ANECDOTES,

MEMOIRS,

ALLEGORIES,

ESSAY S,

AND

POETICAL FRAGMENTS,

TENDING

TO AMUSE THE FANCY,

AND

INCULCATE MORALITY,

BY MR. ADDISON,

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR,

1797,

A

COLLECTION

OF INTERESTING

ANECDOTES, MEMOIRS, &c.

ANECDOTE

OF

JAMES DUKE OF YORK,

SECOND SON OF CHARLES I.

HE Duke of York, it is faid, one day told the

THE

King his brother, that he had heard fo much of old Milton, he had a great defire to fee him. Charles told the Duke, that he had no objection to his fatisfying his curiofity; and accordingly shortly after, James, having informed himself where Milton lived, went privately to his house. Being introduced to him, and Milton being informed of the rank of his gueft, they converfed together for fome time; but, in the course of their converfation, the Duke afked Milton, "Whether he did not think the lofs of his

"fight was a judgement upon him for what he had "written against the late King his father?" Milton's reply was to this effect: If your Highness thinks • that the calamities which befall us here, are indications of the wrath of Heaven, in what manner are 'we to account for the fate of the King your father? • The displeasure of Heaven must, upon this fuppofi

.

tion, have been much greater against him than

against me; for I have only lost my eyes, but he lost 'his head.' The Duke was exceedingly nettled at this anfwer, and went away foon after very angry. When he came back to the court, the first thing he faid to the King, was, "Brother, you are greatly to "blame that you don't have that old rogue Milton "hanged."— Why, what's the matter, James?' said the King, you seem in a heat! what, have you seen "Milton?"-"Yes," anfwered the Duke, "I have "feen him." Well,' faid the King, In what ' condition did you find him?'-" Condition!" replied the Duke, "why he's old, and very poor."- Old ' and poor!' faid the King; well, and he is blind, is he not?'"Yes," faid the Duke, "blind as a "beetle." Why then you are a fool, James,' replied the King, to want to have him hanged as a punishment: to hang him will be doing him a fer'vice; it will be taking him out of his miferies. No, "if he is old, poor, and blind, he is miferable enough ' in all confcience: let him live.'

INTERESTING

INTERESTING ANECDOTE

OF

PETER THE THIRD OF CASTILE.

A Canon of the cathedral of Seville, affected in

his dress, particularly in his fhoes, could not find a workman to his liking. An unfortunate fhoemaker to whom he applied, after quitting many others, having brought him a pair of fhoes not made to please his taste, the Canon became furious, and fei zing one of the tools of the fhoemaker, gave him with it fo many blows on the head, as laid him dead on the floor. The unhappy man left a widow, four daughters, and a fon fourteen years of age, the eldest of the indigent family. They made their complaints to the chapter; the canon was profecuted, and condemned not to appear in the choir for a year.

The young fhoemaker having attained to man's estate, was scarcely able to get a livelihood; and, overwhelmed with wretchedness, fat down on the day of a proceffion, at the door of the cathedral of Seville, in the moment the proceffion paffed by. Among the other canons he perceived the murderer of his father. At the fight of this man, filial affection, rage, and defpair, got fo far the better of his reason, that he fell furioufly on the priest, and stabbed him to the heart. The young man was seized, convicted of the crime, and immediately condemned to