(Lancelot), son of Lancelot Addison a clergyman, was born at Mouldfinesburne, in the parish of Crosby Ravenworth in Westmoreland, in the year 1632. He was educated at Queen's College, Oxford; and at the Restoration of king Charles II. accepted of the chaplainship of the garrison of Dunkirk; but that fortress being delivered up to the French in 1662, he returned to England, and was soon after made chaplain to the garrison of Tangier; where he continued seven years, and was greatly esteemed. In 1670, he returned to England, and was made chaplain in ordinary to the king; but his chaplainship of Tangier being taken from him on account of his absence, he found himself threatened in his circumstances, when he feebly obtained the rectory of Milton, in Wiltshire, worth about 120l. per annum. He afterwards became a prebendary of Sarum; took his degree of doctor of divinity at Oxford; and in 1683 was made dean of Litchfield, and the next year archdeacon of Coventry. His life was exemplary; his conversation pleasing, and greatly instructive; and his behaviour as a gentleman, a clergyman, and a neighbour, did honour to the place of his residence. He wrote, 1. A Short Narrative of the Revolutions of the Kingdoms of Fez and Morocco: 2. The present History of the Jews: 3. A Discourse on Catechising: 4. A Model Plea for the Clergy: 5. An Introduction to the Sacrament: 6. The late State of Mahometism: and several other pieces. This worthy divine died on the 26th of April 1703, and left three sons: Joseph, the subject of the next article; Gulston, who died while governor of Fort St George; Lancelot, master of arts, and fellow of Magdalen College in Oxford; and one daughter, first married to Dr Sartre prebendary of Westminster, and afterwards to Daniel Combes, Esq.

(Joseph), one of the brightest geniuses, that this or any other country has produced, was the son Addison, son of dean Addison, the subject of the last article. He was born at Milston, near Ambresbury, in Wiltshire, on the 11th of May 1672; and not being thought likely to live, was baptized the same day. He received the first rudiments of his education at the place of his nativity, under the reverend Mr Naish; but was soon removed to Salisbury, under the care of Mr Taylor; and from thence to the charter-house, where he commenced his acquaintance with Sir Richard Steele. About fifteen, he was entered at Queen's College, Oxford, where he applied very closely to the study of classical learning, in which he made a surprising proficiency. In the year 1687, Dr Lancaster, dean of Magdalen College, having, by chance, seen a Latin poem of Mr Addison's, was so pleased with it, that he immediately got him elected into that house, where he took up his degrees of bachelor and master of arts. His Latin pieces, in the course of a few years, were exceedingly admired in both universities; nor were they less esteemed abroad, particularly by the celebrated Boileau, who reported to have said, that he would not have written against Perrault, had he before seen such excellent pieces by a modern hand. He published nothing in English before the twenty-second year of his age; when there appeared a short copy of verses written by him, and addressed to Mr Dryden, which procured him great reputation from the best judges. This was soon followed by a translation of the Fourth Georgic of Virgil, (omitting the story of Arilus), much commended by Mr Dryden. He wrote also the Essay on the Georgics, prefixed to Mr Dryden's translation. There are several other pieces written by him about this time; amongst the rest, one dated the 3rd of April 1694, addressed to H. S. that is, Dr Sacheverel, who became afterwards so famous, and with whom Mr Addison lived once in the greatest friendship; but their intimacy was some time after broken off by their disagreement in political principles. In the year 1695, he wrote a poem to king William on one of his campaigns, addressed to Sir John Somers, lord keeper of the great seal. This gentleman received it with great pleasure, took the author into the number of his friends, and bestowed on him many marks of his favour. Mr Addison had been closely pressed, while at the university, to enter into holy orders; and had once resolved upon it: but his great modesty, his natural diffidence, and an uncommonly delicate sense of the importance of the sacred function, made him afterwards alter his resolution; and having expressed an inclination to travel, he was encouraged thereto by his patron above-mentioned, who, by his interest, procured him from the crown, a pension of £300 per annum to support him in his travels. He accordingly made a tour to Italy in the year 1699; and, in 1701, he wrote a poetical epistle from Italy to the earl of Halifax, which has been universally esteemed as a most excellent performance. It was translated into Italian verse by the abbot Antonio Maria Salvini, Greek professor at Florence. In the year 1705, he published an account of his travels, dedicated to lord Somers; which, though at first but indifferently received, yet in a little time met with its deserved applause. In the year 1702, he was about to return to England, when he received advice of his being appointed to attend prince Eugene, who then commanded for the emperor in Italy; but the death of king William happening soon after, put an end to this affair as well as his pension; and he remained for a considerable time unemployed. But an unexpected incident at once raised him, and gave him an opportunity of exerting his fine talents to advantage: for in the year 1704, the lord-treasurer Godolphin happened to complain to lord Halifax, that the duke of Marlborough's victory at Blenheim had not been celebrated in verse in the manner it deserved; and intimated, that he would take it kindly, if his lordship, who was the known patron of the poets, would name a gentleman capable of doing justice to so elevated a subject. Lord Halifax replied, somewhat hastily, that he did know such a person, but would not mention him; adding, that long had he been, with indignation, men of no merit maintained in luxury at the public expense, whilst those of real worth and modesty were suffered to languish in obscurity. The treasurer answered very coolly, that he was sorry there should be occasion for such an observation, but that he would do his endeavour to wipe off such reproaches for the future; and he engaged his honour, that whoever his lordship named, as a person capable of celebrating this victory, should meet with a suitable recompense. Lord Halifax thereupon named Mr Addison; inflicting, however, that the treasurer