this alone would have been sufficient to render his fame immortal. In his regulations he not only displayed the soundest wisdom, but also the most amiable moderation and the warmest philanthropy. Though persecuted for his own religion, he shews his detestation of intolerance, not only from its moral impropriety, but from his inherent love of justice. All persons who acknowledged a supreme Governor of the universe, and who held themselves obliged in conscience to live peaceably and justly in civil society, were to be neither molested nor prejudiced for their religious opinions. The same amiable disposition was displayed in settling the civil government, and establishing courts of justice. To prevent expensive law-suits, he ordered three peace-makers, to be chosen by every county-court, to serve as common arbitrators. In short, during the two years residence in his province, he settled its administration on the firmest basis of justice; he ingratiated himself with the Indians in an extraordinary degree; and taught his people, by example as well as precept, the advantage of diligence and economy, and the happiness of sobriety and order. He left Pennsylvania in 1684, with the affection of the settlers and the veneration of the Indians; and returned to England with his wife and family.

On the accession of James the Second he was treated with much distinction at court; and therefore lay under the imputation of an attachment to popery, from which he fully exonerated himself: but on the Revolution he was arrested on suspicion of corresponding with James, examined before the council, and obliged to give security for his future appearance. He repeatedly underwent this vexation from false charges, which induced him at last to abscond; but after some time, being permitted to appear before the king and council, he vindicated his innocence with such spirit and effect, that his calumniators shrunk from their accusations. After travelling about the coun

try much as a public preacher, in 1699 he revisited Pennsylvania with his wife and family, where he intended to spend the remainder of his days; but in 1701 he was recalled to defend his proprietary right, which had been attacked in his absence. However, he supported his legal claims; and was highly respected by queen Anne, whose court he often visited. Here his persecution and his active labours ceased together. Age advancing with its accompanying infirmities, he quitted the vicinity of London, and settled at Ruscombe in Berkshire; where he gradually declined, and at length quitted this sublunary scene in the seventy-fourth year of his age.

As a writer he evinced great good sense, except where it was obscured by the peculiarity of his religious creed. As a mild and beneficent man, of the purest virtue, integrity, and conscience, he is an honour to any religious · society; and as a legislator, he is an honour to the country that produced him.

Though possessed of an ample fortune, it was reduced by his charity to those of his own sect, by the impositions which he suffered from ill-disposed persons, and the disinterestedness which he shewed in raising a revenue from his province. When offered an impost by the colonists on certain goods, he returned thanks for this mark of affection, but declined its acceptance. He seemed to consider the settlers as his children, and thought it unbecoming a father to take from them any portion of their property. At times his affairs were so deranged, that he was afraid of his creditors. A pleasant anecdote is recorded on an occasion of this nature. He had contrived an aperture at his house in Norfolk-street, by which he could see any one at his door without being seen. A creditor having sent in his name, waited a long time for admission. "Will not thy master see me?" said he, at last, to the servant. "Friend," replied the servant, "he has seen thee, but does not like thee."

JOSEPH ADDISON.

Born 1672.-Died 1719.

From 23d Charles II., to 5th George I.

To select the brightest luminaries from the literary constellation which has gilded the British horizon, is a difficult and an invidious task. The limits of the present work admit only a few; and those, to come within its plan, must possess pre-eminence of genius, or have been signally favoured by fortune. Many have gained the height of renown in the republic of letters; but scanty is the number of those who, like Addison, have risen principally by literature, to an exalted post in the state. His life, therefore, independently of its own excellence, will It is calculated to inspire convey many a moral lesson. hope and emulation, by the proof that eminent desert will frequently be crowned with reward; it is also calcu lated to repress the vain ambition of shining in every sphere, when it is evident that Addison neither increased his fame nor his happiness by the elevated public rank which he acquired.

This inimitable writer was son to the dean of Lichfield; and first saw the light at Milston, near Ambresbury, in Wiltshire, of which place his father was rector. When he came into the world, his stay in it was likely to be sa very short, that he was instantly baptized; indeed, some say that he was laid out for dead as soon as born.

The first rudiments of education he received under a clergyman at the place of his nativity. He was then successively removed to Salisbury, Lichfield, and the Charter-house schools. At the last excellent seminary of classical learning, he pursued his juvenile studies with extraordinary success; and here he contracted an intimacy with sir Richard Steele, which the similarity of

taste and pursuits rendered almost as durable as their lives.

Addison was scarcely fifteen years of age, when he was sent to queen's college, Oxford. Here his application to classical learning continued without intermission. He had already acquired an elegant Latin style: and some of his verses in that language falling into the hands of Dr. Lancaster of Magdalen college, he entertained such a high opinion of the writer's genius, that he procured Addison admission into his own college, where the accomplished youth attained the degrees of bachelor and master of arts; and he is still considered as one of the most illustrious characters which that respectable society has sent forth.

His reputation for Latin poetry, which however is rather calculated to shew the classical scholar than the man of genius, soon spread over the university; and many elegant specimens of his performances in this way are still extant in the Musarum Anglicanarum Analecta.

Notwithstanding the acknowledged purity of his Eng lish style, he is said to have been twenty-two years of age before he made himself conspicuous by any composition in his native tongue. No sooner, however, had he attempted English poetry, than his reputation was considerably increased, as more persons were thus qualified to estimate his merits. He attracted the notice of Dryden, and the friendship of Sacheverel, by his writings; but what led to more important consequences, was his poem on one of king William's campaigns, addressed to the lord-keeper Somers. This great statesman received the young writer's advances with great politeness, and took him under his immediate and entire protection. Addison had intimated that the patronage of Somers would be acceptable, and it was his good fortune to obtain it. By his favour, and that of Mr. Montague, chancellor of the

exchequer, who both discerned his fine genius, and wished to give it the last polish, he received an annual pension of three hundred pounds; by which he was able to make the fashionable tour through the different countries of Europe.

His

Addison had been pressingly solicited by his college friends to enter into holy orders; but his political patrons diverted him from this intention, and he set out on his travels in 1699. After staying a year at Blois to make himself master of the French language, he proceeded to Italy; which he travelled through, and afterwards described with the eye and the fancy of a poet. poetical epistle to Montague, lord Halifax, from that country, is one of the most finished productions of his genius, and its beauties have occasioned it to be translated into several languages. While it breathes the spirit of independent gratitude, it evinces his classical genius and love of liberty, and is equally honourable to the poet and his patron.

Mr. Addison returned in 1703; and his political friends being either removed or in disgrace, his pension was withheld, and his prospects for a time seemed to be clouded. Fortune, however, took him up at this crisis; and his abilities secured the advantage which she gave him.

The victory at Blenheim had justly spread triumph and confidence over the nation, but it had yet not been celebrated by a poet worthy of such a lofty theme. Lord Godolphin lamented this to lord Halifax; and expressed a wish that the latter, who was a poet himself, would recommend some genius qualified for doing justice to the subject. Halifax immediately recollected his friend Addison; commended his merit and ingenuity; and gave lord Godolphin so effectually the impression which he intended, that the young poet was solicited to engage in this task; and executed it perfectly to the satisfaction of