Biographical and historical details are somewhat outside the scope of the present Essay. A short Chronological Table is appended, and the reader cannot be too strongly recommended to study Johnson's Life of Addison, which is one of the best of the Lives of the Poets, and in which the literary criticism is in Johnson's best vein. And Thackeray's _Esmond_ contains some delightful passages introducing Richard Steele and his entourage, with an interesting scene in Addison's lodgings. It is perhaps as well to mention that the _Spectator_ grew out of Addison's collaboration with Steele in a similar periodical entitled the _Tatler_. There were several writers besides these two concerned in the _Spectator_, notably Budgell. (The letters at the end of most of the papers are signatures: C., L., I. and O. are the marks of Addison's work, R. and T. of Steele's, and X. of Budgell's.) We have stories of Addison's resentment of their tampering with his favourite character; it is even said that he killed the Knight off in his annoyance at one paper which represented him in an unfitting situation. We cannot judge of the truth of such stories. In any case it was Addison who controlled the whole tenor and policy of the paper, wisely steering as clear as possible of politics, and thereby broadening his appeal and reaching a wider public, and it was Addison's kindly and mellow criticism of life that informed the whole work. His remaining literary productions, popular at the time, have receded into the background: but the _Spectator_ will keep his name alive as long as English literature survives. * * * * * (In this selection only those essays have been chosen which bear directly on Sir Roger or the _Spectator_ Club: several have been omitted which refer to him only _en passant_ or as a peg on which to hang some disquisition, and also one other which is wholly out of keeping with Sir Roger's character.) CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 1672. Birth of Addison and Steele. 1697. Addison elected Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. 1701, 3, 5, 22. Steele's Plays. 1702. Accession of Queen Anne. 1704. Addison's _Campaign_ (poem celebrating Blenheim). 1706. Addison's _Rosamond_ (opera). 1709-11. Steele's _Tatler_. 1711-12-14. The _Spectator_. 1713. Addison's _Cato_ (play). 1714. Accession of George I. 1717. Addison appointed Secretary of State. 1719. Death of Addison. 1729. Death of Steele. THE DE COVERLEY PAPERS NO. 1. THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1710-11 _Non fumum ex fulgore, sed ex fumo dart lucem Cogitat, ut speciosa dehinc miracula promat._ HOR. _Ars Poet._ ver. 143. One with a flash begins, and ends in smoke; The other out of smoke brings glorious light, And (without raising expectation high) Surprises us with dazzling miracles. ROSCOMMON.