other, publish a work written by us both, which should bear the name of the Monument,' in memory of our friendship." But the time for that work, which is still an everlasting memorial of the two friends, had not yet come. Addison wrote verses in praise of Marlborough and in commemoration of the battle of Blenheim. This poem was called the "Campaign;" and in 1706 he was made Under-Secretary of State. He also wrote the verse for an opera, called Rosamond, which introduced Woodstock, and gave place. for compliments to Marlborough. A change in the Government lost Addison his place in it, and he then became Secretary to Earl of Wharton, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Steele had now left the army, and had been appointed gazetteer. He had married, but lost his wife a few months afterwards. She left him, however, a small property in Barbadoes. In 1707 he married Miss Mary Scurlock, a lady whose carefulness and prudence were a help to him, and a check upon his generous disregard of his own interests. His name for his wife in his correspondence is generally "my dearest Prue." In 1709 Addison was still in Ireland with Lord Wharton, and Steele was living in London. De Foe at that time was bringing out his Review, with its "Supplement," dealing with the social and domestic life of the time in such a way as to carry good counsel into the homes of the people. Steele, with his keen interest in life and love of mankind, saw in De Foe's publication the very form of writing in which he might best express his earnest desire to improve the tone of domestic and social life by calling out those natural feelings through which alone society could be raised and purified. It was just at this time, also, that Swift had exposed the folly of prophetic almanacks by his jest at Partridge, under the name of Bickerstaff. The success of Swift's jest had made the name of Bickerstaff well known in London; people would be ready to read anything professing to come from the same person, so Steele

took up the name, and in the character of Mr. Bickerstaff began to write the Tatler. It was a penny paper, published three times a week, and the first number appeared on the 12th of April, 1709. It was to be written "for the use of the good people of England," and it appealed to them, and not merely to that circle of persons who regarded literature as something to be patronised and rewarded by their notice. On the return of Addison to London, Steele drew his friend into his work, and Addison contributed papers to the Tatler. The Tatler came to an end on the 2nd of January, 1711, owing to exception having been taken by the Government to certain remarks in some of the papers; but the success of an appeal to the good sense and natural feeling of the "good people of England" had been fully proved; and it was plain that the heart of the people was sound, notwithstanding the corruption of society in some circles, and the artificial views of literature still prevailing. The two friends felt justified in starting another publication of the same kind, but from which politics were to be excluded; and thus they began that work together which was to form a lasting monument of their friendship. Like the Tatler, the Spectator was to be "for the use of the good people of England," and to refresh and purify the current of daily life. It went at once to the deepest sources of a sound and healthful life, in keeping before its readers the relation of man to God, and in leading them back to the love of nature and of truth. It gave more earnest views of life by showing its true purpose to be fulfilled in duty, and how "the fashion of this world passeth away;" but while teaching the instability of earthly things, the Spectator constantly asserted the endurance beyond life of all its best blessings, its affections and friendships, and the enjoyment of all that is good and beautiful. It also showed how the cheerful and brighter side of life is really ever in harmony with duty, and not with pleasure sought after for its own sake.

In an age when great regard was paid to outside forms, and when these often misrepresented the truth, the Spectator led men to care more for the real heart of things, to scorn the false affectations and deceptions of society, and to love truth itself, as shown in simplicity of character and straightforward action. It did good service also, at a time when it was the fashion to sneer at religion and natural feeling, by encouraging the fearless expression of faith in God and of allegiance to Him, and the frank display of all pure, honest feeling. Besides its influence on domestic and. social life, the Spectator wakened a wider-spread interest in literature, and in questions affecting all classes of men, and thus prepared the way for the literature of the later time, which deals with a much larger range of subjects and appeals to all classes of the people.

In their joint work, Steele did the most in restoring truth and natural feeling as the foundations of domestic and social life; and Addison in wakening a love of nature, and an interest in the literature of the past.

Though the Spectator made use of satire in exposing the follies of society, its purpose was not to gratify the bitter taste of those persons who, having used life for their own frivolous pleasure, find delight in laughing and sneering at it. Its teaching was earnest and positive, and its purifying influence arose from the charm it gave to simplicity and truth, even more than from its contempt of folly and wickedness.

It would be impossible to give a connected sketch of a work like the Spectator, which consisted of 635 different papers on a great variety of subjects. The plan of the work was this:-The Spectator himself was supposed to be a very shy gentleman, observant and discriminating, taking shrewd notice of all that went on around him in society, but incapable of talking about it. He belongs to a small club, one of the principal characters in which is Sir Roger de Coverley, a country gentleman of Worcestershire, a great

grandson of the "inventor of the country-dance called after him." There are, besides, a barrister of the Inner Temple, a reader and student of life in all ages, which "makes him a very delicate observer of what occurs in the present world;" a London merchant, Sir Andrew Freeport, "a person of indefatigable industry, strong reason, and great experience," whose favourite maxim is "a penny saved is a penny got; " Captain Sentry, more of a faithful soldier than a courtier, and therefore unable to rise in his profession according to his merits; Will Honeycombe, an old beau, and an authority on all matters of gossip, scandal, and changes of fashion. Then there is a clergyman, a rare visitor at the club, "a very philosophick man, of general learning, great sanctity of life, and the most exact good breeding. He seldom introduces the subject he speaks upon; but he observes when he is among us an earnestness to have him fall on some divine topick, which he always treats with much authority, as one who has no interests in this world, as one who is hastening to the object of all his wishes, and conceives hope from his decays and infirmities." It will be easily perceived how complete a view of life in its many-sidedness is gained by representing it as seen through the eyes of just this group of men. The silent, travelled spectator, close observer of the little things which display the real undercurrent beneath the assumed form. The straightforward, simple, country gentleman, looking at life with trust and confidence in all, and from the point of unsuspecting truth and honour. The student of life in past. ages, comparing the present with the past; and thus viewing life with a trained power of judging and criticising. The merchant, who sees everything in the light of trade and material profit. The frank soldier, too modest and honourable to press to the front through the pushing crowd eager for the prizes of life, and satisfied with having done his own duty. The old beau, who looks on life only from the side

of pleasure and fashion, and when other men would speak of what a great man or minister said on such an occasion, he will remember who danced with the Duke of Monmouth, what dresses the ladies wore, and how some celebrated beauty tapped him with her fan. The clergyman, whose eyes are raised to heaven, and who sees all earthly things in the light that shines from God.

Some of the most charming papers in the Spectator are those relating to Sir Roger de Coverley-his visit to town to see Prince Eugenio, as he calls him, and the way in which he lives for a while there, in the world but not of it; then the subsequent visit of the Spectator to Coverley Hall in the summer-time; the old house, and simple patriarchal life of the squire among his people, so kindly and true; and in the end the death of Sir Roger, caught by going to the sessions to see justice done to a poor widow, and related to the club in a touching letter from Sir Roger's old butler.

On every Saturday the paper dealt with some serious subjects, such as might be fitting reading for Sunday; some of these papers are written in the character of the clergyman who was a member of the club. In one of these was published Addison's well-known hymn, "When all thy mercies, O my God," and, as it first appeared in the Spectator, there was a verse in it having reference no doubt to Steele and their long friendship

It was through the pages of the Spectator that Addison called attention to Milton. He had early shown an appreciation of Milton, which at that time was rare, for Milton belonged to an age far more earnest and heroic than the times Steele and Addison had fallen upon; and among their