ThenumberofEnglishmenwhowereinthehabitofreading，wasprobablynotasixthofwhatitnowis。Ashopkeeperorafarmerwhofoundanypleasureinliterature，wasararity。
Nay，therewasdoubtlessmorethanoneknightoftheshirewhosecountryseatdidnotcontaintenbooks，receiptbooksandbooksonfarrieryincluded。Inthesecircumstances，thesaleoftheSpectatormustbeconsideredasindicatingapopularityquiteasgreatasthatofthemostsuccessfulworksofSirWalterScottandMr。Dickensinourowntime。
Atthecloseof1712theSpectatorceasedtoappear。Itwasprobablyfeltthattheshort—facedgentlemanandhisclubhadbeenlongenoughbeforethetown;andthatitwastimetowithdrawthem，andtoreplacethembyanewsetofcharacters。InafewweeksthefirstnumberoftheGuardianwaspublished。ButtheGuardianwasunfortunatebothinitsbirthandinitsdeath。
Itbeganindulness，anddisappearedinatempestoffaction。Theoriginalplanwasbad。Addisoncontributednothingtillsixty—sixnumbershadappeared;anditwasthenimpossibletomaketheGuardianwhattheSpectatorhadbeen。NestorIronsideandtheMissLizardswerepeopletowhomevenhecouldimpartnointerest。Hecouldonlyfurnishsomeexcellentlittleessays，bothseriousandcomic;andthishedid。
WhyAddisongavenoassistancetotheGuardian，duringthefirsttwomonthsofitsexistenceisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledtheeditorsandbiographers，butwhichseemstoustoadmitofaveryeasysolution。HewasthenengagedinbringinghisCatoonthestage。
ThefirstfouractsofthisdramahadbeenlyinginhisdesksincehisreturnfromItaly。Hismodestandsensitivenatureshrankfromtheriskofapublicandshamefulfailure;and，thoughallwhosawthemanuscriptwereloudinpraise，somethoughtitpossiblethatanaudiencemightbecomeimpatientevenofverygoodrhetoric，andadvisedAddisontoprinttheplaywithouthazardingarepresentation。Atlength，aftermanyfitsofapprehension，thepoetyieldedtotheurgencyofhispoliticalfriends，whohopedthatthepublicwoulddiscoversomeanalogybetweenthefollowersofCaesarandtheTories，betweenSemproniusandtheapostateWhigs，betweenCato，strugglingtothelastforthelibertiesofRome，andthebandofpatriotswhostillstoodfirmaroundHalifaxandWharton。
AddisongavetheplaytothemanagersofDruryLaneTheatre，withoutstipulatingforanyadvantagetohimself。They，therefore，thoughtthemselvesboundtosparenocostinsceneryanddresses。Thedecorations，itistrue，wouldnothavepleasedtheskilfuleyeofMr。Macready。Juba’swaistcoatblazedwithgoldlace;Marcia’shoopwasworthyofaDuchessonthebirthday;
andCatoworeawigworthfiftyguineas。TheprologuewaswrittenbyPope，andisundoubtedlyadignifiedandspiritedcomposition。
ThepartoftheherowasexcellentlyplayedbyBooth。Steeleundertooktopackahouse。TheboxeswereinablazewiththestarsofthePeersinOpposition。ThepitwascrowdedwithattentiveandfriendlylistenersfromtheInnsofCourtandtheliterarycoffee—houses。SirGilbertHeathcote，GovernoroftheBankofEngland，wasattheheadofapowerfulbodyofauxiliariesfromthecity，warmmenandtrueWhigs，butbetterknownatJonathan’sandGarraway’sthaninthehauntsofwitsandcritics。
Theseprecautionswerequitesuperfluous。TheTories，asabody，regardedAddisonwithnounkindfeelings。Norwasitfortheirinterest，professing，astheydid，profoundreverenceforlawandprescription，andabhorrencebothofpopularinsurrectionsandofstandingarmies，toappropriatetothemselvesreflectionsthrownonthegreatmilitarychiefanddemagogue，who，withthesupportofthelegionsandofthecommonpeople，subvertedalltheancientinstitutionsofhiscountry。Accordingly，everyshoutthatwasraisedbythemembersoftheKitCatwasechoedbytheHighChurchmenoftheOctober;andthecurtainatlengthfellamidstthundersofunanimousapplause。
