STEELE.
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town with another comedy, and behold, it was so moral and religious, as poor Dick insisted, so dull the town thought, that the "Lying Lover" was damned.
Addison's hour of success now came, and he was able to help our friend, the "Christian Hero," in such a way, that, if there had been any chance of keeping that poor tipsy champion upon his legs, his fortune was safe, and his competence assured. Steele procured the place of Commissioner of Stamps: he wrote so richly, so gracefully often, so kindly always, with such a pleasant wit and easy frankness, with such a gush of good spirits and good humour, that his early papers may be compared to Addison's own, and are to be read, by a male reader at least, with quite an equal pleasure.[1]
- ↑ "From my own Apartment, Nov. 16."There are several persons who have many pleasures and entertainments in their possession, which they do not enjoy; it is, therefore, a kind and good office to acquaint them with their own happiness, and turn their attention to such instances of their good fortune as they are apt to overlook. Persons in the married state often want such a monitor; and pine away their days by looking upon the same condition in anguish and murmuring which carries with it, in the opinion of others, a complication of all the pleasures of life, and a retreat from its inquietudes."I am led into this thought by a visit I made to an old friend who was formerly my school-fellow. He came to town last week, with his family, for the winter; and yesterday morning sent me word his wife expected me to dinner. I am, as it were, at home at that house, and every member of it knows me for their well-wisher. I cannot, indeed, express the pleasure it is to be met by the children with so much joy as I am when I go thither. The boys and girls
