登陆注册
5406800000288

第288章 THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF ADDISON(10)

But, whatever be the literary merits or defects of the Epistle, it undoubtedly does honour to the principles and spirit of the author.Halifax had now nothing to give.He had fallen from power, had been held up to obloquy, had been impeached by the House of Commons, and, though his Peers had dismissed the impeachment, had, as it seemed, little chance of ever again filling high office.The Epistle, written, at such a time, is one among many proofs that there was no mixture of cowardice or meanness in the suavity and moderation which distinguished Addison from all the other public men of those stormy times.

At Geneva, the traveller learned that a partial change of Ministry had taken place in England, and that the Earl of Manchester had become Secretary of State.Manchester exerted himself to serve his young friend.It was thought advisable that an English agent should be near the person of Eugene in Italy;and Addison, whose diplomatic education was now finished, was the man selected.He was preparing to enter on his honourable functions, when all his prospects were for a time darkened by the death of William the Third.

Anne had long felt a strong aversion, personal, political, and religious, to the Whig party.That aversion appeared in the first measure of her reign.Manchester was deprived of the seals, after he had held them only a few weeks.Neither Somers nor Halifax was sworn of the Privy Council.Addison shared the fate of his three patrons.His hopes of employment in the public service were at an end; his pension was stopped; and it was necessary for him to support himself by his own exertions.He became tutor to a young English traveller, and appears to have rambled with his pupil over great part of Switzerland and Germany.At this time he wrote his pleasing Treatise on Medals.It was not published till after his death; but several distinguished scholars saw the manuscript, and gave just praise to the grace of the style, and to the learning and ingenuity evinced by the quotations.

From Germany Addison repaired to Holland, where he learned the melancholy news of his father's death.After passing some months in the United Provinces, he returned about the close of the year 1703 to England.He was there cordially received by his friends, and introduced by them into the Kit Cat Club, a society in which were collected all the various talents and accomplishments which then gave lustre to the Whig party.

Addison was, during some months after his return from the Continent, hard pressed by pecuniary difficulties.But it was soon in the power of his noble patrons to serve him effectually.

A political change, silent and gradual, but of the highest importance, was in daily progress.The accession of Anne had been hailed by the Tories with transports of joy and hope; and for a time it seemed that the Whigs had fallen, never to rise again.

The throne was surrounded by men supposed to be attached to the prerogative and to the Church; and among these none stood so high in the favour of the Sovereign as the Lord Treasurer Godolphin and the Captain-General Marlborough.

The country gentlemen and country clergymen had fully expected that the policy of these Ministers would be directly opposed to that which had been almost constantly followed by William; that the landed interest would be favoured at the expense of trade;that no addition would be made to the funded debt; that the privileges conceded to Dissenters by the late King would be curtailed, if not withdrawn; that the war with France, if there must be such a war, would, on our part, be almost entirely naval;and that the Government would avoid close connections with foreign powers, and, above all, with Holland.

But the country gentlemen and country clergymen were fated to be deceived, not for the last time.The prejudices and passions which raged without control in vicarages, in cathedral closes, and in the manor-houses of fox-hunting squires, were not shared by the chiefs of the Ministry.Those statesmen saw that it was both for the public interest, and for their own interest, to adopt a Whig policy, at least as respected the alliances of the country and the conduct of the war.But, if the foreign policy of the Whigs were adopted, it was impossible to abstain from adopting also their financial policy.The natural consequences followed.The rigid Tories were alienated from the Government.

The votes of the Whigs became necessary to it.The votes of the Whigs could be secured only by further concessions; and further concessions the Queen was induced to make.

At the beginning of the year 1704, the state of parties bore a close analogy to the state of parties in 1826.In 1826, as in 1704, there was a Tory Ministry divided into two hostile sections.The position of Mr.Canning and his friends in 1826corresponded to that which Marlborough and Godolphin occupied in 1704.Nottingham and Jersey were, in 1704, what Lord Eldon and Lord Westmoreland were in 1826.The Whigs of 1704 were in a situation resembling that in which the Whigs of 1826 stood.In 1704, Somers, Halifax, Sunderland, Cowper, were not in office.

There was no avowed coalition between them and the moderate Tories.It is probable that no direct communication tending to such a coalition had yet taken place; yet all men saw that such a coalition was inevitable, nay, that it was already half formed.

Such, or nearly such, was the state of things when tidings arrived of the great battle fought at Blenheim on the 13th August, 1704.By the Whigs the news was hailed with transports of joy and pride.No fault, no cause of quarrel, could be remembered by them against the Commander whose genius had, in one day, changed the face of Europe, saved the Imperial throne, humbled the House of Bourbon, and secured the Act of Settlement against foreign hostility.The feeling of the Tories was very different.

