time wrote a treatise
on morals entitled _The Christian Hero_ (1701). Abandoning this vein, he
next produced three comedies, _The Funeral, or Grief a la Mode_ (1702),
_The Tender Husband_ (1703), and _The Lying Lover_ (1704). Two years
later he was appointed Gentleman Waiter to Prince George of Denmark, and
in 1707 he was made Gazetteer; and in the same year he _m._ as his second
wife Mary Scurlock, his "dear Prue," who seems, however, to have been
something of a termagant. She had considerable means, but the
incorrigible extravagance of S. soon brought on embarrassment. In 1709 he
laid the foundations of his fame by starting the _Tatler_, the first of
those periodicals which are so characteristic a literary feature of that
age. In this he had the invaluable assistance of Addison, who contributed
42 papers out of a total of 271, and helped with others. The _Tatler_ was
followed by the _Spectator_, in which Addison co-operated to a still
greater extent. It was even a greater success, and ran to 555 numbers,
exclusive of a brief revival by Addison in which S. had no part, and in
its turn was followed by the _Guardian_. It is on his essays in these
that the literary fame of S. rests. With less refinement and delicacy of
wit than Addison, he had perhaps more knowledge of life, and a wider
sympathy, and like him he had a sincere desire for the reformation of
morals and manners. In the keen political strife of the times he fought
stoutly and honestly on the Whig side, one result of which was that he
lost his office of Gazetteer, and was in 1714 expelled from the House of
Commons to which he had just been elected. The next year gave a
favourable turn to his fortunes. The accession of George I. brought back
the Whigs, and S. was appointed to various offices, including a
commissionership on forfeited estates in Scotland, which took him to
Edinburgh, where he was welcomed by all the _literati_ there. Nothing,
however, could keep him out of financial embarrassments, and other
troubles followed: his wife _d._; differences, arose with Addison, who
_d._ before a reconciliation could be effected. The remaining years were
clouded by financial troubles and ill-health. His last work was a play,
_The Conscious Lovers_ (1722). He left London and lived at Hereford and
at Carmarthen, where he _d._ after a partial loss of his faculties from
paralysis.

_Lives_ by Austin Dobson (1886) and G.A. Aitken (1889). Ed., _Plays_ by
Aitken (1893), Ess