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voice was not strong, but there was something so sweet in his nounciation, and so insinuating in his address, as gained him the possession of an audience whenever he began to speak: besides this, he had a quick penetration, an exquisite understanding, an easy comprehension, a sprightly fancy and imagination, and solid judgment and good sense, all united together."

Bishop Atterbury's sermons, which have great merit as compo sitions, have been published in four volumes, 8vo. The two first were published by himself in his life-time, and the two last were published after his death, by his chaplain Dr. Thomas Moore. In 1783, were published, in two volumes, 8vo. the "Epistolary Correspondence, Visitation Charges, Speeches, and Miscellanies, of bishop Atterbury; with Historical Notes, by Mr. Nichols ;" who afterwards also published two additional volumes. The whole is a valuable collection; and we have derived much assistance from it, in the account which we have here given of this celebrated prelate.

**Authorities. Biog. Britan. Atterbury's Epistolary Correspondence, 4 vols. 8vo.'

THE LIFE OF

SIR RICHARD STEELE.

[A. D. 1676, to 1729.]

·

THIS ingenious and celebrated writer was a native of Dublin, where he was born about the year 1676. A branch of his family. was possessed of a considerable estate in the county of Wexford, in Ireland: and his father, who was a counsellor at law, was some time private secretary to James the first duke of Ormond. As the father was of English extraction, he carried his son Richard while very young to London, and put him to school at the Charter-house; where he first contracted his intimacy with Addison. From the Charter house he was sent to Merton-college, in Oxford, where he was admitted a post-master, in 1692 : he had made a good proficiency at the Charter-house, and at college he gave some specimens of his abilities, and of his taste for polite literature; he even pro

ceeded so far as to compose a comedy; but by the advice of a brother collegian, he was prevented from making it public. As he had a deal of vivacity in his disposition, he formed about this time a design of entering into the army, and accordingly left the university with out taking any degree. This step was highly displeasing to his friends; but the ardour of his disposition for a military life was then so great, that he was deaf to every other proposal. Being thus determined to gratify his inclination at all events, and not having it in his power to obtain a better station, he entered as a private gentleman in the horse guards; which gave so much offence to his friends, that he thereby lost the succession to a very good estate, in the county of Wexford in Ireland.

Mr. Steele was extremely well adapted by nature to the way of life that he had chosen. His disposition was remarkably gay; and he not only abounded with good nature and generosity, but was distinguished by the brilliancy of his wit, and his engaging manners; nor was he by any means destitue of courage. These quali ties rendered him the delight of the soldiery, and procured him an ensign's commission. In the mean time, as he had made choice of a profession which set him free from restraint, so he was easily led away into every kind of riotious dissipation; and all his fine talents and his many amiable qualities, were unhappily prostituted in the service of licentious pleasure. But these revels did not pass without some cool hours of reflection; and in these it was that he drew up for his own private use, a little treatise, entitled, "The Christian Hero;" with a design (as he himself assures us) principally to fix upon his mind a strong impression of virtue and religion, in opposition to a stronger propensity to unwarrantable pleasures. For even whilst he was rioting in scenes of sensual delight, he was thoroughly convinced of the impropriety of his conduct, and constantly condemned himself for those irregular gratifications which yet he had not sufficient resolution to renounce. The secret admonition of this treatise, however, whilst it remained in his own, hands only, was weak and ineffectual; and therefore he determined to print the book, with his name, in hopes that by thus placing himself in a new light before his acquaintance, and drawing their attention upon him, by such an open testimony against his own conduct, he might have a new check upon his passions, and might be

restrained from unlawful pleasures, by the shame of appearing to know and to approve what was right and fit, at the very time that he pursued what he felt and maintained to be wrong. Accordingly, he printed his treatise in the year 1701, with a dedication to his patron lord Cutts, who appointed him his private-secretary, and had likewise procured for him a company in lord Lucas's regiment of fusileers. But so direct and notorious was the contradiction between the tenor of this book, and the general course of the au thor's life, that it not only exposed Mr. Steele to much raillery amongst his acquaintance, but was attended with more unwelcome and unexpected consequences. From being esteemed a very delightful companion, he was soon reckoned a disagreeable fellow. One or two of his acquaintances thought fit to misuse him, and to try their valour upon him; and every body that he knew measured the least levity in his words and actions with the character of "The Christian Hero."

