Addison, Joseph
Addison, Joseph ( 1672 – 1719 ),the son of a dean of Lichfield, educated at Charterhouse with Steele and at The Queen's College, Oxford, and Magdalen, of which he became a fellow. He was a distinguished classical scholar and attracted the attention of Dryden by his Latin poems. He travelled on the Continent from 1699 to 1703 , and his Dialogues upon the Usefulness of Ancient Medals (published posthumously) were probably written about this time. In 1705 he published The Campaign, a poem in heroic couplets in celebration of the victory of Blenheim . He was appointed under-secretary of state in 1706 , and was MP from 1708 till his death. In 1709 he went to Ireland as chief secretary to Lord Wharton, the lord-lieutenant. He formed a close friendship with Swift , Steele , and other writers and was a prominent member of the Kit-Kat Club . Addison lost office on the fall of the...
[The entire page is 542 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Oxford University Press Titles
