he best Breeding among Gentlemen, and the
least acquainted with sensual Pleasure among the Ladies.

The Editor [_THOMAS TICKELL_] is pleased to relate concerning _CATO_,
that a Play under that design was projected by the Author very early, and
wholly laid aside; in advanced years, he reassumed the same design; and
many years after Four acts were finished, he wrote the Fifth; and brought
it upon the Stage.

All the Town knows, how officious I was in bringing it on, and you (that
know the Town, the Theatre, and Mankind very well) can judge how
necessary it was, to take measures for making a performance of that sort,
excellent as it is, run into popular applause.

I promised before it was acted (and performed my duty accordingly to the
Author), that I would bring together so just an audience on the First
Days of it, it should be impossible for the vulgar to put its success or
due applause at any hazard: but I don't mention this, only to shew how
good an Aide-de-Camp I was to Mr. ADDISON; but to shew also that the
Editor does as much to cloud the merit of this Work, as I did to set it
forth.

Mr. TICKELL's account of its being taken up, laid down, and at last
perfected, after such long intervals and pauses, would make any one
believe, who did not know Mr. ADDISON, that it was accomplished with the
greatest pain and labour; and the issue rather of Learning and Industry
than Capacity and Genius: but I do assure you, that never Play which
could bring the author any reputation for Wit and Conduct,
notwithstanding it was so long before it was finished, employed the
Author so little a time in writing.

If I remember right, the Fifth Act was written in less than a week's
time! For this was particular in this Writer, that when he had taken his
resolution, or made his Plan for what he designed to write; he would walk
about the room and dictate it into Language, with as much freedom and ease
as any one could write it down: and attend to the Coherence and Grammar of
what he dictated.

I have been often thus employed by him; and never took it into my head,
though he only spoke it and I took all the pains of throwing it upon
paper, that I ought to call myself the Writer of it.

I will put all my credit among men of Wit for the truth of my averment,
when I presume to say that no one but Mr. ADDISON was, in any other way,
the Writer of the _Drummer_.

At the same time, I will allow, that he sent for me (which he could
always do,