Значение слова STEELE в Литературной энциклопедии

STEELE

SIR RICHARD (1672-1729).-Essayist and dramatist, _s._ of a Dublin attorney, who _d._ when his _s._ was 5 years old, was on the nomination of the Duke of Ormond, sent to the Charterhouse School, where his friendship with Addison began, and thence went to Oxf., but left without taking a degree, and enlisted in the Horse Guards, for which he was disinherited by a rich relation. He, however, gained the favour of his colonel, Lord Cutts, himself a poet, and rose to the rank of captain. With the view of setting before himself a high ideal of conduct (to which unhappily he was never able to attain), he at this time wrote a treatise on morals entitled _The Christian Hero_ (1701). Abandoning this vein, he next produced three comedies, _The Funeral, or Grief a la Mode_ (1702), _The Tender Husband_ (1703), and _The Lying Lover_ (1704). Two years later he was appointed Gentleman Waiter to Prince George of Denmark, and in 1707 he was made Gazetteer; and in the same year he _m._ as his second wife Mary Scurlock, his "dear Prue," who seems, however, to have been something of a termagant. She had considerable means, but the incorrigible extravagance of S. soon brought on embarrassment. In 1709 he laid the foundations of his fame by starting the _Tatler_, the first of those periodicals which are so characteristic a literary feature of that age. In this he had the invaluable assistance of Addison, who contributed 42 papers out of a total of 271, and helped with others. The _Tatler_ was followed by the _Spectator_, in which Addison co-operated to a still greater extent. It was even a greater success, and ran to 555 numbers, exclusive of a brief revival by Addison in which S. had no part, and in its turn was followed by the _Guardian_. It is on his essays in these that the literary fame of S. rests. With less refinement and delicacy of wit than Addison, he had perhaps more knowledge of life, and a wider sympathy, and like him he had a sincere desire for the reformation of morals and manners. In the keen political strife of the times he fought stoutly and honestly on the Whig side, one result of which was that he lost his office of Gazetteer, and was in 1714 expelled from the House of Commons to which he had just been elected. The next year gave a favourable turn to his fortunes. The accession of George I. brought back the Whigs, and S. was appointed to various offices, including a commissionership on forfeited estates in Scotland, which took him to Edinburgh, where he was welcomed by all the _literati_ there. Nothing, however, could keep him out of financial embarrassments, and other troubles followed: his wife _d._; differences, arose with Addison, who _d._ before a reconciliation could be effected. The remaining years were clouded by financial troubles and ill-health. His last work was a play, _The Conscious Lovers_ (1722). He left London and lived at Hereford and at Carmarthen, where he _d._ after a partial loss of his faculties from paralysis. _Lives_ by Austin Dobson (1886) and G.A. Aitken (1889). Ed., _Plays_ by Aitken (1893), Essays (selected) Clarendon Press (1885), _Tatler_, Aitken (1898), _Spectator_, H. Morley (1868), Gregory Smith (1897-8), Aitken (1898).

Литературная энциклопедия. 2012