e common style of business, and valued himself upon having done what
was too hard for Addison. He was better qualified for the Freeholder,
a paper which he published twice a week, from December 23, 1715, to
the middle of the next year. This was undertaken in defence of the
established Government, sometimes with argument, and sometimes with
mirth. In argument he had many equals; but his humour was singular and
matchless. Bigotry itself must be delighted with the "Tory Fox-hunter."
There are, however, some strokes less elegant and less decent; such
as the "Pretender's Journal," in which one topic of ridicule is his
poverty. This mode of abuse had been employed by Milton against King
Charles II.

"Jacoboei.
Centum exulantis viscera Marsupii regis."

And Oldmixon delights to tell of some alderman of London that he had
more money than the exiled princes; but that which might be expected
from Milton's savageness, or Oldmixon's meanness, was not suitable to
the delicacy of Addison.

Steele thought the humour of the Freeholder too nice and gentle for such
noisy times, and is reported to have said that the Ministry made use of
a lute, when they should have called for a trumpet.

This year (1716) he married the Countess Dowager of Warwick, whom he had
solicited by a very long and anxious courtship, perhaps with behaviour
not very unlike that of Sir Roger to his disdainful widow; and who, I am
afraid, diverted herself often by playing with his passion. He is said
to have first known her by becoming tutor to her son. "He formed," said
Tonson, "the design of getting that lady from the time when he was
first taken into the family." In what part of his life he obtained the
recommendation, or how long, and in what manner he lived in the family,
I know not. His advances at first were certainly timorous, but grew
bolder as his reputation and influence increased; till at last the lady
was persuaded to marry him, on terms much like those on which a Turkish
princess is espoused, to whom the Sultan is reported to pronounce,
"Daughter, I give thee this man for thy slave." The marriage, if
uncontradicted report can be credited, made no addition to his
happiness; it neither found them nor made them equal. She always
remembered her own rank, and thought herself entitled to treat with very
little ceremony the tutor of her son. Rowe's ballad of the "Despairing
Shepherd" is said to have been written, ei