spirit of unfeeling commerce, declare that he "would not build an
hospital for idle people;" but at last he buys land, settles in the
country, and builds, not a manufactory, but an hospital for twelve
old husbandmen--for men with whom a merchant has little
acquaintance, and whom he commonly considers with little kindness.

Of essays thus elegant, thus instructive, and thus commodiously
distributed, it is natural to suppose the approbation general, and
the sale numerous. I once heard it observed that the sale may be
calculated by the product of the tax, related in the last number to
produce more than twenty pounds a week, and therefore stated at one-
and-twenty pounds, or three pounds ten shillings a day: this, at a
halfpenny a paper, will give sixteen hundred and eighty for the
daily number. This sale is not great; yet this, if Swift be
credited, was likely to grow less; for he declares that the
Spectator, whom he ridicules for his endless mention of the FAIR
sex, had before his recess wearied his readers.

The next year (1713), in which Cato came upon the stage, was the
grand climacteric of Addison's reputation. Upon the death of Cato
he had, as is said, planned a tragedy in the time of his travels,
and had for several years the four first acts finished, which were
shown to such as were likely to spread their admiration. They were
seen by Pope and by Cibber, who relates that Steele, when he took
back the copy, told him, in the despicable cant of literary modesty,
that, whatever spirit his friend had shown in the composition, he
doubted whether he would have courage sufficient to expose it to the
censure of a British audience. The time, however, was now come when
those who affected to think liberty in danger affected likewise to
think that a stage-play might preserve it; and Addison was