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Pleafures of the Imagination, and the Criticism of Milton.

When the House of Hanover took poffeffion of the throne, it was reasonable to expect that the zeal of Addifon would be fuitably rewarded. Before the arrival of King George, he was made fecretary to the regency, and was required by his office to fend notice to Hanover that the Queen was dead, and that the throne was vacant. To do this would not have been difficult to any man but Addison, who was fo overwhelmed with the greatness of the event, and fo distracted by choice of expreffion, that the lords, who could not wait for the niceties of criticism, called Mr. Southwell, a clerk in the house, and ordered him to dispatch the meffage. Southwell readily told what was neceffary in the common style of business, and valued himself upon having done what was too hard for Addifon.

He was better qualified for the Freeholder, a paper which he published twice a week, from Dec. 23, 1715, to the middle of the next year. This was undertaken in defence of the established government, fometimes with argument, and fometimes with mirth. In argument he had many equals; but his humour was fingular and matchlefs. Bigotry itself must be delighted with the Tory Fox-hunter.

There are however fome ftrokes lefs elegant, and lefs decent; fuch as the Pretender's Journal, in which one topick of ridicule is his poverty. This mode of abuse had been employed by Milton against king Charles II.

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ADDISON.
Á D D Í S O N.

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And Oldmixon delights to tell of fome alderman of London, that he had more money than the exiled princes; but that which might be expected from Milton's favagenefs, or Oldmixon's meannefs, was not suitable to the delicacy of Addison.

Steele thought the humour of the Freeholder too nice and gentle for fuch noify times; and is reported to have said, that the miniftry made ufe of a lute, when they should have called for a trumpet.

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This year (1716*) he married the countess dowager of Warwick, whom he had folicited by a very long and anxious courtship, perhaps with behaviour not very unlike that of Sir Roger to his difdainful widow; and who, I am afraid, diverted herself often by playing with his paffion. He is faid to have first known her by becoming tutor to her fon "He "formed," faid Tonfon, "the defign of getting that "lady from the time when he was fift recommended "into the family." In what part of his life he ob tained the recommendation, or how long, and in what manner he lived in the family, I know not. His advances at firft were certainly timorous, but grew bolder as his reputation and influence increased; till at laft the lady was perfuaded to marry him, on terms much like thofe on which a Turkish princefs is efpoufed, to whom the Sultan is reported to pronounce, Daughter, I give thee this man for thy "flave." The marriage, if uncontradicted report can be credited, made no addition to his happiness; it neither found them nor made them equal. She always remembered her own rank, and thought herfelf entitled to treat with very little ceremony the + Spence.

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* August 2.

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