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prietor of a large estate in the county of Wexford, This inheritance, which was to have descended to Steele, was transferred to an heir, who had exhibited less symptoms of prodigality than the giddy private in the guards.

Steele was not overcome with despair, nor did good fortune abandon him. He possessed those qualities that rendered him eminently agreeable to his military companions. His open and lively disposition, his wit and good humour, heightened by the refinements of education, pointed him out to his superiors as one whom they might with propriety raise to their own circle. The officers, with a generosity which deserves warm commendation, obtained for him the rank of cornet: so that he who had lost an estate by his folly, had this reflection to console him, that he had gained a commission by his attractive manners.

The elevation however was more favourable to his circumstances than to his virtue. By giving him admission to all the circles of gaiety and pleasure, and by laying on him almost a necessity of complying with the humours of the companions who had raised and befriended him, his promotion involved him in a constant riot of folly and dissipation. The course, however, into which his passions seduced him, was strongly condemned by his reason. He could not (fortunately) extinguish the principles of a virtuous education, and make conscience quietly acquiesce under the profligate waste of time and abuse of talent. The character which he has drawn of a Rake,* appears to have been sketched from his own feelings and situation.

"A rake is a man always to be pitied, and if he lives, is one day certainly reclaimed, for his faults proceed not from choice or inclination, but from strong passions and appetites, which are in youth too violent for the curb of reason, good sense, good manners, and good nature; all of which he must have by nature and education, before he can be allowed to be, or to have been, of this order. He is a poor unwieldy wretch, that commits faults out of the redundance of his good qualities. His pity and compassion make him sometimes a bubble to all his fellows, let them be never so much below him in understanding. His desires run away with him through the strength and force of a lively imagination, which hurries him on to unlawful Tatler, 27.

pleasures, before reason has power to come in to his rescue. Thus with all the good intentions in the world to amendment, this creature sins on against heaven, himself, his friends, and his country, who all call for a better use of his talents. There is not a being under the sun so miserable as this: he goes on in a pursuit he himself disapproves, and has no enjoyment but what is followed by remorse, no relief from remorse but the repetition of his crime."

While Steele was suffering the compunctions and lamenting the vacillations which he has thus described, he composed a religious manual, called The Christian Hero; in hopes, that by contemplating the model of his imagination, he might resolutely conform himself to it, and alienate his mind from the vicious fascinations which had ensnared him. When pleasure was too powerful to be overcome by this solitary contemplation, he determined to add the fear of ridicule to his other incentives to virtue. He published his manual in 1701, in order that the world might be a spectator of the concordance of his actions and principles, and that shame might drive him into amendment. Vice, however, and pleasure still triumphed, and he stands upon record among many others, who have felt how difficult it is to be virtuous, when the allurements and companions of sin beset them on all sides, and who have proved that it is far more easy to expatiate on the beauty and excellence of Religion, than sincerely to practise its duties. At this period Steele's circumstances were improved: he was secretary to Lord Cutts, to whom he dedicated his little work, and was, by the favour of the same nobleman, captain in a regiment of fusileers.

Returning to the species of composition with which he began his literary labours, he produced this year (1701) the comedy of The Funeral, or Grief à la Mode, in ridicule of the extravagant pretensions of undertakers, and embalmers, with some censure of the more respectable profession of the lawyers. This comic "Funeral" was far more attractive to the public than his serious one. said to have afforded much diversion to his Majesty King William. The author had reason to expect the favour of royal patronage; but his hopes were soon extinguished by the monarch's death. Steele professed a warm admiration

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of this prince's character, and has given him a short but high eulogy in his Tatler.*

He was again successful on the stage in 1703, when he produced the Tender Husband, or the Accomplished Fools. The prologue was written by his friend Addison, and many applauded parts of the comedy were from the same pen, which never touched without leaving some beauty of thought or expression.

The year following, Steele was not equally fortunate in pleasing the public taste. The Lying Lover was condemned, not for its dulness, but for its serious character. But even his failure was meritorious for if he diverged a little beyond the sphere of the Comic Muse, and trespassed upon too solemn ground, his intention (which was to reform the stage, and correct the sentiments of his countrymen) was manly, and deserved applause..

