In September 1713 the Guardian ceased to appear.Steele had gone mad about politics.A general election had just taken place: he had been chosen member for Stockbridge; and he fully expected to play a first part in Parliament.The immense success of the Tatler and Spectator had turned his head.He had been the editor of both those papers and was not aware how entirely they owed their influence and popularity to the genius of his friend.His spirits, always violent, were now excited by vanity, ambition, and faction, to such a pitch that he every day committed some offence against good sense and good taste.All the discreet and moderate members of his own party regretted and condemned his folly."I am in a thousand troubles," Addison wrote, "about poor Dick, and wish that his zeal for the public may not be ruinous to himself.But he has sent me word that he is determined to go on, and that any advice I may give him in this particular will have no weight with him."Steele set up a political paper called the Englishman, which, as it was not supported by contributions from Addison, completely failed.By this work, by some other writings of the same kind, and by the airs which he gave himself at the first meeting of the new Parliament, he made the Tories so angry that they determined to expel him.The Whigs stood by him gallantly, but were unable to save him.The vote of expulsion was regarded by all dispassionate men as a tyrannical exercise of the power of the majority.But Steele's violence and folly, though they by no means justified the steps which his enemies took, had completely disgusted his friends; nor did he ever regain the place which he had held in the public estimation.
Addison about this time conceived the design of adding an eighth volume to the Spectator In June 1714 the first number of the new series appeared, and during about six months three papers were published weekly.Nothing can be more striking than the contrast between the Englishman and the eighth volume of the Spectator, between Steele without Addison and Addison without Steele.The Englishman is forgotten; the eighth volume of the Spectator contains, the finest essays, both serious and playful, in the language.
Before this volume was completed, the death of Anne produced an entire change in the administration of public affairs.The blow fell suddenly.It found the Tory party distracted by internal feuds, and unprepared for any great effort.Harley had just been disgraced.Bolingbroke, it was supposed, would be the chief Minister.But the Queen was on her deathbed before the white staff had been given, and her last public act was to deliver it with a feeble hand to the Duke of Shrewsbury.The emergency produced a coalition between all sections of public men who were attached to the Protestant succession.George the First was proclaimed without opposition.A Council, in which the leading Whigs had seats, took the direction of affairs till the new King should arrive.The first act of the Lords justices was to appoint Addison their secretary.
There is an idle tradition that he was directed to prepare a letter to the King, that he could not satisfy himself as to the style of this composition, and that the Lords Justices called in a clerk, who at once did what was wanted.It is not strange that a story so flattering to mediocrity should be popular; and we are sorry to deprive dunces of their consolation.But the truth must be told.It was well observed by Sir James Mackintosh, whose knowledge of these times was unequalled, that Addison never, in any official document, affected wit or eloquence, and that his despatches are, without exception, remarkable for unpretending simplicity.Everybody who knows with what ease Addison's finest essays were produced must be convinced that, if well-turned phrases had been wanted, he would have had no difficulty in finding them.We are, however, inclined to believe, that the story is not absolutely without a foundation.It may well be that Addison did not know, till he had consulted experienced clerks who remembered the times when William the Third was absent on the Continent, in what form a letter from the Council of Regency to the King ought to be drawn.We think it very likely that the ablest statesmen of our time, Lord John Russell, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Palmerston, for example, would, in similar circumstances, be found quite as ignorant.Every office has some little mysteries which the dullest man may learn with a little attention, and which the greatest man cannot possibly know by intuition.One paper must be signed by the chief of the department; another by his deputy: to a third the royal sign-manual is necessary.One communication is to be registered, and another is not.One sentence must be in black ink, and another in red ink.If the ablest Secretary for Ireland were moved to the India Board, if the ablest President of the India Board were moved to the War Office, he would require instruction on points like these; and we do not doubt that Addison required such instruction when he became, for the first time, Secretary to the Lords Justices.
George the First took possession of his kingdom without opposition.A new Ministry was formed, and a new Parliament favourable to the Whigs chosen.Sunderland was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland; and Addison again went to Dublin as Chief Secretary.
At Dublin Swift resided; and there was much speculation about the way in which the Dean and the Secretary would behave towards each other.The relations which existed between these remarkable men form an interesting and pleasing portion of literary history.