ThedelightandadmirationofthetownweredescribedbytheGuardianintermswhichwemightattributetopartiality，wereitnotthattheExaminer，theorganoftheMinistry，heldsimilarlanguage。TheTories，indeed，foundmuchtosneeratintheconductoftheiropponents。Steelehadonthis，asonotheroccasions，shownmorezealthantasteorjudgment。ThehonestcitizenswhomarchedundertheordersofSirGibby，ashewasfacetiouslycalled，probablyknewbetterwhentobuyandwhentosellstockthanwhentoclapandwhentohissataplay，andincurredsomeridiculebymakingthehypocriticalSemproniustheirfavourite，andbygivingtohisinsincererantslouderplauditsthantheybestowedonthetemperateeloquenceofCato。
Wharton，too，whohadtheincredibleeffronterytoapplaudthelinesaboutflyingfromprosperousviceandfromthepowerofimpiousmentoaprivatestation，didnotescapethesarcasmsofthosewhojustlythoughtthathecouldflyfromnothingmoreviciousorimpiousthanhimself。Theepilogue，whichwaswrittenbyGarth，azealousWhig，wasseverelyandnotunreasonablycensuredasignobleandoutofplace。ButAddisonwasdescribed，evenbythebitterestTorywriters，asagentlemanofwitandvirtue，inwhosefriendshipmanypersonsofbothpartieswerehappy，andwhosenameoughtnottobemixedupwithfactioussquabbles。
OfthejestsbywhichthetriumphoftheWhigpartywasdisturbed，themostsevereandhappywasBolingbroke’s。Betweentwoacts，hesentforBoothtohisbox，andpresentedhim，beforethewholetheatre，withapurseoffiftyguineasfordefendingthecauseoflibertysowellagainsttheperpetualDictator。ThiswasapungentallusiontotheattemptwhichMarlboroughhadmade，notlongbeforehisfall，toobtainapatent，creatinghimCaptain—Generalforlife。
ItwasApril;andinApril，ahundredandthirtyyearsago，theLondonseasonwasthoughttobefaradvanced。Duringawholemonth，however，Catowasperformedtooverflowinghouses，andbroughtintothetreasuryofthetheatretwicethegainsofanordinaryspring。InthesummertheDruryLaneCompanywentdowntotheActatOxford，andthere，beforeanaudiencewhichretainedanaffectionateremembranceofAddison’saccomplishmentsandvirtues，histragedywasactedduringseveraldays。Thegownsmenbegantobesiegethetheatreintheforenoon，andbyoneintheafternoonalltheseatswerefilled。
Aboutthemeritsofthepiecewhichhadsoextraordinaryaneffect，thepublic，wesuppose，hasmadeupitsmind。TocompareitwiththemasterpiecesoftheAtticstage，withthegreatEnglishdramasofthetimeofElizabeth，orevenwiththeproductionsofSchiller’smanhood，wouldbeabsurdindeed。Yetitcontainsexcellentdialogueanddeclamation，andamongplaysfashionedontheFrenchmodel，mustbeallowedtorankhigh;notindeedwithAthalie，orSaul;but，wethinknotbelowCinna，andcertainlyaboveanyotherEnglishtragedyofthesameschool，abovemanyoftheplaysofCorneille，abovemanyoftheplaysofVoltaireandAlfieri，andabovesomeplaysofRacine。Bethisasitmay，wehavelittledoubtthatCatodidasmuchastheTatlers，Spectators，andFreeholdersunited，toraiseAddison’sfameamonghiscontemporaries。
Themodestyandgoodnatureofthesuccessfuldramatisthadtamedeventhemalignityoffaction。Butliteraryenvy，itshouldseem，isafiercerpassionthanpartyspirit。ItwasbyazealousWhigthatthefiercestattackontheWhigtragedywasmade。JohnDennispublishedRemarksonCato，whichwerewrittenwithsomeacutenessandwithmuchcoarsenessandasperity。Addisonneitherdefendedhimselfnorretaliated。Onmanypointshehadanexcellentdefence;and，nothingwouldhavebeeneasierthantoretaliate;forDennishadwrittenbadodes，badtragedies，badcomedies:hehad，moreover，alargersharethanmostmenofthoseinfirmitiesandeccentricitieswhichexcitelaughter;andAddison’spowerofturningeitheranabsurdbookoranabsurdmanintoridiculewasunrivalled。Addison，however，serenelyconsciousofhissuperiority，lookedwithpityonhisassailant，whosetemper，naturallyirritableandgloomy，hadbeensouredbywant，bycontroversy，andbyliteraryfailures。
