time, before the arts and bravery of the besieger, man. There is a letter of Swift's, entitled "Advice to a very Young Married Lady," which shows the Dean's opinion of the female society of his day, and that if he despised man he utterly scorned women too. No lady of our time could be treated by any man, were he ever so much ♣ wit or Dean, in such a tone of insolent patronage and vulgar protection. In this performance, Swift hardly takes pains to hide his opinion that a woman is a fool: tells her to read books, as if reading was a novel accomplishment; and informs her that "not one gentleman's daughter in a thousand has been brought to read or understand her own natural tongue." Addison laughs at women equally; but, with the gentleness and politeness of his nature, smiles at them and watches them, as if they were harmless, halfwitted, amusing, pretty creatures, only made to be men's playthings. It was Steele who first began to pay a manly homage to their goodness and understanding, as well as to their tenderness and beauty. In his comedies, the heroes do not rant and rave about the divine beauties of Gloriana or Statira, as the characters were made to do in the chivalry romances and the high-flown dramas just going out of

1

1 "As to the pursuits after affection and esteem, the fair sex are happy in this particular, that with them the one is much more nearly related to the other than in men. The love of a woman is inseparable from some esteem of her; and as she is naturally the object of affection, the woman who has your esteem has also some degree of your love. A man that dotes on a woman for her beauty, will whisper his friend, 'that creature has a great deal of wit when you are well acquainted with her.' And if you examine the bottom of your esteem for a woman, you will find you have a greater opinion of her beauty than anybody else. As to us men, I de sign to pass most of my time with the facetious Harry Bickerstaff, but William Bickerstaff, the most prudent man of our family, shall be my executor."-Tatler, No. 206.

vogue, but Steele admires women's virtue, acknowledges their sense, and adores their purity and beauty, with an ardour and strength which should win the good will of all women to their hearty and respectful champion. It is this ardour, this respect, this manliness, which makes his comedies so pleasant and their heroes such fine gentlemen. He paid the finest compliment to a woman that perhaps ever was offered. Of one woman, whom Congreve had also admired and celebrated, Steele says, that "to have loved her was a liberal education." "How often," he says, dedicating a volume to his wife, "how often has your tenderness removed pain from my sick head, how often anguish from my afflicted heart! If there are such beings as guardian angels, they are thus employed. I cannot believe one of them to be more good in inclination, or more charming in form than my wife." His breast seems to warm and his eyes to kindle when he meets with a good and beautiful woman, and it is with his heart as well as with his hat that he salutes her. About children, and all that relates to home, he is not less tender, and more than once speaks in apology of what he calls his softness. He would have been nothing without that delightful weakness. It is that which gives his works their worth and his style its charm. It, like his life, is full of faults and careless blunders; and redeemed, like that, by his sweet and compassionate nature.

We possess of poor Steele's wild and chequered life some of the most curious memoranda that ever were left of a man's biography.' Most men's letters, from Cicero down

1 The Correspondence of Steele passed after his death into the possession of his daughter Elizabeth, by his second wife, Miss Scurlock, of Carmarthenshire. She

to Walpole, or down to the great men of our own time, if you will, are doctored compositions, and written with an

married the Hon. John, afterwards third Lord Trevor. At her death, part of the letters passed to Mr. Thomas, a grandson of a natural daughter of Steele's; and part to Lady Trevor's next of kin, Mr. Scurlock.-They were published by the learned Nichols-from whose later edition of them, in 1809, our specimens are quoted.

Here we have him, in his courtship-which was not a very long one.

"MADAM,—

TO MRS. SCURLOCK.

"Aug. 30, 1707.

"I beg pardon that my paper is not finer, but I am forced to write from a coffee-house, where I am attending about business. There is a dirty crowd of busy faces all around me, talking of money; while all my ambition, all my wealth is love! Love which animates my heart, sweetens my humour, enlarges my soul, and affects every action of my life. It is to my lovely charmer I owe, that many noble ideas are continually affixed to my words and actions; it is the natural effect of that generous passion to create in the admirer some similitude of the object admired. Thus, my dear, am I every day to improve from so sweet a companion. Look up, my fair one, to that Heaven which made thee such; and join with me to implore its influence on our tender innocent hours, and beseech the author of love to bless the rites he has ordained—and mingle with our happiness a just sense of our transient condition, and a resignation to His will, which only can regulate our minds to a steady endeavour to please Him and each other.

"I am for ever your faithful servant,

"RICH. STEELE."

Some few hours afterwards, apparently, Mistress Scurlock received the next one -obviously written later in the day!

"DEAR, LOVELY MRS. SCURLock,—

“Saturday night (Aug. 30, 1707).

