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expelled from the work all that could offend the most scrupulous delicacy.

In reviewing those English writers, anterior to Steele, who have approximated to him in the nature of their subject, we immediately discover one characteristic difference between their productions and the Tatler. None of them had the advantage of being periodical. They wanted that freshness which the nature of such publication bestows. They did not appear before the nation glowing with newborn warmth from the soul of the writer, and heightened with the vigour of present associations. They were not dealt out with that prudent distribution, which by giving little at a time, prevents satiety in the reader, both increases his value of what he possesses, and stimulates his curiosity for the entertainment which is withheld. The advantages of periodical publication were seized by the rude hand of politics, long before literature availed herself of them. This happened in the natural course of the civilization of empires. Curiosity in the bloody details of war, and the turbulent revolutions of politics, will interest even in the lowest state of barbarity. The factious citizens of Athens and Rome felt pleasure in the harangues of their demagogues, and the deliberations of their popular assemblies long before they had capacity to be delighted with the polished efforts of their tragedians, philosophers and other immortal writers. The same progress of taste is to be observed in England. The savage fanatics during the Commonwealth had their Mercuries, papers which satisfied the gross rage of political thirst, at a time when the graceful productions of the reign of Queen Anne would have been either too learned to be generally understood, or have been condemned as too profane for the understanding of the pious. Newspapers, in some imperfect form or other, it is supposed, were introduced among us even in the reign of Elizabeth, or of James the First. Having once gained possession of the press, they had too many attractions to be easily abandoned: one gave birth to another, till in the age of the Tatler* (as we may collect from its papers) their number was very considerable. The Rehearsals by the Rev. Charles Leslie, A. M. which appeared in August 1704, and were continued during seven years, *No 18, et passim.

possess an excellence which entitles them to perusal, even at the present day, and gives them an interest not often attaching to the short-lived works of political discussion. Their author, who has written A Short and Easy Method with the Deists (which is unanswerable) together with many other excellent theological works, was a man possessing a most clear and penetrating understanding, and a great vivacity of imagination. His Rehearsals, directed chiefly against the Observator of Tutchin, and the Review of De Foe, contain "A View of the Times, their Principles and Practices." They are written in dialogue, with much dramatic spirit, and with great force and perspicuity of argument, and often discuss, though in an easy and familiar manner, some of the most difficult points of political and religious controversy. They are curious also, as display, playing the artifices and exertions of the factious and irreligious at the beginning of the last century, and shewing their exact conformity to the efforts of the same champions, in our own age. The following passages from the Preface to the Rehearsals are, with the slightest variation of names, as correct and true now, as they were an hundred and ten years ago:

"Whoever has perused the following papers will by this time be satisfied, that the author undertook not this task to make diversion for the town, nor would let himself down to kick and cuff with Tutchin, De Foe, and the rest of the Scandalous Club (as they were not ashamed to call themselves) if he had not some prospect in view, which he thought would be worth his while, and would in time, too, rescue him from the imputation which he was sensible he must undergo at first, for mixing himself in such dirty company.

"The case then was this: he saw great pains taken to poison the people of this nation with most pernicious principles, both as to church and state, and even religion itself, not only as reformed among us with respect to popery, but as to all religion in general, and all revelation of God to man, that is, the holy scriptures, and all built upon them. The axe was laid to the root of Christianity; and Deism (which they call natural religion) set up in its place. And how monstrously this has prevailed amongst us of late years, I am sorry that I need not inform the reader, for it *Such was really the name they gave themselves.

has not been made a secret, nor can escape the observa tion of any who reads our pamphlets and papers, or indeed who keeps any conversation.

"Their books and pamphlets have been solidly and seriously answered; but their papers have been neglected, that is, their weekly penny papers, which go through the nation like newspapers, and have done much more mischief than the others. For the greatest part of the people do not read books; most of them cannot read at all, but they will gather together about one that can read, and listen to an Observator or Review (as I have seen them in the streets) where all the principles of rebellion are instilled into them, and they are taught the doctrine of priestcraft, to banter religion and the holy scriptures, and are told most villainous lies and stories of the clergy, which they suck in greedily and are prejudiced past expression.

