ictator. "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 zealous, and
probably by his temper more furious than Addison, for what they called
liberty, and though a flatterer of the Whig Ministry, could not sit
quiet at a successful play; but was eager to tell friends and enemies
that they had misplaced their admirations. The world was too stubborn
for instruction; with the fate of the censurer of Corneille's Cid, his
animadversions showed his anger without effect, and Cato continued to be
praised.

Pope had now an opportunity of courting the friendship of Addison by
vilifying his old enemy, and could give resentment its full play without
appearing to revenge himself. He therefore published "A Narrative of the
Madness of John Dennis:" a performance which left the objections to the
play in their full force, and therefore discovered more desire of vexing
the critic than of defending the poet.

Addison, who was no stranger to the world, probably saw the selfishness
of Pope's friendship; and, resolving that he should have the
consequences of his officiousness to himself, informed Dennis by Steele
that he was sorry for the insult; and that, whenever he should think fit
to answer his remarks, he would do it in a manner to which nothing could
be objected.

The greatest weakness of the play is in the scenes of love, which are
said by Pope to have been added to the original plan upon a subsequent
review, in compliance with the popular practice of the stage. Such an
authority it is hard to reject; yet