and she befriended Miss Mary Astell.  Ralph Thoresby, who visited her, was “extremely pleased with the most agreeable conversation of the pious and excellent Lady Elizabeth Hastings.” ("Diary,” ii. 82).  She was one of the numerous eligible ladies that the friends of Lord Raby, afterwards Earl of Strafford, suggested to him as a suitable wife ("Wentworth Papers,” pp. 29, 56).  The character of Aspasia in this paper has been attributed to Congreve, on the ground, apparently, that he knew Lady Elizabeth Hastings’ half-brother, Theophilus, afterwards Earl of Huntingdon.  See No. 49, note.]

[Footnote 408:  The remainder of this paper is by Addison; see Steele’s Preface.  Drury Lane Theatre was closed by an order of the Lord Chamberlain, as mentioned in No. 30.]

[Footnote 409:  Christopher Rich.]

[Footnote 410:  A bargain.]

[Footnote 411:  Valentini Urbani sang in Italian in the opera of “Camilla,” in 1707.  His acting seems to have been better than his voice (Burney’s “History of Music,” iv. 208).]

[Footnote 412:  See No. 20.]

[Footnote 413:  John Dennis’s unsuccessful tragedy of “Appius and Virginia” was produced in 1709.  On that occasion he introduced a new method of making thunder (see “Dunciad,” ii. 226), which was found useful by managers.  Afterwards, when Dennis found his invention being used in “Macbeth,” he exclaimed, “’Sdeath! that’s my thunder.  See how the fellows use me, they have silenced my tragedy, and they roar out my thunder” (Oldys, MS. notes on Langbaine).]

[Footnote 414:  “Baby” was often used for “doll.”]

[Footnote 415:  See No. 18.]

No. 43. [STEELE.

From Saturday, July 16, to Tuesday, July 19, 1709.

Bene nummatum decorat suadela Venusque,
HOR. 1 Ep. vi. 38.

* * * * *

White’s Chocolate-house, July 18.

I write from hence at present to complain, that wit and merit are so little encouraged by people of rank and quality, that the wits of the age are obliged to run within Temple Bar for patronage.  There is a deplorable instance of this in the case of Mr. D——­y,[416] who has dedicated his inimitable comedy, called, “The Modern Prophets,” to a worthy knight,[417] to whom, it seems, he had before communicated his plan, which was, to ridicule the ridiculous of our established doctrine.  I have elsewhere celebrated the contrivance of this excellent drama; but was not, till I read the dedication, wholly let into the religious design of it.  I am afraid it has suffered discontinuance at this gay end of the town, for no other reason but the piety of the purpose.  There is however in this epistle the true life of panegyrical performance; and I do not doubt but, if the patron would part with it, I can help him to others with good pretensions to it; viz., of uncommon understanding, who would give him as much as he gave for it.  I know perfectly well a noble person to whom these words (which are the body of the panegyric) would fit to a hair.