plishments, which may easily be fuppofed fuch as Pope represents them. The remark of Mandeville, who, when he had paffed an evening in his company, declared that he was a parfon in a tye-wig, can detract little from his character; he was always reserved to strangers, and was not incited to uncommon freedom by a character like that of Mandeville.

From any minute knowledge of his familiar manners, the intervention of fixty years has now debarred us. Steele once promised Congreve and the public a complete description of his character; but the promises of authors are like the vows of lovers. Steele thought no more on his defign, or thought on it with anxiety that at last difgufted him, and left his friend in the hands of Tickell.

His works will supply fome information. It appears from his various pictures of the world, that, with all his bafhfulness, he had converfed with many diftinct claffes of men, had furveyed their ways with very diligent obfervation, and marked with great acutenefs the effects of different modes of life. He was a man in whose prefence nothing reprehenfible was out of danger; quick in difcerning whatever was wrong or ridiculous, and not unwilling to expose it. There are, fays Steele, in bis writings many oblique ftrokes upon fome of

the

the wittiest men of the age.

His delight was more to excite merriment than deteftation, and he detects follies rather than crimes.

If any judgment be made, from his books, of his moral character, nothing will be found but purity and excellence. Knowledge of mankind indeed, lefs extensive than that of Addifon, will fhew that to write and to live are very different. Many who praise virtue, do no more than praife it. Yet it is reasonable to believe, that Addifon's profeffions and practice were at no great variance, fince, amidst that storm of faction in which most of his life was paffed, though his station made him conspicuous, and his activity made him formidable, the character given him by his friends. was never contradicted by his enemies of those with whom intereft or opinion united him, he had not only the efteem but the kindness; and of others, whom the violence of oppofition drove against him, though he might lose the love, he retained the reve

rence.

It is justly observed by Tickell, that he cmployed wit on the fide of virtue and religion. He not only made the proper ufe of wit himfelf, but taught it to others; and from his time it has been generally fubfervient to the cause of reafon and of truth. He has diffipated VOL. II.

E

the

the prejudice that had long connected gaiety with vice, and eafiness of manners with laxity of principles. He has restored virtue to its dignity, and taught innocence not to be afhamed. This is an elevation of literary character, above all Greek, above all Roman fame. No greater felicity can genius attain than that of having purified intellectual pleasure, feparated mirth from indecency, and wit from licentiousness; of having taught a fucceffion of writers to bring elegance and gaiety to the aid of goodness; and, if I may ufe expreffions yet more awful, of having turned many to righteousness.

ADDISON, in his life, and for fome time afterwards, was confidered by the greater part of readers, as fupremely excelling both in poetry and criticism. Part of his reputation may be probably ascribed to the advancement of his fortune; when, as Swift obferves, he became a statesman, and faw poets waiting at his levee, it is no wonder that praise was accumulated upon him. Much likewise may be more honourably afcribed to his perfonal character; he who, if he had claimed it, might

have obtained the diadem, was not likely to be denied the laurel.

But time quickly puts an end to artificial and accidental fame, and Addison is to pafs through futurity protected only by his genius. Every name which kindness or interest once raised too high, is in danger, left the next age should, by the vengeance of criticism, fink it in the fame proportion. A great writer has lately stiled him an indifferent poet, and a worse critick.

His poetry is firft to be confidered; of which is must be confeffed, that it has not often those felicities of diction which give luftre to fentiments, or that vigour of fentiment that animates diction: there is little of ardour, vehemence, or transport, there is very rarely the awfulness of grandeur, and not very often the fplendour of elegance. He thinks juftly; but he thinks faintly. This is his general character, to which doubtless many fingle paffages will furnish exceptions.

Yet if he feldom reaches fupreme excellence, he rarely finks into dulnefs, and is still more rarely entangled in abfurdity. He did not truft his powers enough to be negligent. There is in moft of his compofitions a calmnefs and equability, deliberate and cautious, fometimes

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fometimes with little that delights, but seldom with any thing that offends.

Of this kind seem to be his poems to Dryden, to Somers, and to the King. His ode on St. Cecilia has been imitated by Pope, and has something in it of Dryden's vigour. Of his Account of the English Poets, he used to fpeak as a poor thing*; but it is not worse than his usual ftrain. He has faid, not very judiciously, in his character of Waller:

Thy verfe could fhew ev'n Cromwell's in

nocence,

And compliment the ftorms that bore him hence.

O! had thy Mufe not come an age too foon,

But seen great Nassau on the British throne, How had his triumph glitter'd in thy page.―

What is this but to fay, that he who could compliment Cromwell had been the proper poet for king William? Addifon however never printed the piece.

The letter from Italy has been always praised, but has never been praised beyond its merit. It is more correct, with lefs appearance of labour, and more elegant, with lefs

• Spence.

ambition