by the author to the foregoing, which he had kept by him for many years. He took up a defign of writing a play upon this fubject, when he was very young at the university, and even attempted fomething in it there, though not a line as it now ftands. The work was performed by him in his travels, and retouched in England, without any formed refolution of bringing it upon the stage, until his friends of the first quality and diftinction prevailed with him to put the last finishing to it, at a time when they thought the doctrine of liberty very seasonable. It is in every body's memory, with what applause it was received by the public; that the first run of it lafted for a month; and then stopped, only because one of the performers became incapable of acting a principal part. The author received a meffage, that the Queen would be pleased to have it dedicated to her: but as he had defigned that compliment elsewhere,

he found himself obliged by his duty on the one fide, and his honour on the other, to fend it into the world without any dedication. The fame of this Tragedy foon fpread through Europe, and it has not only been tranflated, but acted in most of the languages of christendom. The tranf lation of it into Italian, by Signor Salvini, is very well known but I have not been able to learn, whether that of Signor Valetta, a young Neapolitan nobleman, has ever been made public.

;

If he had found time for the writing of another tragedy, the death of Socrates would have been the story. And, however unpromifing that fubject may appear, it would be prefumptuous to cenfure his choice, who was fo famous for raifing the noblest plants from the most barren foil. It ferves to fhew, that he thought the whole labour of fuch a performance unworthy to be thrown away upon

thofe

thofe intrigues and adventures, to which the Romantic tafte has confined modern tragedy; and, after the example of his predeceffors in Greece, would have employed the drama to wear out of our minds every thing that is mean, or little; to cherish and cultivate that humanity which is the ornament of our 6. nature; to foften infolence, to footh affliction, and to fubdue our minds to the difpenfations of Providence *. Upon the death of the late Queen the Lords Juftices, in whom the adminiftration was lodged, appointed him their Secretary. Soon after his Majefty's arrival in Great-Britain, the Earl of Sunderland being conftituted Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Mr. Addifon became a fecond time Secretary to the affairs of that kingdom; and was made one of the Lords-Commiffioners of Trade, a little after his Lordship refigned the poft of Lord-Lieutenant.

*. Spedator, No. 39.

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The

The paper, called the Freeholder, was undertaken at the time, when the rebellion broke out in Scotland.

The only work he left behind him for the public, are the Dialogues upon Medals, and the Treatife upon the Chriftian Religion. Some account has been already given of the former, to which nothing is now to be added, except that a great part of the Latin quotations were rendered into English, in a very hafty manner, by the Editor, and one of his friends, who had the goodnature to affift him, during his avocations of business. It was thought better to add these translations, such as they are, than to let the work come out unintelligible to thofe who do not poffefs the learned languages.

The fcheme for the treatise upon the Chriftian Religion was formed by the Author, about the end of the late Queen's reign; at which time he carefully perused the ancient writings, which furnish the materials for it. His con

tinual

tinual employment in business prevented him from executing it, until he refigned his office of Secretary of State; and his death put a period to it, when he had imperfectly performed only one half of the defign; he having propofed, as appears from the introduction, to add the Jewish to the heathen testimonies, for the truth of the chriftian. hiftory. He was more affiduous, than his health would well allow, in the pursuit of this work; and had long determined to dedicate his poetry alfo, for the future, wholly to religious subjects.

Soon after he was, from being one of the Lords-Commiffioners of Trade, advanced to the poft of Secretary of State, he found his health impaired by the return of that asthmatic indisposition, which continued often to afflict him during his exercise of that employment, and at last obliged him to beg his Majesty's leave to refign. His freedom from the anxiety of business fo far reestablished.

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