同类推荐
  • 钱氏私志

    钱氏私志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 入越录

    入越录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 中俄伊犁交涉始末

    中俄伊犁交涉始末

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阿弥陀经异本

    阿弥陀经异本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 山水训

    山水训

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 王爷,别过分

    王爷,别过分

    与太子大婚当日被拒之门外惨遭凌辱沦为笑柄,转眼间便改嫁给太子的皇叔成为当朝最富盛名的轩王正妃。嘲笑我身残?奚落我无能?说我是克二娘克亲娘又克自己的扫把星,只是占着太师嫡女的尊贵身份,才有幸做上了王妃,其实就是天下第一的废物?切,姑奶奶我是真心不想计较。若不是我神机妙算道行高,怎么能亲自设计把自个儿嫁给了如意郎君?瘸女成王妃,是继续掩盖风华还是尽显傲姿绰妁?在太师府隐忍偷生只为不招人耳目活的清静,奈何上天不肯给她这个机会。那她只有奋勇直上,褪尽铅华,将绝代风姿傲立在本属于男儿的朝堂之上,笑傲天下。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 最强娱乐主宰

    最强娱乐主宰

    一次重生,成就一段辉煌。当站在世界顶峰,龙辉不禁喊出:"这个世界,我是唯一的主宰·····哎呀,老婆打我干嘛?"谁叫你乱喊,好吵。”宅男重生到一个娱乐业落后的世界,凭借系统与前世的记忆,成为娱乐主宰,成就永恒和辉煌。本文略轻松,女主不唯一,但不种马。第一次写书,不好看请见谅,书友群580014103
  • 二货萌后的霸道皇帝

    二货萌后的霸道皇帝

    上官汐一个平凡而又伟大的人,说她二货,并不是的,她总是积极乐观,渴望武功天下第一。且智商有点掉线。某日她二货病犯了,在湖边捡到了一个男人,想要扒光他身上所有值钱的东西。结果把自己的一辈子给赔进去了。说她萌,是因为在某位皇帝的眼中,她是一只小野猫,而且是一只炸毛的小野猫。自从碰到小野猫后,那位皇帝的唯一兴趣便是驯服她,“说”服她。最终爱上她。替她实现她所有的愿望。
  • 凤戏红尘

    凤戏红尘

    她宋雪狼被最心爱的妹妹背叛杀害.却在异世得到了重生.本想平平静静的过完这一生便好,可却事与愿违.初入异世从未谋面的父亲将她和母亲扔于后山自生自灭。只留母亲的贴身丫环照顾植物人的母亲和才不过四岁的自己。本想生活如此也安逸,就如此平静的生活于这后山之中远离世间争斗正随她所原。却谁知道母亲身份高贵。一封书信,五岁那年她迎来了身为邪王的外公。为生母,为师父,十五岁独闯地狱岛,斩狼群、收狼王、与幼凤凤灵签下灵魂契约、控天下之火。且看女主如何笑傲天下,游戏红尘.他说:千雪,此生我只认定你。只有你才会是我洛离今生的妻。如果你不嫁我,那我就嫁你。他说:千雪,短不过一瞬,长不过永远,人生太多无奈,什么也选择不了的我,唯一可以选择的就是对你的爱,哪怕只是一生如此在你身边守护,也好。他说:我不管你是谁,不管你是不是我的新娘,只要你是坐着花轿进的我东方府,那你便是我今生的妻。有着一生的牵伴。到底此生执谁的手,又是谁为我画一生的眉。音的读者群:79819638。如果喜欢音的作品,亲们可以加此群。在这里音要谢谢一直以来支持音的亲们。真的非常谢谢大家。喜欢此文的朋友可以、收藏、投票、留言来支持音,音感激不尽。推荐音的完结文,还希望亲们多多支持:《醉狂》谢谢蓝思婷月,婷月帮《红尘》做了视频,大家可以去看看哦!&pstyle=1
  • 武轮

    武轮

    巅峰武者身死,其武道精华化为传承绝技与功法的结晶被后人称为武轮!万年前一场大劫,整个人类世界遭受神秘打击,一座座城市在禁制的保护下沉入地底,地面上一片废墟。万年后,废墟遗迹逐渐现世,整座大陆进入日新月异的时代……叶轩,前世碌碌无为,平庸活了一百一十六岁。死后却意外重生到了百年前!这时,他才十六岁!各种蕴含‘武轮’的废墟还未出世,许多新型的战技还未被发明,无数上古丹方还未被发现……
  • 离笼

    离笼

    秦淮其人,一生唯有传奇。丰神俊朗,文采飞扬,更是家财万贯,后院清白。就是后院太过清白,牵连了两位备受看重的皇室子弟也沾染了这洁身自好的“坏毛病”,传出的断袖之论,肆意统领着帝都的八卦,百姓们议论纷纷,贵女们在不肯相信之余又不免忐忑。三公主对其更是一见倾心,只可惜落花有意,流水无心,为了推掉这尊大佛,也为了打散令皇帝无法容忍的断袖之论,秦淮便只能冒出来一个定亲多年的“未婚妻”。意外的笑容,铭刻在心,于是,原计划取消,米小七便成了秦夫人。
  • 女boss坑仙路

    女boss坑仙路

    一觉睡了六百年,再睁开眼,异能研究所资深女boss肖果果觉得,这个世界疯了。精神病友满天飞,各色妖兽满地跑,还不犯法!某男:“媳妇,那些是修士。”肖果果:“虽然你长的帅,也不要逮谁都碰瓷。”一个女boss走上了修仙路,自此一步一个坑,坑坑不落空。我们的口号是,挖坑,我们是专业的!
  • 美国“阴谋”

    美国“阴谋”

    新华社驻美记者刘洪四年心血,告诉老百姓一系列事件的幕后。提供不一样的答案,讲述你不知道的始末。过去几年,在人民币汇率、知识产权保护、贸易顺差、中国的责任和义务等许多问题上,中国面临了一轮又一轮的质疑。在美国,翻开报纸,有对中国的批评;打开电视,有对中国的攻击;日常闲聊……
  • 超品兵王在都市

    超品兵王在都市

    超级兵王回归都市,本想单纯的保护女老板,却意外陷入了血雨腥风。面对各类阴谋阳谋,且看他如何斩破荆棘,踏上巅峰。
  • 雷法议玄篇

    雷法议玄篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。