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. The 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, defign a fecond prefent, when they can accompany it with as good a fen

tence.

The play, fupported thus by the emulation of factious praise, was acted night after night for a longer time than, I believe, the publick had allowed to any drama before; and the author, as Mrs. Porter related, wandered through the whole exhibition behind the scenes with reftlefs 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, by his duty on the one hand, and

bis honour on the other, to fend it into the world without any dedication.

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 all the violence of angry criticism. Dennis, though equally zealous, and probably by his temper more furious than Addifon, for what they called liberty, and though a flatterer of the Whig ministry, could not fit quiet at a fuccessful play; but was eager to tell friends and enemies, that they had mifplaced their admirations. The world was too ftubborn for inftruction; with the fate of the cenfurer of Corneille's Cid, his animadvert fions fhewed his anger without effect, and Cato continued to be praised.

Pope had now an opportunity of courting the friendship of Addison, by vilifying his old enemy, and could give refentment its full play without appearing to revenge him felf. He therefore published A Narrative of the madness of John Dennis; a performance

Bb3

which

which left the objections to the play in their full force, and therefore difcovered more defire of vexing the critick than of defending the poet.

Addison who was no ftranger to the world, probably faw the selfishness of Pope's friendship; and, refolving that he should have the confequences of his officiousness to himfelf, 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 fubfequent review, in compliance with the popular practice of the ftage. Such an authority it is hard to reject; yet the love is fo intimately mingled with the whole action, that it cannot easily 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?

* Spence.

At

At the publication the Wits feemed proud to pay their attendance with encomiaftick. verses. The best are from an unknown hand, which will perhaps lofe fomewhat of their praise when the author is known to be Jeffreys.

Cato had yet other honours. It was cenfured as a party-play by a Scholar of Oxford, and defended in a favourable examination by Dr. Sewel. It was tranflated by Salvini into Italian, and acted at Florence; and by the Jefuits of St. Omer's into Latin, and played by their pupils. Of this version a copy was fent to Mr. Addison: it is to be wished that it could be found, for the fake of comparing their version of the foliloquy with that of Bland.

A tragedy was written on the same subject by Des Champs, a French poet, which was translated, with a criticism on the English play. But the translator and the critick are now forgotten.

Dennis lived on unanswered, and therefore little read: Addison knew the policy of liteB b 4

rature

rature too well to make his enemy important, by drawing the attention of the publick upon a criticism, which, though fometimes intemperate, was often irrefragable.

While Cato was upon the ftage, another daily paper, called The Guardian, was published by Steele. To this, Addison gave great affistance, whether occafionally or by previous engagement is not known.

The character of Guardian was too narrow and too ferious it might properly enough admit both the duties and the decencies of life, but feemed not to include literary fpeculations, and was in fome degree violated by merriment and burlefque. What had the Guardian of the Lizards to do with clubs of tall or of little men, with nefts of ants, or with Strada's prolufions?

Of this paper nothing is neceffary to be faid, but that it found many contributors, and that it was a continuation of the Spectator, with the fame elegance, and the fame variety, till fome unlucky fparkle from a Tory paper fet Steele's politicks on fire, and