"I have been in very good company, where your health, under the character of the woman I loved best, has been often drunk; so that I may say that I am dead drunk for your sake, which is more than I die for you.

TO MRS. SCURLOCK.

"RICH. STEELE."

"MADAM,

"Sept. 1, 1707.

"It is the hardest thing in the world to be in love, and yet attend business. As for me, all who speak to me find me out, and I must lock myself up, or other people will do it for me.

"A gentleman asked me this morning, what news from Lisbon?' and I an

eye suspicious towards posterity. That dedication of Steele's to his wife is an artificial performance, possibly;

swered, 'she is exquisitely handsome.' Another desired to know when I had last been at Hampton Court?" I replied, it will be on Tuesday come se'nnight.' Pry'thee allow me at least to kiss your hand before that day, that my mind may be in some composure. Oh Love'

"A thousand torments dwell about thee,

Yet who could live, to live without thee?"

"Methinks I could write a volume to you; but all the language on earth would fail in saying how much, and with what disinterested passion,

"I am ever yours,

"RICH. STEELE.”

Two days after this, he is found expounding his circumstances and prospects to the young lady's mamma. He dates from "Lord Sunderland's office, Whitehall;" and states his clear income at 1025l. per annum. "I promise myself,” says he, “ the pleasure of an industrious and virtuous life, in studying to do things agreeable to you."

They were married, according to the most probable conjectures, about the 7th inst. There are traces of a tiff about the middle of the next month; she being prudish and fidgetty, as he was impassioned and reckless. General progress, however, may be seen from the following notes. The "house in Bury-street, St. James's," was now taken.

TO MRS. STEELE.

"DEAREST BEING ON EARTH,

"Oct. 16, 1707.

"Pardon me if you do not see me till eleven o'clock, having met a schoolfellow from India, by whom I am to be informed on things this night which expressly concerns your obedient husband,

"MY DEAR,

"RICH. STEELE."

"I beg of you not to be uneasy; for I have done a great deal of business today very successfully, and wait an hour or two about my 'Gazette.'"

"MY DEAR, DEAR WIFE,—

"Dec. 22, 1707.

"I write to let you know I do not come home to dinner, being obliged to attend some business abroad, of which I shall give you an account (when I see you in the evening), as becomes your dutiful and obedient husband."

"DEAR PRUE,

"Devil Tavern, Temple-bar, Jan. 3, 1707-8.

"I have partly succeeded in my business to-day, and inclose two guineas as

at least, it is written with that degree of artifice which an orator uses in arranging a statement for the House, or a poet employs in preparing a sentiment in verse or for the stage. But there are some 400 letters of Dick Steele's to

earnest of more. Dear Prue, I cannot come home to dinner. I languish for your welfare and will never be a moment careless more.

"Your faithful husband," &c.

"Jan. 14, 1707-8.

"DEAR WIFE,

"Mr. Edgecomb, Ned Ask, and Mr. Lumley have desired me to sit an hour with them at the George, in Pall-mall, for which I desire your patience till twelve o'clock, and that you will go to bed," &c.

"If the man who has my shoemaker's bill calls, let him be answered that I shall call on him as I come home. I stay here in order to get Jonson to discount a bill for me, and shall dine with him for that end. He is expected at home every minute.

"DEAR WIFE,—

"Your most humble obedient servant," &c

"Tennis-court Coffee-house, May 5, 1708.

"I hope I have done this day what will be pleasing to you; in the meantime shall lie this night at a baker's, one Leg, over against the Devil Tavern, at Charingcross. I shall be able to confront the fools who wish me uneasy, and shall have the satisfaction to see thee cheerful and at ease.

"If the printer's boy be at home, send him hither; and let Mrs. Todd send by the boy my night-gown, slippers, and clean linen. You shall hear from me early in the morning," &c.

Dozens of similar letters follow, with occasional guineas, little parcels of tea, or walnuts, &c. In 1709 the "Tatler" made its appearance. The following curious note dates April 7th, 1710:

"I inclose to you [' Dear Prue'] a receipt for the saucepan and spoon, and a note of 231. of Lewis's, which will make up the 501. I promised for your ensuing occasion. "I know no happiness in this life in any degree comparable to the pleasure I have in your person and society. I only beg of you to add to your other charms a fearfulness to see a man that loves you in pain and uneasiness, to make me as happy as it is possible to be in this life. Rising a little in a morning, and being dis posed to a cheerfulness . . . . would not be amiss."

In another, he is found excusing his coming home, being "invited to supper to Mr. Boyle's." "Dear Prue," he says on this occasion, "do not send after me, for I shall be ridiculous."