Thackeray says in deciding of a great man we must ask ourselves if we should like to live with him. Judging from this standpoint, of these men so widely different in character, the lovers of one would scarcely be lovers of the other, and so would not consider the two equally worthy. Of Addison, Macaulay says: "The just harmony of qualities, the exact temper between the stern and the human virtues, the habitual observance of every law, not only of moral rectitude, but of moral grace and dignity, distinguish him from all And Thackeray declares: "He must have been one of the finest gentlemen the world ever saw; at all moments of life serene and courteous, cheerful and calm." Swift tells us that "Steele hath committed more absurdities in economy, friendship, love, duty, good manners, politics, religion, and writing than ever fell to one man's share," and this is proba bly true; but a man who in an age of almost unbridled license in thought and speech of woman, possessed

men."

nothing but chivalrous tenderness and loving reverence for her purity and beauty, surely deserves that women and all lovers of women should dwell on his virtues and forget his weaknesses. Addison, polite and gentlemanly always, desirous of helping, yet lacked entirely the enthusiastic, respectful admiration for woman which animated Steele. Addison wished to raise her so that she might be respected; Steele found something to respect before she was raised. Does this mean anything to us, or is it a quality to ignore? Is there not something of greatness, some element of the highest type of manhood in this ability to detect under all the flimsy, affected showiness of the times, the undeveloped, inherent nobility of womanhood? Steele had his faults. Swift was right; but the faults of this "same gentle, kindly, improvident, jovial Dick Steele" were the faults of an impetuous child who repents and sins again only to shed other tears of repentance. Addison was a man in boyhood; Steele, a boy even in manhood; and who shall say that Steele with his "sweet and compassionate nature," though rashly living for the moment, is less lovable than the polished, dignified Addison whom all the world honors ?

When they met as boys at the Charter House school, their very dissimilarity tended to cement a friendship as strong as that of David and Jonathan, Damon and

Pythias. The persuasive cordiality of Steele pene. trated the bashfulness and natural reserve of Addison, while "Addison's stronger, more stable, more serious character affected very favorably his (Steele's) own wayward, volatile nature." The love was mutual and the dependence mutual and actual. Later in life they quarrelled as most friends do, sometimes. A Bill to limit the number of peers was before Parliament. Addison favored it, Steele opposed it, and bitter articles were written by each. Unfortunately Addison's death, following soon, prevented the reconciliation which would, undoubtedly, have occurred. Afterward Steele is reported to have written that "they still preserved the most passionate concern for their mutual welfare." And Morley tells us friendship equal friendship between Steele and Addison was as unbroken as the love between Steele and his wife."

"The

And out of this friendship came the Spectator; for it is safe to say that without the coöperation of the two, the paper would never have reached such perfection. Addison was in Ireland when he recognized in the new periodical, the Tatler, the hand of his friend Steele. Seeing at once his own fitness for such work he offered to contribute, and in his first essay showed those bright touches of humor which later so enchanted the public in the Spectator.

That

the two friends should unite in publishing the latter paper was the natural outcome; for neither was at his best without the other. What Steele originated, Addison perfected. Morley says "It was the firm hand of his friend Steele that helped Addison up to the place in literature which became him. It was Steele who caused the nice, critical taste which Addison might have spent only in accordance with the fleeting fashions of his time, to be inspired with all Addison's religious earnestness, and to be enlivened with the free play of that sportive humor, delicately whimsical and gaily wise, which made his conversation the delight of the few men with whom he sat at ease;" and again, "the Spectator is the abiding monument commemorating the friendship of these two." Whether the originator or perfecter is greater will always be an open question; but critics must concede that both are great; that the Spectator is not the work of Addison alone, not the work of Steele alone, but is the united genius of Addison and Steele and truly their "monument."