XVIII. TURE. attention to the age of Elizabeth. Our noble CHAP. English ballads had remained forgotten, until Addison quoted and applauded Chevy Chace. Thus LITERAalso the Fairy Queen was proclaimed, and at length acknowledged as "a great land-mark of our poetry."+ Thus the great old dramatists again resumed their reign, having in this century first excited praise from eminent men as readers, and next attracted applauding thousands on the stage. During the reigns of William, of Anne, and of George the First, till 1721, when Walpole became Prime Minister, the Whigs and Tories vied with each other in the encouragement of learned and literary men. Whenever a writer showed signs of genius, either party to which his principles might incline him was eager to hail him as a friend. The most distinguished society, and the most favourable opportunities, were thrown open to him. Places and pensions were showered down in lavish profusion; those who wished only to pursue their studies had the means afforded them for learned leisure, while more ambitious spirits were pushed forward in Parliament or in diplomacy. In short, though the sovereign was never an Augustus, almost every minister was a Mæcenas. Newton Spectator, Nos. 70. and 74. This was the expression of Pope. (Spence, p. 171.) He said, on another occasion:-"There is something in Spenser "that pleases one as strongly in one's old age as it did in one's "youth. I read the Fairy Queen when I was about twelve, "with infinite delight, and I think it gave me as much when I "read it over about a year or two ago." (Ibid. p. 296.) XVIII. CHAP. field of literature. The number of more and more considerable. Book LITERA confined either to the studious. TURE. age of Eliz Mandel Cheery Shower remained forinn. 4. Education and reflection spread of Pope, nay ev but in you und of f Arre been y.' 3. It and at Mouse" onours to X, and First nell first came to 4 passed through the them all unnoticed, to ✓ poet. "I value myself," making the ministry desire to with Parnell, and not Parnell with Swift himself became Dean of ick's, and but for the Queen's dislike would Bishop of Hereford. Pope, as a Roman was debarred from all places of honour emolument, yet Secretary Craggs offered him a Catholic, or pension of 300l. a year not to be known by the public, and to be paid from the Secret Service Money. In 1714 General Stanhope carried a bill, providing a most liberal reward for the discovery of the longitude. ‡ Addison became Secretary of State. Tickell was Secretary in Ireland. Several rich sinecures were bestowed on Congreve and Rowe, on Hughes, and Ambrose Philips. * Journal to Stella, January 31. 1713. + Spence's Anecdotes, p. 307. Commons' Journals, vol. xvii. p. 686, &c. § See a similar enumeration, and some ingenious observations, Edin. Review, No. cvii. p. 21. PEACE OF UTRECHT. gotten, until Ad Elizabeth. Our noble CHIP. ace. Thus LITERA length TUL hose times, and comparing them with CHA P. ree, been supplied by the rom the sale of his works, state of things far exceeds the former endence; yet, however plausible this ason, it is not altogether confirmed by a closer survey. I cannot find that the objects of such splendid patronage were at all humbled by receiving it, or considered themselves in the slightest degree as political or private bondsmen. I cannot find that Swift or Prior, for example, mixed with the great on any other footing than that of equal familiarity and friendship, or paid any submissive homage to Lord Treasurer Oxford or Secretary St. John. In Bolingbroke's Correspondence we may still read the private notes of MATT to HARRY and of HARRY to MATT. The old system of patronage in literature was, I conceive, like the old system of patronage in Parliament. Some powerful nobleman, with large burgage tenures in his hands, was enabled to place in the House of Commons any young man of like principles and of promising abilities. That system, whether for good or for evil, endured till the Reform Bill of 1832. But whatever difference of opinion may exist concerning it, there is one XVIII. TURE. LITERA- CHAP. became Master of the Mint; Locke was a ComXVIII. missioner of Appeals; Steele was a Commissioner of Stamps; Stepney, Prior, and Gay, were employed in lucrative and important embassies. It was a slight piece of humour at his outset and at his introduction-the "City and Country Mouse" that brought forth a mountain of honours to Montagu, afterwards Earl of Halifax, and First Lord of the Treasury. When Parnell first came to Court, Lord Treasurer Oxford passed through the crowd of nobles, leaving them all unnoticed, to greet and welcome the poet. "I value myself," says Swift, "upon making the ministry desire to "be acquainted with Parnell, and not Parnell with "the ministry." Swift himself became Dean of St. Patrick's, and but for the Queen's dislike would have been Bishop of Hereford. Pope, as a Roman Catholic, was debarred from all places of honour or emolument, yet Secretary Craggs offered him a pension of 300l. a year not to be known by the public, and to be paid from the Secret Service Money. In 1714 General Stanhope carried a bill, providing a most liberal reward for the discovery of the longitude. ‡ Addison became Secretary of State. Tickell was Secretary in Ireland. Several rich sinecures were bestowed on Congreve and Rowe, on Hughes, and Ambrose Philips. * Journal to Stella, January 31. 1713. + Spence's Anecdotes, p. 307. Commons' Journals, vol. xvii. p. 686, &c. § See a similar enumeration, and some ingenious observations, Edin. Review, No. cvii. p. 21. XVIII. TURE. Looking to those times, and comparing them with CHAP. ours, we shall find that this system of munificent patronage has never been revived. Its place has, however, in some degree, been supplied by the large increase of readers, and the higher price of books, and consequently the far superior value of literary labour. A popular writer may now receive a liberal income from the sale of his works, and, according to the common phrase, needs no other patron than the public. It is often boasted, that the latter state of things far exceeds the former in independence; yet, however plausible this assertion, it is not altogether confirmed by a closer survey. I cannot find that the objects of such splendid patronage were at all humbled by receiving it, or considered themselves in the slightest degree as political or private bondsmen. I cannot find that Swift or Prior, for example, mixed with the great on any other footing than that of equal familiarity and friendship, or paid any submissive homage to Lord Treasurer Oxford or Secretary St. John. In Bolingbroke's Correspondence we may still read the private notes of MATT to HARRY and of HARRY to MATT. The old system of patronage in literature was, I conceive, like the old system of patronage in Parliament. Some powerful nobleman, with large burgage tenures in his hands, was enabled to place in the House of Commons any young man of like principles and of promising abilities. That system, whether for good or for evil, endured till the Reform Bill of 1832. But whatever difference of opinion may exist concerning it, there is one |