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low, that he fent for me, which he could always do, from his natural power over me, as much as he could for any of his clerks when he was Secretary of State, and told me that a gentleman then in the room had written a play that he was fure I would like, but it was to be a fecret, and he knew I would take as much pains, fince he recommended it, as I would for him. I hope nobody will be wronged, or think himfelf aggrieved, that I give this rejected work where I do; and if a certain gentleman is injured by it, I will allow I have wronged him, upon this iffue, that (if the reputed tranflator of the first book of Homer fhall please to give us another book) there shall appear another good judge in poetry, befides Mr. Alexander Pope, who fhall like it. But I detain you too long upon things that are too perfonal to myself, and will defer giving the world a true notion of the character and talents of Mr. Addison, till I can speak of that amiable gentleman on an occafion void of controverfy: I fhall then perhaps

*

fay

It is plain by this paffage that Steele knew the real translator. Mr. Gay, in a letter to Pope, July 8, 1715, fays, "Sir Samuel Garth bid me tell you, that every body is pleafed with your tranflation but a few at Button's; and that Sir Richard "Steele told him, that Mr. Addison said, Tickell's translation "was the best that ever was in any language."

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+ It may be inferred from this, that Steele intended to give the publick fome memoirs of his excellent-friend; and perhaps the materials for it may still exist among the papers that were collected towards the Life of the Duke of Marlborough.

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many things of him, which will be new even to you, with regard to him in all parts of his character for which I was fo zealous, that I could not be contented with praifing and adorning him as much as lay in my power, but was ever foliciting and putting my friends upon the fame of fice. And fince the Editor has adorned his heavy difcourfe with profe in rhime at the end of it, upon Mr. Addifon's death, give me leave to atone for this long and tedious epiftle, by giving you after it, what I dare fay you will efteem, an excellent poem on his marriage*. I

muft

*This was the following poem by Mr. Welfted, "addreffed "to the Countefs of Warwick on her Marriage, Aug. 2, 1716:" "Ambition long has Woman's heart betray'd, And tinfel grandeur caught th' unwary Maid; The pompous ftyles, that ftrike th' admiring throng, Have glitter'd in the eye of beauty long;

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You, Madam, first the female taste improve,
And give your fellow-charmers laws for love;
A pomp you covet, not to Heralds known,
And figh for virtues equal to your own;
Part in a man immortal greatly claim,
And frown on titles, to ally with fame;
Not Edward's ftar, embofs'd with filver rays,
Can vie in glory with thy Confort's bays;
His country's pride does homage to thy charms,
And every merit crowds into thy arms.

While others gain light conquests by their eyes,

'Tis thine with wifdom to fubdue the Wise :

To their foft chains while courtly beaux fubmit, 'Tis thine to lead in triumph captive Wit:

Her fighing vaffals let Clarinda boast,

Of lace and languishing cockades the toaft;

In

muft conclude without fatisfying as ftrong a defire as ever man had of faying fomething remarkably handsome to the perfon to whom I am writing; for you are fo good a judge, that you will find out the endeavourer to be witty: and therefore, as I have tired you and myself, I will be contented with affuring you, which I do very honestly, I had rather have you fatisfied with me on this fubject than any other man living.

You will please to pardon me, that I have, thus, laid this nice affair before a person who has the acknowledged fuperiority to all others, not only in the most excellent talents, but poffeffing them with an equanimity, candour, and benevolence, which render those advantages a pleasure as great to the reft of the world, as they can be to the owner of them. And fince fame confifts in the opinion of wife and good men, you must not blame me for taking the readieft way to baffle an attempt upon my reputation,

In Beauty's pride unenvy'd let her reign,
And fhare that wanton empire with the vain.
For Thee the Arts of Greece and Rome combine;
And all the glories Cato gain'd are thine :

Still Warwick in thy boafted rank of life,

But more illuftrious than when Warwick's wife.
Come forth, reveal thyfelf, thou chofen Bride,
And fhew great Naffau's Poet by thy fide;
Thy bright example fhall inftruct the fair,
And future nymphs fhall make renown their care;
Embroidery lefs fhall charm the Virgin's eye,
And kind Coquets for plumes less frequent die;
Secure fhall Beauty reign, the Muse its guard;
The Mufe fhall triumph, Beauty its reward."

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by

by an address to one whom every wife and good man looks upon with the greatest affection and veneration. I am, Sir, your most obliged, most obedient, and most humble fervant,

RICHARD STEELE.

LETTER

CCCCLVI.

To the KING *.

May it please your Majesty,

A

[1722.]

FTER having afpired to the highest and moft laudable ambition, that of following the cause of Liberty, I should not have humbly petitioned your Majefty for a direction of the theatre, had I not believed fuccefs in that province an happiness much to be wished by an honeft man, and highly conducing to the profperity of the commonwealth. It is in this view I lay before your Majefty a Comedy, which the audience, in juftice to themselves, has fupported and encouraged, and is the prelude of what, by your Majesty's influence and favour, may be attempted in future representations.

The imperial mantle, the royal vestment, and the fhining diadem, are what ftrike ordinary minds; but your Majefty's native goodness, your paffion for Juftice, and her conftant affeffor, Mercy, is what continually furrounds

*Prefixed to "The Confcious Lovers."

you,

Our King is above and every act of his

you, in the view of intelligent spirits, and gives hope to the fuppliant, who fees he has more than fucceeded in giving your Majesty an opportunity of doing good. the greatness of royalty; will, which makes another man happy, has ten times more charms in it than one that makes himself appear raised above the condition of others; but even this carries unhappiness with it; for calm dominion, equal grandeur, and familiar greatness, do not eafily affect the imagination of the vulgar, who cannot fee power but in terror; and as fear moves mean fpirits, and love prompts great ones to obey, the infinuations of malcontents are directed accordingly; and the unhappy people are infnared, from want of reflection, into disrespectful ideas of their gracious and amiable Sovereign; and then only begin to apprehend the greatness of their Mafter when they have incurred his displeasure.

As your Majefty was invited to the throne of a willing people, for their own fakes, and has ever enjoyed it with contempt of the oftentation of it, we beseech you to protect us, who revere your title as we love your perfon. It is to be favage to be a rebel; and they who have fallen from you have not fo much forfeited their allegiance as loft their humanity. And therefore, if it were only to preserve myself from the imputation of being amongst the infenfible and abandoned,

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