Our author's declaration in regard to religion, instead of procuring him the esteem and favor of his companions, having subjected himself to such contemptuous and insolent treatment, he thought it necessary for him to enliven his character; and with this view he composed his comedy called "The Funeral, or Grief ala-Mode;" in which though the incidents that move laughter be numerous, yet virtue and vice appear just as they ought. This performance was brought upon the stage the same year, where it met with a very favorable reception; but its success was chiefly owing to Mr. Steele's interest in the army, and the zeal of his fellow-soldiers. It is an observation of our author, that "nothing ever makes the town so fond of a man, as a successful play;" ́and accordingly this recommendation, with some other particulars enlarged upon to his advantage, procured him the notice and regard of his majesty; and his name to be provided for, was (he says) in the last table-book ever worn by the glorious and immortal king William III. But his hopes were frustrated by the death of his royal patron.

At the beginning of queen Anne's reign, through the interest. of the earls of Hallifax and Sunderland, to whom he was recommended by Mr Addison, he was appointed writer of the Gazette. Soon after his promotion to this office, he produced his second co

medy, called, "The Tender Husband;" in which he was assisted by his friend Mr. Addison, and which was acted in the year 1704 with great success. But his next play, "The Lying lovers," met with a very different reception. In his other comedies, our author had steadily preserved the point of morality; but in this he paid a more scrupulous attention to the interests of virtue. For being justly offended at the deficiency of the English stage in this respect, and at the same time animated by the writings of Mr Jeremy Collier (which were then much read, and of which he professed him. self an admirer), he thought it would be an honest ambition, to at tempt a comedy that might be no improper entertainment in a christian commonwealth; and he determined to write one, in all the severity that Mr. Collier himself required. With this view he composed the "Lying Lovers," and brought it on the stage without delay. But his laudable attempt did not succeed: for he had the mortification to see his play immediately condemned; or as he him self expressses it, " damned for its piety."

Being thus disappointed in his expectations of inculcating mora. lity with a good effect upon the stage, Mr. Steele turned his thoughts to other vehicles of instruction; and in the year 1709, he began to publish The Tatler.". This excellent paper was undertaken in concert with Dr. Swift, who a little before had published some humorous pieces in the name of Isaac Bickerstaff, which had been so universally admired, that our author, observing an inclination in the town towards any thing that should appear under the same name, was induced to assume it, the better to recommend his Lucubrations to the public. Having at the same time secured the assistance of the writer, who had given such splendour to the name of Bickerstaff, his new work made its appearance to the best advantage, and was received with general applause.

Mr. Steele had not been long engaged in the "Tatler," before Mr. Addison, who was then in Ireland, accidentally discovering that the publication was carried on under his direction, voluntarily contributed to its support; and our author himself acknowledges, that he was indebted to this excellent friend for some of the most admirable discourses on serious subjects, and some of the finest strokes of wit and humour that are to be found in all the work. The general purpose of the "Tatler" was, (as the author

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observes) "to expose the false arts of life, to pull off the disguises "of cunning, vanity, and affectation, and to recommend a general simplicity in our dress, our discourse, and our behaviour." Nothing more was aimed at while Dr. Swift was concerned in it; nor did the papers rise above this till the change of the Ministry, when Mr. Addison had leisure to engage more constantly in the work; by whose assistance it became a greater thing than the author originally intended, and its reputation was proportionably increased. The air of the familiar was raised into sublime; aud the most important subjects were treated with all the elegance, purity, and correctness which they deserved.

It was more than a year before he began to publish the Tatler, when Mr. Steele married his second wife. His first wife was a lady of Barbadeos, by whom he became possessed of a plantation in that island, which was estimated at more than eight hundred pounds a year; but it was incumbered with considerable debts and legacies. His second wife was Mary Scurlock, daughter of Jonathan Scurlock, esqr. of Langunnor in Wales. This lady was very handsome, and he was strongly attached to her to the end of her life. In one of his letters to her when courting, he says, "The vainest woman upon earth never saw in her glass, half the attractions which I view in you. Your air, your shape, your every glance, motion, and gesture, have such peculiar graces, that you possess my whole soul, and I know no life but in the hopes of your approbation: I know not what to say, but that I love you with the sincerest passion that ever entered the heart of man. I will make it the business of my life, to find out the means of convincing you, that I prefer you to all that is pleasing upon earth.”

In the "Epistolary Correspondence of sir Richard "Steele," published by Mr. Nichols, in 1787, in two volumes, small Svo. are many curious letters from Steele to this lady, after they were married, from which we shall select the following:

"MY DEAR WIFE,

October 8, 1707.

"You were not I am sure, awake so soon as I was for you, and desired the blessing of God upon you. After that first duty, my next is to let you know I am in health this morning, which I know you are solicitous for.