day," when Addison was to stand the hazard of the theatre. That
there might, however, be left as little hazard as was possible, on
the first night Steele, as himself relates, undertook to pack an
audience. "This," says Pope, "had been tried for the first time in
favour of the Distressed Mother; and was now, with more efficacy,
practised for Cato." The danger was soon over. The whole nation
was at that time on fire with faction. The Whigs applauded every
line in which liberty was mentioned, as a satire on the Tories; and
the Tories echoed every clap, to show that the satire was unfelt.
The story of Bolingbroke is well known; he called Booth to his box,
and gave him fifty guineas for defending the cause of liberty so
well against a perpetual dictator. "The Whigs," says Pope, "design
a second present, when they can accompany it with as good a
sentence."

The play, supported thus by the emulation of factious praise, was
acted night after night for a longer time than, I believe, the
public had allowed to any drama before; and the author, as Mrs.
Porter long afterwards related, wandered through the whole
exhibition behind the scenes with restless and unappeasable
solicitude. When it was printed, notice was given that the Queen
would be pleased if it was dedicated to her; "but, as he had
designed that compliment elsewhere, he found himself obliged," says
Tickell, "by his duty on the one hand, and his honour on the other,
to send it into the world without any dedication."

Human happiness has always its abatements; the brightest sunshine of
success is not without a cloud. No sooner was Cato offered to the
reader than it was attacked by the acute malignity of Dennis with
all the violence of angry criticism. Dennis, though equally