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His first appearance in print was in a poem, entitled The Funeral Procession on the Death of Queen MARY. This effusion, though not highly poetical, contains animated pictures of the benevolence of that amiable princess.

Our author early entertained a predilection for the army; and deaf to the remonstrances of his friends, who refused to assist him in applying for a commission, he left the college without taking a degree, and enlisted as a private soldier in the horse guards. This imprudent step was more hurtful to STEELE in life, than even the loss of an estate in the county of Wexford he expected to inherit from a relation, who henceforth looking upon him as a reprobate, a disgrace to his family, left the estate to another. A disregard for his interest, whenever it interfered with his inclination, uniformly marked his conduct, and was the cause of the endless pecuniary embarrassments in which he was involved. His disposition however was so happy, that in his so often perplexed and humble station, he was perfectly cheerful; and among his comrades gave full vent to his sprightliness and vivacity. Thus, he not only became the delight of the soldiers, but gained also the regard of the officers, who wishing to have so pleasant a fellow as their companion, exerted their interest, and procured him an ensign's commission.

Now, become an officer, STEELE gave himself up to every pleasurable excess; but his debaucheries were not uninterrupted by serious reflections, on their destructive tendency: it was during some intervals of sober

meditation, that he wrote his little treatise, entitled The Christian Hero, which he dedicated to Lord CULLS, who appointed him his own private secretary, and procured him a company in Lord LUCAS's fusileers. Though, as he himself tells us, he wrote this short treatise for his own private use, and to fix on his mind a strong impression of virtue and religion, Sir RICHARD still went on in his old course. In the midst of his follies, however, a friendly disposition and great goodness of heart were in him eminently conspicuous; and his writings were always conducive to virtue. He continued his intimacy with ADDISON, who though he regretted the excesses of STEELE, esteemed his talents, and endeavoured to check his irregularities*. Both were of the Whig party. ADDISON, with the calmness of a philosopher; STEELE, with the violence of a parti

san.

Whilst STEELE continued in the army, he wrote his comedy, called The Funeral, or Grief-a-la-Modet: a performance whose plot wants unity, but which abounds in bustle and incident, and possesses a consi

*Steele, in one of his pecuniary difficulties, bor. rowed an hundred guineas from that gentleman, who insisted on repayment, which circumstance much afflicted Steele. Addison has been blamed for this proceeding, but we think unjustly; for if Steele could raise the sum, why was Addison wrong to reclaim that, which his debtor would, most probably, from his extravagance, have applied to his pleasures. He who supplies a profuse man with money, is often the minister of the vices of his friend, rather than his real benefactor.

† It was brought on the stage in the winter of 1701.

derable portion of humour. Its object is to expose the enormities of the undertakers*, to ridicule the barbarous tautology of the lawyers, and to exhibit the wickedness of young women, who insinuate themselves in the affections of weak and doating old men, to the prejudice of their families.

Recommended by his friend ADDISON to Lord HALIFAX, the Mæcenas of the age, STEELE obtained, by the interest of that nobleman, and of Lord SUNDERLAND, the post of editor of the Gazette, whose duties he performed with the most exact fidelity.

He brought forward soon aftert a comedy very friendly to morality, and written with considerable humour, entitled The Tender Husband, or The Accomplished Fools, which greatly increased his literary reputation. The comedy which succeeded was that of The Lying Lover, written in the most severe moral rigidity; it was damned: an unfortunate circumstance which determined STLELE, who represented himself as a martyr of the church and morality, to turn his talents into another channel.

These enormities they painted admirably them. selves:

Steele says in his preface, "On a door I just now passed by, a great artist informs us of his cure upon the dead."

Mr. W. known and approved of for the art of em. balming, having preserved the corpse of a gentle. woman sweet and entire, without embowelling, and has reduced the bodies of several persons of quality to sweetness, in Flanders and in Ireland, after nine months under ground, and they were known by their friends in England. No man performeth the like.' + In 1704.

STEELE then, taking the name of ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, began The Tatler in concert with SWIFT, with whom at this time he was in habits of intimacy. The professed intention of this periodical paper, whose gay essays are very pleasant, and its serious very instructive, was, to expose the false arts of life, to pull off the disguises of cunning, vanity, and ostentation; and to recommend simplicity in dress, discourse, and behaviour. STEELE himself produced the greatest part of this performance; and in his excellent essays upon domestic happiness, finely illustrated the relative duties of husband and wife. In his account of gamesters and sharpers, who call forth the severest animadversions of our author, he mixes, with serious exhortations, much humorous and just satire. Duelling is one of the principal objects of his attack in the Tatler; STEELE, who from his earliest years had reprobated this practicet, combats it by authority, from the example of the most

Steele took that name because his friend Swift had published under it his celebrated prediction for 1708, in which he ridicules the absurd prophecies of judicial astrologers. Swift's writings under that assumed denomination created in the town an inclina tion to peruse any which should appear in the same disguise.

+ When in the Coldstream Regiment Steele was forced by a wrong-headed youth to go to the field. In endeavouring to disarm and chastise his rash an tagonist, without endangering his life, he aimed at his arm, but, by the turning of the young man to parry the thrust, he ran him through the body. The young officer was for a long time in great danger from the wound, but fortunately at length recovered. The grief and anxiety this affair caused to Steele rendered him a most determined enemy to duelling.

polished nations; shows the frivolity of its usual causes; proves its folly and barbarity; enlarges on the miseries it has so often caused to individuals and families; and fully demonstrates its inconsistency with the Christian religion.

About two months after the Tatler ended*, STEELE, in conjunction with ADDISON, began the Spectator, in which both generally forbore interfering in politics. The essays of STEELE, in this celebrated work, are by no means so generally read as they deserve. In their eagerness to peruse the most entertaining and instructive essayist, ADDISON, many readers overlook STEELE's papers, which are nevertheless worthy not only of being read, but also of being examined with accurate attention, though by no means without defects. His language is perspicuous, natural, and often animated; but it frequently shows marks of haste and carelessness. The construction of his sentences is sufficiently clear, but often defective. His periods are sometimes musical; but their harmony seems more the result of accident than of intended arrangement. On the whole, STEELE'S Spectators are vehicles of agreeable amusement, and of useful instruction.

Encouraged by the celebrity and the extensive sale of that performance, our author began a new paper on the same plan, in the character, and under the title of Guardian. The Guardian was to have nothing to manage with any person or party, but he

January 2, 1711.

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