The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.Cibber, Theophilus
General
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.
Cibber, Theophilus
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Poets, Irish -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
The next year Mr. Addison wrote several poems of different kinds;
amongst the rest, one addressed to Henry Sacheverel, who became
afterwards so exceedingly famous. The following year he wrote a poem to
King William on one of his Campaigns, addressed to the Lord Keeper (Sir
John Somers.) That excellent statesman received this mark of a young
author's attachment with great humanity, admitted Mr. Addison into the
number of his friends, and gave him on all occasions distinguishing
proofs of a sincere esteem [2]. While he was at the university, he had
been pressingly sollicited to enter into holy orders, which he seemed
once resolved on, probably in obedience to his father's authority; but
being conscious of the importance of the undertaking, and deterred by
his extreme modesty, he relinquished, says Mr. Tickell, all views that
way; but Sir Richard Steel in his letter to Mr. Congreve prefixed to
the Drummer, who had a quarrel with Tickell, on account of an injurious
treatment of him, says, that those were not the reasons which made Mr.
Addison turn his thoughts to the civil world, 'and as you were the
inducement (says he) of his becoming acquainted with my lord Hallifax,
I doubt not but you remember the warm instances that noble lord made
to the head of the college, not to insist on Mr. Addison's going into
orders; his arguments were founded on the general pravity and
corruption of men of business, who wanted liberal education; and I
remember, as if I had read the letter yesterday, that my lord ended with
a compliment, that however he might be represented as no friend to the
church, he would never do it any other injury than by keeping
Mr. Addison out of it.'
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