gained by substituting for the anomalies of our present spelling, which are sufficiently deplorable, a set of anomalies which were in use among our forefathers a hundred and sixty years ago, besides reproducing typographical absurdities, and solecisms in punctuation, from which we have in a great measure delivered ourselves. Professor Morley, in his recent edition of the Spectator, has reproduced, he tells us,-and his industry and painstaking in the procedure cannot be too much applauded,——‘ both the original texts of the Spectator'; the text of the daily sheets, and that of the volumes as revised and first published by the authors; and he prides himself on reprinting 'for the first time in the present century the text of the Spectator as its authors left it.' Such exact reproduction, however, is difficult of attainment; we think that it would be worthless if attained; at any rate, Professor Morley has not succeeded in his task. Though the matter is not of the slightest importance, yet, as Professor Morley has noticed that a recent edition contains eighty-eight petty variations from the proper text' in the first eighteen numbers, which is at the rate of 3000 errors for the whole work, it may surprise the reader to learn that, whereas he claims that by taking the readings in brackets at the foot of his page, 'the text becomes throughout that of the Spectator as it first came wet from the press to English breakfast-tables,' a single paper, as printed by Professor Morley, No. 35, is found on examination to contain no fewer than fifteen slight variations from the text 'as it first came wet from the press, &c.'; although his foot-notes, if the above claim were tenable, ought to supply the means of exactly reproducing it. Nevertheless, no one will deny that it is a legitimate subject of curiosity to inquire how English was spelt and written at the beginning of the last century; and we have gratified this curiosity by printing the first number in the Critical section, No. 35, exactly (errors excepted!) as it originally issued from the press. The copy of the original sheets that we have used is that in the Hope Collection of Newspapers in the Bodleian Library. A chronological summary of the principal memorabilia in the life of Addison, together with a list of the chief editions of the Spectator, and other works composing the literature of the subject, has been prefixed to the Selections. CHRONOLOGY OF ADDISON'S LIFE. 1672. May 1. Birth of Joseph Addison, eldest son of Lancelot Addison and Jane Gulston, at Milston parsonage, Wilts. 1683. Addison removed to Lichfield, on his father becoming dean of the cathedral; placed at Lichfield Grammar School. 1684 or 1685. Entered at the Charter-house. 1687. Entered at Queen's College, Oxford; his Latin verses soon after gained for him admission into Magdalen College as a demy. 1693. Took his M.A. degree. 6 Wrote Verses to Mr. Dryden': Dryden introduced him to of Commons. 1698. Elected full Fellow of Magdalen. 1699. He leaves England with a travelling pension of 300l. a year, obtained through Somers and Montague. Resides at Blois; then at Paris; travels in Italy; makes a long stay at Geneva. 1703. Returns to England; elected member of the Kit-cat club. 1704. He writes The Campaign'; is appointed by Lord Godolphin a commissioner of appeals. Publishes his 'Remarks on several parts of Italy.' 1706. Appointed under-secretary of State under Sir Charles Hedges. 1707. Publishes his opera of Rosamond.' Accompanies Lord Halifax to Hanover, on the mission of presenting the Act for the naturalization of the Princess Sophia, and investing the Electoral Prince with the order of the Garter. 1709. Appointed in February or March chief secretary for Ireland, under the Marquis of Wharton. Crossed to Ireland in April. Returned in October. Commenced to write for the Tatler in May. 1710. Again in Ireland between May and August. On the final fall of the Whig ministry, after the elections in Writes the Whig Examiner in September and October. 1711. March 1. Publishes the first number of the Spectator. Purchases the house and lands of Bilton in Warwickshire for 10,000l. 1713. The tragedy of Cato brought upon the stage. Addison writes for the Guardian between May and September. 1714. Appointed secretary to the Council of State, which carried on the government between the death of Queen Anne and the arrival of George I. Nominated a second time chief secretary for Ireland, under Lord Sunderland. Writes for the new issue, or eighth volume, of the Spectator between June and September. 1715. His comedy of the Drummer brought on the stage. Returns to England and obtains a seat at the Board of Trade. 1716. Marries the Dowager Countess of Warwick. 1717. Appointed secretary of State; has the charge of the southern province. Resigns in a few months from ill health, on a pension of 1500l. a year. Writes a treatise on the evidences and early extension of the Christian Religion. 1719. Writes in the Old Whig against Steele in the Plebeian. June 17. Dies at Holland House, of asthma, complicated by a dropsy. Baker, D. E., Biographia Dramatica, third edition Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, an Historical Review of the Stage Gilfillan, George, Poetical Works of Joseph Addison 1843 1721 1726 1761 1811 1856 1812 1708 1805 1862 Sir Roger de Coverley, edited by W. H. Wills, with Illustrations. With Introduction, Notes, and Index by Henry Thackeray, W. M., English Humourists of the 18th Century |