n.' And Mr. Swinburne, who holds a similar opinion of
the famous French critic's merit, observes, that while Pope is the
finest, Boileau is 'the dullest craftsman of their age and school.'[1]

With the author of the _Lutrin_ Addison, unlike Pope, was personally
acquainted. Boileau praised his Latin verses, and although his range was
limited, like that of all critics lacking imagination, Addison, then a
comparatively youthful scholar, was no doubt flattered by his
compliments and learnt some lessons in his school. Prior, who acquired a
mastery of the language, was also sensitive to French influence, and
shows how it affected him by irony and satire. It would be difficult to
estimate with any measure of accuracy the effect of French literature on
the Queen Anne authors. There is no question that they were considerably
attracted by it, but its sway was, I think, never strong enough to
produce mere imitative art. While the most illustrious of these men
acknowledged some measure of fealty to our 'sweet enemy France,' they
were not enslaved by her, and French literature was but one of several
influences which affected the literary character of the age. If
Englishmen owed a debt to France the obligation was reciprocal. Voltaire
affords a prominent illustration of the power wielded by our literature.
He imitated Addison, he imitated, or caught suggestions from Swift, he
borrowed largely from Vanbrugh, and although, in his judgment of English
authors, he made many critical blunders, they were due to a want of
taste rather than to a want of knowledge.

A striking contrast will be seen between the position of literary men in
the reign of Queen Anne and under her Hanoverian successors. Literature
was not thriving in the healthiest of ways in the earlier period, but
from the commercial point of view it was singularly prosperous. Through
its means men like Addison and Prior rose to some of the highest offices
in the service of their country. Tickell became Under-Secretary of
State. Steele held three or four official posts, and if he did not
prosper like some men of less mark, had no one but himself to blame.
Rowe, the author of the _Fair Penitent_, was for three years of Anne's
reign Under-Secretary, and John Hughes, the friend of Addison, who is
poet enough to have had his story told by Johnson, had 'a situation of
great profit' as Secretary to the Commissions of the Peace. Prizes of
greater or less value fell to some men whose abil