Withdrawing his pen for many years from all theatrical productions, he brought forward that work which has chiefly transmitted his name to posterity, and has been the successful forerunner of so many similar efforts of genius. The first number of the Tatler appeared on Tuesday, April 12, 1709, and gave promise of its continuation on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in every week, these days being selected "for the convenience of the post." To secure readers, the first three numbers were distributed gratuitously: and the price was subsequently fixed at one penny. The subjects which the author undertook to discuss were multifarious-" accounts of gallantry, pleasure, and entertainment," poetry, learning, theatrical and miscellaneous topics, to which were to be added all foreign and domestic news, so that persons of every taste might hope, in such a variety, to find their favourite gratification. The articles were supposed to be addressed from different coffee-houses well known in the town, or from the apartments of the author, who styled himself Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq. Astrologer. The reason for the assumption of this name and character was the ludicrous celebrity which the famous Dean Swift had given to them. As there is not only a most singular specimen of literary jeu d'esprit connected with the name of Bickerstaff, but there are many allusions in the Tatler to what the witty Dean had achieved

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under that appellation, it will be both necessary and amusing to the reader, to be made acquainted with a few incidents, which took place in 1708. In the early part of that year, Swift published a Tract with the following title, Predictions for the year 1708, wherein the month, and the day of the month, are set down, the persons named, and the great actions and events of next year particularly related, as they will come to pass. Written to prevent the people of England from being further imposed on by vulgar Almanack-Makers. By Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq. In this work, after some remarks upon his own skill, the stupid assurance of his competitors, and the credulity of the public, Swift confidently commences his prophecies :-" My first prediction is but a trifle, yet I will mention it to shew how ignorant these sottish pretenders to astrology are in their own concerns. It relates to Partridge, the almanack-maker. I have consulted the star of his nativity by my own rules, and find he will infallibly die upon the 29th of March next, about eleven at night, of a raging fever; therefore I advise him to consider of it, and settle his affairs in time.

"The month of April will be observable for the death of many great persons. On the 4th will die the Cardinal de Noailles, archbishop of Paris: on the 11th, the young prince of Asturias, son to the Duke of Anjou: on the 14th, a great peer of this realm will die at his country house: on the 19th, an old layman of great fame for learning; and on the 23d, an eminent goldsmith in Lombard-street. I could mention others, both at home and abroad, if I did not consider such events of very little use or instruction to the reader, or to the world."

These predictions are followed by others, and the success of the whole was far more comical than perhaps even the facetious writer anticipated. The inquisition of Portugal expressed their abhorrence of so profane a book by condemning it to be burnt. The vulgar gave the predictions a serious belief, and expected that they would be exactly accomplished: while the assemblage of wits, determined that so good and fair a joke should not be unsupported, conspired in asserting the veracity of Bickerstaff, and the actual death of Partridge at the time specified. Swift, not abandoning his merry invention, published "The accomplishment of the first of Mr. Bickerstaff's predictions;" in which he gave a detailed account of the

decease and penitence of the unfortunate almanack-maker. Partridge (whose punishment did not exceed his knavery, nor has been able to deter similar impostors) was compelled in his Almanack for 1709, to declare his own existence, which he did with much angry invective against the prophetic Isaac. The calm ridicule with which Bickerstaff replied to him in his "Vindication" is so entertaining, that we cannot forbear to transcribe some portion :

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"With my utmost endeavours, I have not been able to trace above two objections ever made against the truth of my last year's prophecies. The first was of a Frenchman, who was pleased to publish to the world that the Cardinal de Noailles was still alive, notwithstanding the pretended prophecy of Monsieur Biquerstaffe:' but how far a Frenchman, a papist, and an enemy, is to be believed in his own cause against an English protestant, who is true to the government, I shall leave to the candid and impartial reader. The other objection is the unhappy occasion of this discourse, and relates to an article in my predictions, which foretold the death of Mr. Partridge to happen on March 29, 1708. This he is pleased to contradict absolutely in the almanack he has published for the present year, and in that ungentlemanly manner (pardon the expression) as I have above related. In that work he very roundly asserts, that he is not only now alive, but was likewise alive upon that very 29th of March, when I had foretold he should die. This is the subject of the present controversy between us; which I design to handle with all brevity, perspicuity, and calmness. In this dispute, I am sensible the eyes not only of England, but of all Europe will be upon us: and the learned in every country will, I doubt not, take part on that side, where they find most appearance of reason and truth.

"Without entering into criticisms of chronology about the hour of his death, I shall only prove that Mr. Partridge is not alive. And my first argument is this: about a thousand gentlemen having bought his almanacks for this year, merely to find what he said against me, at every line they read, they would lift up their eyes and cry out, betwixt rage and laughter, They were sure no man alive ever writ such damned stuff as this.' Neither did I ever hear that opinion disputed; so that Mr. Partridge lies under a dilemma, either of disowning his almanack, or allowing

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