The time however was now come, when thofe, who affected to think liberty in danger, affected likewise to think that a stageplay might preserve it; and Addison was importuned, in the name of the tutelary deities of Britain, to fhew his courage and his zeal by finishing his defign. To refume his work he feemed perverfely and unaccountably unwilling; and by a request, which perhaps he wished to be denied, defired Mr. Hughes to add a fifth act. Hughes fuppofed him ferious; and, undertaking the fupplement, brought in a few days fome scenes for his examination; but he had in the mean time gone to work himself, and produced half an act, which he afterwards completed, but with brevity irregularly difproportionate to the foregoing parts, like a task performed with reluc tance, and hurried to its conclufion. It may yet be doubted whether Cato was made publick by any change of the author's purpose; for Dennis charged him with raifing prejudices in his own favour by falfe pofitions of preparatory criticism, and with poisoning the town by contradicting in the Spectator the established rule of po etical etical justice, because his own hero, with all his virtues, was to fall before a tyrant. The fact is certain; the motives we must guefs. Addison was, I believe, fufficiently dif pofed to bar all avenues against all danger. When Pope brought him the prologue, which is properly accommodated to the play, there were thefe words, "Britons, arife! be worth like this approved;" meaning nothing more than, Britons, erect and exalt yourselves to the approbation of publick virtue. Addifon was frighted, left he should be thought a promoter of infurrection, and the line was liquidated to "Britons, attend.” Now, "heavily in clouds came on the day, the great, the important day," when Addison was to ftand the hazard of the theatre. That there might, however, be left as little hazard as was poffible, on the first night Steele, as himself relates, undertook to pack an audience. This, says Pope*, had been tried for the first time in favour of the Diftreft Mother; and was now, with more efficacy, practifed for Cato. VOL. II. * Spence. The The The danger was foon over. "The whole nation was at that time on fire with faction. The Whigs applauded every line in which Liberty was mentioned, as a fatire on the Tories, and the Tories echoed every clap, to fhew that the fatire was unfelt. ftory of Bolingbroke is well known. He called Booth to his box, and gave him fifty guineas for defending the cause of Liberty fo well against a perpetual dictator. The Whigs, fays Pope, design a second prefent, when they can accompany it with as good a sentence. The play, fupported thus by the emula. tion of factious praise, was acted night af ter night for a longer time than, I believe, the publick had allowed to any drama before; and the author, as Mrs. Porter long afterwards related, wandered through the whole exhibition behind the fcenes with restless and unappeafable folicitude. When it was printed, notice was given that the Queen would be pleafed if it was dedicated to her; " but, as he had defigned that compliment elsewhere, he found "himself obliged," fays Tickell, 66 66 by his duty on the one hand, and his honour on "the ૐ the other, to fend it into the world withdedication." out any Human happiness has always its abatements; the brightest fun-fhine of fuccefs is not without a cloud. No fooner was Cato offered to the reader, than it was attacked by the acute malignity of Dennis, with alb the violence of angry criticism. Dennis, though equally zealous, and probably by his temper more furious than Addifón, for what they called liberty, and though a flatterer of the Whig ministry, could not fit quiet at a fuccefsful play; but was eager to tell friends and enemies, that they had misplaced their admirations. The world was too ftubborn for inftruction; with the fate of the cenfurer of Corneille's Cid, his animadverfions fhewed his anger without effect, and Cató continued to be praised. Pope had now an opportunity of courting the friendship of Addifon, by vilifying his old enemy, and could give refentment its full play without appearing to revenge himself. He therefore published A Narrative of the Madness of John Dennis; a performance which left the objections to the play in their full force, and therefore discovered Z 2 discovered more defire of vexing the critick than of defending the poet. Addison, who was no ftranger to the world, probably faw the felfifhness of Pope's friendship; and, refolving that he fhould have the confequences of his officiousness to himself, informed Dennis by Steele, that he was forry for the infult; and that, whenever he fhould think fit to anfwer his remarks, he would do it in a manner to which nothing could be objected. The greatest weakness of the play is in the scenes of love, which are faid by Pope* to have been added to the original plan upon a subsequent review, in compliance with the popular practice of the stage. Such an authority it is hard to reject; yet the love is fo intimately mingled with the whole action, that it cannot eafily be thought extrinsick and adventitious; for, if it were taken away, what would be left? or how were the four acts filled in the first draught? At the publication the wits feemed proud to pay their attendance with encomiastick. verses. The beft are from an unknown → Spence, hand, |