was to make the pulpit, the stage, and the bar, all act in concert, in the cause of piety, justice, and virtue. Calling wit and humour as auxiliaries to the execution, the Guardian adhered during the first forty papers to his plan; but in his forty-first number he commenced a political contest with the Tory paper, entitled The Examiner.

Adopting an opinion generally prevailing among the Whigs, that the ministry had agreed with France, on the death of Queen ANNE, of establishing the Pretender; Sir RICHARD was much disaffected towards a ministry whom he believed capable of betraying the liberties and religion of their country. He then warmly engaged in party politics, and openly avowed his determination to procure a seat in parliament, that he might oppose the ministers more effectually. Apprehending a forcible dismission from the Stamp-office, he anticipated compulsion by a voluntary resignation. At the same time he renounced a pension, which had been hitherto paid him by the Queen, as one of the household of her deceased husband, Prince George of Den

MARK.

The most illiberal, virulent, and the bitterest of STEELE's antagonists, was the Examiner. It attacked his private character, and still more his circumstances. The whole of his wit and humour consists in the description of the poverty of STEELE, his being arrested, and carried to a spunginghouse, &c. When we see the elegance of an ATTERBURY, the splendour of a BOLINGBROKE, and the wit of a SWIFT, employed in

such illiberal personalities, how much are we not disposed to lament the contracting spirit of party malevolence! Though violent, STEELE was not malignant, and he never suffered his warmth to transport him into those invectives, which so much disgrace the writings of his opponents.

When the Guardian ceased, our author began the Englishman*, the professed advocate of Whig principles and of the Protestant succession. He wrote also, during the continuance of that publication, the Crisis, dedicated to the clergy, whom he exhorts to be jealous in promoting the cause of civil and religious liberty, by teaching the people to support the House of Hanover, and to dread the evils of a Popish successor, whom, he says, many endeavour to establish on the throne. This paper excited a most furious rage amongst the friends of the ministry. It was branded with the epithets of seditious and inflammatory; and on March 12, 1714, a complaint was laid before the house of commons against certain paragraphs of it and of the Englishman, said to be written by RICHARD STEELE, as reflecting on her Majesty, arraigning her administration, and tending to excite sedition. STEELE was ordered to attend. He did so; and heard the various paragraphs complained of read. After which, desiring time to prepare his defence, it was granted till the 18th. STEELE On that day made a very eloquent defence, which however was ineffectual with the house of commons, though

It was published three days in the week.

supported by ADDISON, WALPOLE, and other members of the highest talents. After a warm debate, the majority declared for his expulsion. Whether the pamphlets contained ideas dangerous to the public, or only inimical to the administration and its friends, is a point on which we will remain silent. It belongs only to historians to investigate STEELE'S political conduct; and to us, his literary biographers, to consider its motives. They appear to have been truly patriotic; and the morality of his intention cannot be doubted.

Though abused by the Tory writers, STEELE persevered in his resolution of abstaining from personalities. He was in high favour with the Whigs, who considered him as a martyr for the cause of freedom; and he continued, to the Queen's death, writing against her ministers. At that time he began the Spinster, and the Reader, in which he gives an account of his plan for writing a history of the Duke of MARLBOROUGH, which was never executed.

STEELE'S dread of LEWIS's machinations in favour of the Pretender, made him write a pamphlet, called French Faith. He wrote also one entitled A Letter to a Member of Parliament, against a bill, which passed both houses of parliament, and received the royal assent, prohibiting dissenters from teaching in schools and academies. STEELE showed that bill as originating in bigotry, and tending to produce pernicious effects; as a violation of natural justice; as contrary to the precepts of the gospel; and, at last, as inconsistent with the spirit of the

constitution. The death of the Queen rendered it ineffectual.

British

On the arrival of King GEORGE in England, the monarch being informed of STEELE'S Zeal in favour of his illustrious house, appointed him surveyor to the royal stables of Hampton Court, and made him justice of the peace for the county of Middlesex. The theatre had from the beginning of his literary career been much obliged to our author. His dramatic writings had not only filled the house, but his periodical papers had pointed out the merit of the performers. He was then, justly, appointed chief manager of Drury-lane, whose licence had expired at the Queen's death, and whose renewal he had obtained by his interest. From the moment that he became a joint proprietor in the theatre, his income amounted from it to a thousand a-year. He stood candidate for representing Boroughbridge, in parliament; and he was successful. The King, in 1715, conferred on him the honour of kighthood. He was now in a very prosperous situation. He had a large income derived from sources which did not appear precarious. He had by his wife an estate in Wales, and a

*Steele was twice married; first to a lady of the island of Barbadoes, sister to a rich planter, who, taken by the French on his coming to England, died in France. On his death, Steele succeeded to his plantation and effects. His first wife died without issue. He married afterwards Mary, the daughter of Jonathan Scurlock, Esq. of Languanor, in Caermarthenshire; by her he had four children: a boy who died in his infancy, a second son named Eugene, after the renowned Prince, an amiable and in

considerable sum of money. His own literary talents enabled him to add to his fame and to his fortune. He was esteemed and caressed at court: he might expect to be promoted to higher and more lucrative employments. Such an expectation was certainly justifiable :-the event, however, was totally different. The extravagance and indiscretion of Sir RICHARD blasted the fair prospect*.

He was appointed, in 1717, one of the commissioners for enquiring into the estates forfeited by the late rebellion in Scotland. He set out for the northern part of the United Kingdom, was welcomed with cordiality and respect by the nobility and gentry attached to the court; and kindly by

genious youth, who fell early into a consumption and died: he had also two daughters, Mary, who died young, and Elizabeth, who was married, in 1731, to the Honourable John Trevor, one of the Welsh Judges.

*The following is one instance among many of Steele's inattention to pecuniary concerns. Without considering if his finances could bear the expenses, he had a splendid theatre constructed and finished, in a part of his house under his direction. Steelé was delighted with the appearance of the place; and, to know if it was equally fitted for pleasing the car as the eye, he desired the carpenter to go to one end of the room, and from thence to pronounce some sentences, whilst he himself, at the other, should judge of the effect. The carpenter, thus directed, in a distinct and audible voice, called out, "Sir Richard Steele, here has I, and these here mep, been doing our work for three months, and never seen the colour of your money. When are you to pay us? I cannot pay my journeymen without money, and money I must have." Sir Richard replied, that he was delighted with the oratory, but by no means approved of the subject.'