Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-14
LECTURE AT NEW-CENTURY CLUB.

The second lecture OF the course IN
English literature was delivered Mon
day afternoon at the New. Century Cub
by Prof. Hancock, who discussed Addi
son and Steele. The hasty glance given
In the lust lecture to the social condi-
tions 10 England in the eighteenth CEN
fury was to form background for the
literary figures OF the period. 10 appre.
ciate the constructive work Of Steele
and Addison we must recall the ideals
of life and conduct Eeld by the two
ruling classes, between whom was
rising the commoners without any
Ideal. The Puritans desired to suppress
the aesthetic in life. They seemed to
think there was necessary antagonisnf
between the pleasurable and the moral
and considered even beauty iuihlical.
They broke the beautiful old windows
in the churches, pulled down the statues
and lot the cathedrals go TO decay.
They prohibited bear batting, not be.
cause il gave pain to the bear, but
because it gave pleasure to the specta-
tors. They were religious zealols whose
religion deve oped into Journalism. They
tried to make life strenuous and harsh,
but they developed the moral fibre of
the nation and were great con.
bfIbuttHB iuEub III bub liib VI luo cou-
tury to come. But fanHtioism cannot
endure long and the Puritans became
unpopular. Charlss III brought with
him his French associates, and the
idea of the Cavaliers, a short life ana
merry one, soon degenerated into
prohiGacy. Artists and literary men
followed the kings example: Ccugreve,
Wycberly and Vanbrugh produced the
| mn fri MI tr tad in
the English language But healthy
current of life Was flowing IN the middle
class, the founders OF modern English
democracy, who cared neither for tho
| fanaticism OF the Puritan nor the pro-
| iligncy of the cavaliers, but those views
| were undeveloped and uniformed.
This was the opportunity TO recon-
struct which was seized by Addison aud
Steele, who were the architects CT
public opinion OF their century. No
newspapers we're published, nor Jour
nails, save sporadically. In ITO the
idea came to Steele to establish paper
to be called the Tat er, in which the
ness would be treated from a humorous
| point of view. He assumed as editor
the name of Isaac Bickerstalr a peri.
| patetio with no editorial sanotum but
| whose news would be written from tho
various oofleehouses. The price of the
paper was one penny. Addison soon dis.
covered the identity OF Isaac Bicker-
staff, offered his hep, and the most
| delightful talker in the world began to
speak. After few issues Steele
generously acknowledged Addison as
his superior, but in matters Of origi-
naIity and invention Steele was the
greater.
Steele was a lovable character; he
resembles Burns in his temperament
Though he drank too much, lived
beyond his means and dodgad the
bailitfs by back lanes and alleys, his
heart was full of generous emotion.
Addison was measured, delicate, a
model Of solid English qualities per
iected by continental culture; he was
shy, tinid, reserved and never acted
until he had thought matter over; his
emotions were we'll under control.
There was never the slightest stain on
his personal record and he conformed
to his own ideals and principles. His
satire was always gentle and imper
sonal he struck no unfair blow and
achieved reformation in English
society without one, lampoon. The sub.
tlety OF his humor is In its irony; he
fintters you at first. gains from you a
certain admission, then leads you into
trap, yet his wit makes US laugh and
leaves us good and happy. He was
serene, cautious, oalmj he may have
omitted virtue or two but could have
had no faults for which to blush.
S.wift, the subject Of the next lecture,
was drRstrio personality OF whom you
must be prepared tps at times, hear
something brutal. A. S.