Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/574

 570 STEELE. cumstance coming to the ears of the brave Lord Cutts, who commanded the regiment, and to whom Steele had dedicated his performance, he made him his secretary, and shortly after obtained for him a captaincy in Lord Lucas's regiment of fusileers. In order to efface the disagreeable impression which his publication had created, he produced, in the succeeding year, his first comedy, “The Funeral; or, Grief a-la-mode,” with which King William is said to have been so highly pleased as to have entered Steele's name in his table-book to be provided for, an intention which was frustrated by that monarch's death. Soon after the accession of Queen Anne, he obtained, through the interest of his friend Addison, the office of gazetteer, with a salary of SOOl. a year; in which post, he informs u s , h e worked faithfully, according t o order, without ever erring against the rule observed b y a l l ministers, t o keep that paper very innocent and very insipid. The success o f “The Funeral,” induced him t o persevere i n the same line; accordingly, i n 1708, h e brought forward the “Tender Husband;” which was followed, i n 1704, b y “The Lying Lover,” altered from the French o f Corneille, who imitated i t from the Spanish. On the 12th o f April, 1709, h e published the first number o f the “Tatler,” the first o f a series o f essays, which, by bringing him into contact with a l l the celebrated geniuses o f the age, form the most brilliant epoch i n his literary career, and increased his reputation and interest so much a s t o obtain for him the office of commissioner of stamps. On the 2nd o f January, 1711, h e discontinued the Tatler, without communicating his intention even t o Addison; and o n the 1st o f March i n the same year, appeared the first number o f the Spectator, which was followed b y the Guardian and Englishman. I n the course o f these papers his habitual improvidence frequently kept the press standing for want o f copy; and old Nutt, the original printer o f the Tatler, declared that h e actually saw one paper written b y Steele i n his bed a t midnight while h e was waiting t o carry i t t o the office. P n the meanwhile h e also published several political