himself should send to him; which he promised. Accordingly he prevailed on Mr Boyle (afterwards lord Carlton) then chancellor of the exchequer, to make the proposal to Mr Addison; which he did in so polite a manner, that our author readily undertook the task. The lord-treasurer had a sight of the piece, when it was carried no farther than the celebrated simile of the angel; and was so pleased with it, that he immediately appointed Mr Addison a commissioner of appeals, vacant by the promotion of Mr Locke, chosen one of the lords commissioners for trade. The Campaign is addressed to the duke of Marlborough; it gives a short view of the military transactions in 1704, and contains a noble description of the two great actions at Schellenberg and Blenheim. The poem will be admired as long as the victory is remembered. In 1705, he attended lord Halifax to Hanover; and the ensuing year was appointed under-secretary to Sir Charles Hedges secretary of state; in which office he acquitted himself so well, that the earl of Sunderland, who succeeded Sir Charles in December, continued Mr Addison in his employment. A taste for operas beginning at this time to prevail in England, and many persons having solicited Mr Addison to write one, he complied with their request, and composed his Rosamond. This however, whether from the defect of the music, for which our language is said by some to be very improper, or from the prejudices in favour of the Italian taste, did not succeed upon the stage; but the poetry of it has, and always will be, justly admired. About this time, Sir Richard Steele composed his comedy of the Tender Husband, to which Mr Addison wrote a prologue. Sir Richard surprized him with a dedication of this play, and acquainted the public, that he was indebted to him for some of the most excellent strokes in the performance. The marquis of Wharton, being appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland in 1709, took Mr Addison with him as his secretary. Her majesty also made him keeper of the records of Ireland; and, as a farther mark of her her favour, considerably augmented the salary annexed to that place. Whilst he was in this kingdom, the Tatler was first published; and he discovered his friend Sir Richard Steele to be the author, by an observation on Virgil, which he had communicated to him. He afterwards assisted considerably in carrying on this paper, which the author acknowledges. The Tatler being laid down, the Spectator was set on foot, and Mr Addison furnished great part of the most admired papers; those which he wrote are distinguished by one of the letters of the muse, C, L, I, O. The Spectator made its first appearance in March 1711, and was brought to a conclusion in September 1712. He had likewise a considerable share in the Guardian, another paper in the same taste, which entertained the town in 1713 and 1714. His celebrated Cato appeared in 1713. He formed the design of a tragedy upon this subject when he was very young, and wrote it when on his travels; he retouched it in England, without any intention of bringing it on the stage; but his friends being persuaded it would serve the cause of liberty, he was prevailed on by their solicitations, and it was accordingly exhibited on the theatre with a prologue by Mr Pope, and an epilogue by Dr Garth. It was received with the most uncommon applause, having run thirty-five nights without interruption; and all parties, however divided, agreed in giving this play the commendation it deserved. It was no less esteemed abroad, having been translated into French, Italian, and German; and it was acted at Leghorn, and several other places, with vast applause. The Jesuits at St Omers made a Latin version of it, and the students acted it with great magnificence. Her majesty queen Anne signified an inclination of having the play dedicated to her; but the author having proposed to dedicate it elsewhere, to avoid giving offence, published it without a dedication. He had formed a design of writing another tragedy upon the death of Socrates; but this he never carried into execution. He intended also to have composed an English dictionary upon the plan of the Italian (Della Crusca); but, upon the death of the queen, being appointed secretary to the lords justices, he had not leisure to carry on such a work. When the earl of Sunderland was appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, Mr Addison was again made secretary for the affairs of that kingdom; and, upon the earl's being removed from the lieutenancy, he was chosen one of the lords of trade. In 1715, he began the Freeholder, a political paper, which was much admired, and proved of great use at that juncture. He published also, about this time, verses to Sir Godfrey Kneller upon the king's picture, and some to the princesses of Wales with the tragedy of Cato. In April 1717, his majesty king George appointed our author one of his principal secretaries of state; but the fatigue of his employment having brought upon him an asthmatic disorder, with which he had been before afflicted, he resigned his office, and retired from business. In his retirement, he applied himself to a religious Evidencesious work*, which he had begun long before; part of the Xian which, scarce finished, has been printed in his works.

He intended also to have given an English paraphrase of some of David's psalms; but a long and painful relapse cut short all his designs, and carried off this great man on the 17th of June 1719, in the 54th year of his age. He died at Holland-house, near Kensington, leaving behind him one daughter by the countess of Warwick, to whom he was married in 1716. After his decease, Mr Tickel, by the author's instructions, published his works in four volumes in 1719. In this edition, there are several pieces hitherto unmentioned, viz. The Dissertation on Medals; which, though not published till after his death, yet he had collected the materials, and began to put them in order, at Vienna, in 1702. A pamphlet, entitled, The present State of the War, and the Necessity of an Augmentation, considered. The late Trial and Conviction of Count Tariff. The Whig Examiner came out on the 14th of September 1716: there were five of these papers attributed to Mr Addison, and they are the fewest pieces he ever wrote. The Drummer, or the Haunted House, a comedy not taken notice of in this edition, was published afterwards as Mr Addison's, by Sir Richard Steele. He is said also to have been the author of a performance entitled Dissertation de ingenioribus Romanorum Poetis, and of a Discourse on Ancient and Modern Learning.