Latin verse upon ’Machinae Gesticulantes, ‘anglice’ A Puppet-show.’  Steele, taking life as he found it, and expressing mirth in his own way of conversation, wrote an English comedy, and took the word of a College friend that it was valueless.  There were two paths in life then open to an English writer.  One was the smooth and level way of patronage; the other a rough up-hill track for men who struggled in the service of the people.  The way of patronage was honourable.  The age had been made so very discerning by the Romans and the French that a true understanding of the beauties of literature was confined to the select few who had been taught what to admire.  Fine writing was beyond the rude appreciation of the multitude.  Had, therefore, the reading public been much larger than it was, men of fastidious taste, who paid as much deference to polite opinion as Addison did in his youth, could have expected only audience fit but few, and would have been without encouragement to the pursuit of letters unless patronage rewarded merit.  The other way had charms only for the stout-hearted pioneer who foresaw where the road was to be made that now is the great highway of our literature.  Addison went out into the world by the way of his time; Steele by the way of ours.

Addison, after the campaign of 1695, offered to the King the homage of a paper of verses on the capture of Namur, and presented them through Sir John Somers, then Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.  To Lord Somers he sent with them a flattering dedicatory address.  Somers, who was esteemed a man of taste, was not unwilling to ’receive the present of a muse unknown.’  He asked Addison to call upon him, and became his patron.  Charles Montagu, afterwards Earl of Halifax, critic and wit himself, shone also among the statesmen who were known patrons of letters.  Also to him, who was a prince of patrons ’fed with soft dedication all day long,’ Addison introduced himself.  To him, in 1697, as it was part of his public fame to be a Latin scholar, Addison, also a skilful Latinist, addressed, in Latin, a paper of verses on the Peace of Ryswick.  With Somers and Montagu for patrons, the young man of genius who wished to thrive might fairly commit himself to the service of the Church, for which he had been bred by his father; but Addison’s tact and refinement promised to be serviceable to the State, and so it was that, as Steele tells us, Montagu made Addison a layman.

’His arguments were founded upon 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 never would do it any other injury than keeping Mr. Addison out of it.’

To the good offices of Montagu and Somers, Addison was indebted, therefore, in 1699, for a travelling allowance of L300 a year.  The grant was for his