projects imputed to
the ministry. The tragedy was hurried upon the stage towards the close
of the dramatic season, lest the salutary lesson should come too late
to save the threatened constitution.[12] Pope told Spence that the
manuscript was submitted to him by Addison, that he thought the action
not sufficiently theatrical, and that he recommended the author to
forego its performance. Shortly afterwards Addison went to him and said,
"that some particular friends, whom he could not disoblige, insisted on
its being acted." He protested that he had no party purpose in the play,
commissioned Pope to convey this assurance to Oxford and Bolingbroke,
sent them the tragedy along with the message, and obtained their
encouragement. When a year and a half had elapsed, and the House of
Hanover had succeeded to the English throne, Addison published in Nov.
1714, a copy of verses to the Princess of Wales, in which he took credit
for the patriotism and daring of his muse in sending forth the play with
the express design of defeating the machinations of the government.[13]

And boldly rising for Britannia's laws,
Engaged great Cato in her country's cause.

Hurd, unwilling to condemn his hero, Addison, and accepting, without
misgiving, the statement reported by Spence, exclaims, "How spotless
must that man be, that, in passing through a court, had only contracted
this slight stain, even in the opinion of so severe a censor and casuist
as Mr. Pope."[14] But unless the conduct of Addison is misrepresented he
must have been corrupt and contemptible. The party of which he was a
prominent member urged the production of his play, at a momentous
crisis, with a political object, and it would have been mean and
treacherous to yield to their entreaties, and then privately assure the
common enemy that nothing political was intended. The baseness would
have been great indeed if, when the power passed over to the whigs, he
triumphantly declared that he had pursued the very course he disavowed
at the time, and thus endeavoured by a false boast to procure new credit
and rewards. Either Addison was unscrupulous, or Pope fabricated the
tale. Addison's version was published to the world: Pope's version was
dropped into the ear of Spence. Addison made his claim when the
circumstances were fresh, and when Pope, Bolingbroke, and Oxford were at
hand to expose him: Pope told his story after the lapse of many years,
when he had quarrelled with Addis