N° 517, death of Sir Roger. If to these numbers we add a few slight traits, dispersed through some other papers of the same author; as, for example, in Nos. 119, 120, 123, and 435, we shall have a perfect idea of what Addison meant to convey in the execution of this inimitable delineation. With the exception of Shakspeare's Falstaff, it is, perhaps, the most humorous and delightful character ever drawn. The mixture of benevolence, simplicity, and good humour, with comic eccentricity and harmless credulity; of general sound sense and partial ignorance, with political zeal and party prejudice; of social love and generous hospitality, with pride of ancestry and contempt of trade; of simplicity and dignity, of piety and superstition, form a picture, as coloured by Addison, which probably, in point of interest and adherence to nature, of peculiar comic effect and perfect consistency, no subsequent attempt will ever equal. It is to be regretted, that Steele's first draught is not, in several respects, capable of being better combined with the more ample and accurate creation of Addison; part of the character, however, in N° 2, the whole of Nos. 107 and 109, the greatest portion of Nos. 113 and 118, descriptive of the widow and Sir Roger's amour, and the dispute between the knight and Sir Andrew Freeport, in N° 174, together with the three papers of Budgell on Sir Roger's Rural Sports*, on his Opinion of Beards †, and on Sir David Dundrum's Advances to the Widow, are perfectly consonant to, and form a striking part of, the general character of the knight. There is every probability, also, according to the ingenious conjecture of Dr. Aikin, that Addison intended, through the medium of Sir Roger's weaknesses, to convey an indirect satire on the confined notions and political prejudices of the country gentleman; though I cannot think that in so doing he has stript his character of esteem, or laid it open to contempt. Steele, indeed, has asserted, in giving the first sketch of Sir Roger, that owing to "a mirthful cast in his behaviour, he was rather beloved than esteemed;" but Sir Richard's early conception of the character had much more of levity and folly in it than appeared in the subsequent design of Addison. According to the former, he was a worn-out rake, and somewhat disordered in his intellects; by the latter he is represented, though possessing many singularities and some weaknesses, as essentially and uniformly pious, moral, and humane; + Ditto, No 331. *Spectator, No 116. qualities which, though they do not protect him from the smile due to the humorous peculiarities that he perpetually displays, are yet sufficiently powerful and important to secure both our love and esteem. It was in the Freeholder that Addison more immediately attacked the party prejudices and credulity of the country gentleman. Under the character of the Tory Fox-hunter, second only in point of humour and felicity of execution to Sir Roger de Coverley, he exposes with keen humour and ridicule the bigotry and groundless apprehensions of the weak Tories. As the essays including this admirable character form part of a paper exclusively appropriated to politics, they have consequently, since all interest has ceased to attach to the work as a whole, been for many years little read. They merit, however, perpetual notice, as exhibiting a po trait whose humour, independent of all temporary allusion, must ever delight. In an essay, therefore, on the comic painting of Addison, I have reason to suppose that the introduction of the Tory Fox-hunter will prove an acceptable present to the readers of the Spectator, forming, as it does, an excellent companion to the picture of Sir Roger de Coverley. FREEHOLDER, No 22. MONDAY, MARCH 5. Studiis rudis, sermone barbarus, impetu strenuus, manu promptus, cogitatione celer. Vell. Paterc. Unpolitely educated, expressing himself in vulgar language, boisterous, eager at a fray, and overhasty in taking up an opinion. FOR the honour of his Majesty and the safety of his government, we cannot but observe, that those, who have appeared the greatest enemies to both, are of that rank of men, who are commonly distinguished by the title of Fox-hunters. As several of these have had no part of their education in cities, camps, or courts, it is doubtful whether they are of greater ornament or use to the nation in which they live. It would be an everlasting reproach to politics should such men be able to overturn an establishment which has been formed by the wisest laws, and is supported by the ablest heads. The wrong notions and prejudices which cleave to many of these country gentlemen, who have always lived out of the way of being better informed, are not easy to be conceived by a person who has never conversed with him. That I may give my readers an image of these rural statesmen, I shall, without further preface, set down an account of a discourse I chanced to have with one of them some time ago. I was travelling towards one of the remotest parts of England, when about three o'clock in the afternoon, seeing a country gentleman trotting before me with a spaniel by his horse's side, I made up to him. Our conversation opened, as usual, upon the weather; in which we were very unanimous, having both agreed that is was too dry for the season of the year. My fellow-traveller, upon this, observed to me, there had been no good weather since the Revolution. I was a little startled at so extraordinary a remark, but would not interrupt him till he proceeded to tell me of the fine weather they used to have in King Charles the Second's reign. I only answered, that I did not see how the badness of the weather could be the King's fault; and, without waiting for his reply, asked him, whose house it was we saw upon a rising ground at a little distance from us. He told me it belonged to an old fanatical cur, Mr. Such-a-one. "You must have heard of him," says he, "he is one of the Rump." I knew the gentleman's character upon hearing |