"The remedy for this was but one of two, either to put a stop to these pernicious papers, or to answer them. The first was not in my power, and the second was very disagreeable to me, because the answer must be in the same method as these papers, to come out weekly, and to be read by the people, else it would signify nothing as to them. And to procure them to listen to such an antidote, the design must not appear at first, for people so prejudiced would not bear it. Therefore it was necessary that, at first setting out, these papers should bear an humorous title, and begin with that pleasantry or fooling with which they were so much taken, in the other papers, but still keeping off from that beastliness and profaneness which passed for wit in the others, and made most part of their dull jests.

"For this reason I borrowed the title of that most humorous and ingenious of our plays, called the Rehearsal, &c.

"I make no excuse for style: I write to the common people, and desire only to be plain, and that my meaning be expressed easily."

Notwithstanding the talents of Leslie in political and religious argument, and the celebrity of Bacon and other great authors in the province of Essay-writing, there still remained a distinct and peculiar species of literature, which no author had been fortunate or sagacious enough

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to select. To make vice appear contemptible, and ex pose those follies which are too minute for the chastise ment of the law, or the reprehension of religion,-to regu late the external behaviour of society, and heighten the enjoyment of life by courtesy and good breeding, to direct the taste of the public, and fix a standard of what is just and beautiful in literature,-such attempts as these, undertaken in a series of periodical papers, were what the enterprise of the learned had still overlooked. A plan of so much advantage and variety was first regularly accomplished in the Tatler by Sir Richard Steele, whose life we are about to sketch, and which we shall conclude with a short review of what he achieved in his literary project.

RICHARD STEELE was a native of the city of Dublin. The year in which he was born has not been recorded, but conjecture has placed it about 1675. Although he received his birth in the sister kingdom, he was descended from a respectable family of English extraction: and he himself was indebted to English manners, and institutions for his education, sentiments, and refinement of character. Of his parents very little has been remembered. His father was a counsellor, and by holding the office of secretary to the Duke of Ormond, secured the patronage of that nobleman for his family. Of his mother he has related (in number 181 of the Tatler) that she was a woman both of great beauty and of a noble spirit. All the minute occurrences of that narrative we are not constrained to believe, because the character in which he was writing did not oblige him to adhere to scrupulous veracity, and it is certain that few persons can remember with exactness every event which befel them, when they were not quite five years old.

The interest of the Duke of Ormond gained for young Steele admission into the Charter-House; and in this se minary was commenced his memorable friendship with Addison. Seldom has the league of kings given rise to more fortunate revolutions in political affairs, than the inti macy of these two scholars produced in the literary world. In their case, friendship extended her ordinary influence, and, not restricted to conferring private pleasure and advan tage, became the source of public gratification and benefit. In the year 1692, Steele removed to Merton College,

Oxford. We have not much reason to believe, either from his disposition or attainments, that he prosecuted his studies at the University with great regularity and intenseness of application. He began, however, very early to write and entertain himself with literary plans. A comedy was finished while he was at Oxford, which he submitted to the judgment of Mr. R. Parker. The decision of his friend was unfavourable: and in candid deference to it, Steele suppressed the first effort of his muse.

A second production, though of a different nature, he ventured to commit to the press. This was the Funeral Procession, printed in 1695, a poem upon the subject of the death of Mary, consort of his Majesty, King William. The births, deaths, and marriages of princes are adulatory topics in which poets must despair of gaining much fame, or of exciting more than a temporary interest. The genius of Steele did not qualify him for excelling in the high and serious flights of the muse; although it must be acknowledged that, the subject and his age being both considered, he acquitted himself with credit in what he had undertaken.

It is probable that he himself was not much pleased with the success which he first met in the field of literature; while the ardour of youth and the alacrity of his disposition would naturally excite him to more active employments. Certain it is, that he had conceived a strong desire for a military life; and his temper was too impetuous to endure much delay in the gratification of his wishes. In contempt of all the expostulations of friendship, and all the remonstrances of prudence, he abandoned his proper rank in society, and enlisted as a private in the horseguards. In this measure he first evinced that uncontrolable self-will, that determination to please himself, which was the source of most of his calamities and vexations.* According to his own acknowledgment, he ever "preserved the humour of preferring the state of his mind to that of his fortune." The low associations and the coarse society to which he had reduced himself, were not the only punishments of his imprudent choice. He gave irreconcilable offence to one of his relations, who was the pro

Ει τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν

Εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρὶς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς.

Soph. Edip. Tyran. 549-50. Edit. Brunck.

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