She was, she is,
  (What can theremore be said)
  On Earth [the] first,
  In Heav’n the second Maid.
[Transcriber’s note:  Print unclear, word in square bracket assumed.]

    See a Song of our author’s in Steele’s Miscellanies, published in
    1714.  Page 210.

    There is an Epigram of his printed in the same book and in many
    collections, Upon a Company of bad Dancers to good Music.

  How ill the motion with the music suits! 
  So fiddled Orpheus—­and so danc’d the Brutes.

* * * * *

THOMAS TICKELL, Esq.

This Gentleman, well known, to the world by the friendship and intimacy which subsisted between him and Mr. Addison, was the son of the revd.  Mr. Richard Tickell, who enjoy’d a considerable preferment in the North of England.  Our poet received his education at Queen’s-College in Oxford, of which he was a fellow.

While he was at that university, he wrote a beautiful copy of verses addressed to Mr. Addison, on his Opera of Rosamond.  These verses contained many elegant compliments to the author, in which he compares his softness to Corelli, and his strength to Virgil[1].

  The Opera first Italian masters taught,
  Enrich’d with songs, but innocent of thought;
  Britannia’s learned theatre disdains
  Melodious trifles, and enervate strains;
  And blushes on her injur’d stage to see,
  Nonsense well tun’d with sweet stupidity.

  No charms are wanting to thy artful song
  Soft as Corelli, and as Virgil strong.

These complimentary lines, a few of which we have now quoted, so effectually recommended him to Mr. Addison, that he held him in esteem ever afterwards; and when he himself was raised to the dignity of secretary of state, he appointed Mr. Tickell his under-secretary.  Mr. Addison being obliged to resign on account of his ill-state of health, Mr. Craggs who succeeded him, continued Mr. Tickell in his place, which he held till that gentleman’s death.  When Mr. Addison was appointed secretary, being a diffident man, he consulted with his friends about disposing such places as were immediately dependent on him.  He communicated to Sir Richard Steele, his design of preferring Mr. Tickell to be his under-secretary, which Sir Richard, who considered him as a petulant man, warmly opposed.  He observed that Mr. Tickell was of a temper too enterprising to be governed, and as he had no opinion of his honour, he did not know what might be the consequence, if by insinuation and flattery, or by bolder means, he ever had an opportunity of raising himself.  It holds pretty generally true, that diffident people under the appearance of distrusting their own opinions, are frequently positive, and though they pursue their resolutions with trembling, they never fail to pursue them.  Mr. Addison had a little of this temper in him.  He could not be persuaded to set aside Mr. Tickell, nor even had secrecy enough to conceal from him Sir Richard’s opinion.  This produced a great animosity between Sir Richard and Mr. Tickell, which subsisted during their lives.