ButamongtheyoungcandidatesforAddison’sfavourtherewasonedistinguishedbytalentsfromtherest，anddistinguished，wefear，notlessbymalignityandinsincerity。Popewasonlytwenty—five。Buthispowershadexpandedtotheirfullmaturity;
andhisbestpoem，theRapeoftheLock，hadrecentlybeenpublished。Ofhisgenius，Addisonhadalwaysexpressedhighadmiration。ButAddisonhadearlydiscerned，whatmightindeedhavebeendiscernedbyaneyelesspenetratingthanhis，thatthediminutive，crooked，sicklyboywaseagertorevengehimselfonsocietyfortheunkindnessofnature。IntheSpectator，theEssayonCriticismhadbeenpraisedwithcordialwarmth;butagentlehinthadbeenadded，thatthewriterofsoexcellentapoemwouldhavedonewelltoavoidill—naturedpersonalities。Pope，thoughevidentlymoregalledbythecensurethangratifiedbythepraise，returnedthanksfortheadmonition，andpromisedtoprofitbyit。Thetwowriterscontinuedtoexchangecivilities，counsel，andsmallgoodoffices。AddisonpubliclyextolledPope’smiscellaneouspieces;andPopefurnishedAddisonwithaprologue。
Thisdidnotlastlong。PopehatedDennis，whomhehadinjuredwithoutprovocation。TheappearanceoftheRemarksonCatogavetheirritablepoetanopportunityofventinghismaliceundertheshowoffriendship;andsuchanopportunitycouldnotbutbewelcometoanaturewhichwasimplacableinenmity，andwhichalwayspreferredthetortuoustothestraightpath。Hepublished，accordingly，theNarrativeoftheFrenzyofJohnDennis。ButPopehadmistakenhispowers。Hewasagreatmasterofinvectiveandsarcasm:hecoulddissectacharacterinterseandsonorouscouplets，brilliantwithantithesis:butofdramatictalenthewasaltogetherdestitute。IfhehadwrittenalampoononDennis，suchasthatonAtticus，orthatonSporus，theoldgrumblerwouldhavebeencrushed。ButPopewritingdialogueresembled——toborrowHorace’simageryandhisown——awolf，which，insteadofbiting，shouldtaketokicking，oramonkeywhichshouldtrytosting。TheNarrativeisutterlycontemptible。Ofargumentthereisnoteventheshow;andthejestsaresuchas，iftheywereintroducedintoafarce，wouldcallforththehissesoftheshillinggallery。Dennisravesaboutthedrama;andthenursethinksthatheiscallingforadram。"Thereis，"hecries，"noperipetiainthetragedy，nochangeoffortune，nochangeatall。""Pray，goodsir，benotangry，"saystheoldwoman;"I’llfetchchange。"ThisisnotexactlythepleasantryofAddison。
TherecanbenodoubtthatAddisonsawthroughthisofficiouszeal，andfelthimselfdeeplyaggrievedbyit。Sofoolishandspitefulapamphletcoulddohimnogood，and，ifhewerethoughttohaveanyhandinit，mustdohimharm。Giftedwithincomparablepowersofridicule，hehadnevereveninself—defence，usedthosepowersinhumanlyoruncourteously;andhewasnotdisposedtoletothersmakehisfameandhisinterestsapretextunderwhichtheymightcommitoutragesfromwhichhehadhimselfconstantlyabstained。HeaccordinglydeclaredthathehadnoconcernintheNarrative，thathedisapprovedofit，andthatifheansweredtheRemarks，hecouldanswerthemlikeagentleman;andhetookcaretocommunicatethistoDennis。Popewasbitterlymortified;andtothistransactionweareinclinedtoascribethehatredwithwhichheeverafterregardedAddison。
InSeptember1713theGuardianceasedtoappear。Steelehadgonemadaboutpolitics。Ageneralelectionhadjusttakenplace:hehadbeenchosenmemberforStockbridge;andhefullyexpectedtoplayafirstpartinParliament。TheimmensesuccessoftheTatlerandSpectatorhadturnedhishead。Hehadbeentheeditorofboththosepapersandwasnotawarehowentirelytheyowedtheirinfluenceandpopularitytothegeniusofhisfriend。Hisspirits，alwaysviolent，werenowexcitedbyvanity，ambition，andfaction，tosuchapitchthatheeverydaycommittedsomeoffenceagainstgoodsenseandgoodtaste。Allthediscreetandmoderatemembersofhisownpartyregrettedandcondemnedhisfolly。"Iaminathousandtroubles，"Addisonwrote，"aboutpoorDick，andwishthathiszealforthepublicmaynotberuinoustohimself。Buthehassentmewordthatheisdeterminedtogoon，andthatanyadviceImaygivehiminthisparticularwillhavenoweightwithhim。"
SteelesetupapoliticalpapercalledtheEnglishman，which，asitwasnotsupportedbycontributionsfromAddison，completelyfailed。Bythiswork，bysomeotherwritingsofthesamekind，andbytheairswhichhegavehimselfatthefirstmeetingofthenewParliament，hemadetheToriessoangrythattheydeterminedtoexpelhim。TheWhigsstoodbyhimgallantly，butwereunabletosavehim。Thevoteofexpulsionwasregardedbyalldispassionatemenasatyrannicalexerciseofthepowerofthemajority。ButSteele’sviolenceandfolly，thoughtheybynomeansjustifiedthestepswhichhisenemiestook，hadcompletelydisgustedhisfriends;nordidheeverregaintheplacewhichhehadheldinthepublicestimation。
AddisonaboutthistimeconceivedthedesignofaddinganeighthvolumetotheSpectatorInJune1714thefirstnumberofthenewseriesappeared，andduringaboutsixmonthsthreepaperswerepublishedweekly。NothingcanbemorestrikingthanthecontrastbetweentheEnglishmanandtheeighthvolumeoftheSpectator，betweenSteelewithoutAddisonandAddisonwithoutSteele。TheEnglishmanisforgotten;theeighthvolumeoftheSpectatorcontains，thefinestessays，bothseriousandplayful，inthelanguage。
Beforethisvolumewascompleted，thedeathofAnneproducedanentirechangeintheadministrationofpublicaffairs。Theblowfellsuddenly。ItfoundtheTorypartydistractedbyinternalfeuds，andunpreparedforanygreateffort。Harleyhadjustbeendisgraced。Bolingbroke，itwassupposed，wouldbethechiefMinister。ButtheQueenwasonherdeathbedbeforethewhitestaffhadbeengiven，andherlastpublicactwastodeliveritwithafeeblehandtotheDukeofShrewsbury。TheemergencyproducedacoalitionbetweenallsectionsofpublicmenwhowereattachedtotheProtestantsuccession。GeorgetheFirstwasproclaimedwithoutopposition。ACouncil，inwhichtheleadingWhigshadseats，tookthedirectionofaffairstillthenewKingshouldarrive。ThefirstactoftheLordsjusticeswastoappointAddisontheirsecretary。
ThereisanidletraditionthathewasdirectedtopreparealettertotheKing，thathecouldnotsatisfyhimselfastothestyleofthiscomposition，andthattheLordsJusticescalledinaclerk，whoatoncedidwhatwaswanted。Itisnotstrangethatastorysoflatteringtomediocrityshouldbepopular;andwearesorrytodepriveduncesoftheirconsolation。Butthetruthmustbetold。ItwaswellobservedbySirJamesMackintosh，whoseknowledgeofthesetimeswasunequalled，thatAddisonnever，inanyofficialdocument，affectedwitoreloquence，andthathisdespatchesare，withoutexception，remarkableforunpretendingsimplicity。EverybodywhoknowswithwhateaseAddison’sfinestessayswereproducedmustbeconvincedthat，ifwell—turnedphraseshadbeenwanted，hewouldhavehadnodifficultyinfindingthem。Weare，however，inclinedtobelieve，thatthestoryisnotabsolutelywithoutafoundation。ItmaywellbethatAddisondidnotknow，tillhehadconsultedexperiencedclerkswhorememberedthetimeswhenWilliamtheThirdwasabsentontheContinent，inwhatformaletterfromtheCouncilofRegencytotheKingoughttobedrawn。Wethinkitverylikelythattheableststatesmenofourtime，LordJohnRussell，SirRobertPeel，LordPalmerston，forexample，would，insimilarcircumstances，befoundquiteasignorant。Everyofficehassomelittlemysterieswhichthedullestmanmaylearnwithalittleattention，andwhichthegreatestmancannotpossiblyknowbyintuition。Onepapermustbesignedbythechiefofthedepartment;anotherbyhisdeputy:toathirdtheroyalsign—manualisnecessary。Onecommunicationistoberegistered，andanotherisnot。Onesentencemustbeinblackink，andanotherinredink。IftheablestSecretaryforIre...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：