by a fair widow, several years
before, he keeps his sentiment alive by wearing a coat and doublet of the
same cut that was in fashion at the time, which, he tells us, has been out
and in twelve times since he first wore it. All the young women profess to
love him, and all the young men are glad of his company.

Last of all is the clergyman, whose piety is all reverence, and who talks
and acts "as one who is hastening to the object of all his wishes, and
conceives hope from his decays and infirmities."

It is said that Addison, warned by the fate of Cervantes,--whose noble
hero, Don Quixote, was killed by another pen,--determined to conduct Sir
Roger to the tomb himself; and the knight makes a fitting end. He
congratulates his nephew, Captain Sentry, upon his succession to the
inheritance; he is thoughtful of old friends and old servants. In a word,
so excellent was his life, and so touching the story of his death, that we
feel like mourners at a real grave. Indeed he did live, and still
lives,--one type of the English country gentleman one hundred and fifty
years ago. Other types there were, not so pleasant to contemplate; but
Addison's Sir Roger de Coverley and Fielding's Squire Allworthy vindicate
their class in that age.

ADDISON'S HYMNS.--Addison appears to us also as the writer of beautiful
hymns, and has paraphrased some of the Psalms. In this, like Watts, he
catered to a decided religious craving of that day. In a Protestant realm,
and by reason of religious controversy, the fine old hymns of the Latin
church, which are now renewing their youth in an English dress, had fallen
into disrepute: hymnody had, to some extent, superseded the plain chant.
Hymns were in demand. Poets like Addison and Watts provided for this new
want; and from the beauty of his few contributions, our great regret is
that Addison wrote so few. Every one he did write is a gem in many
collections. Among them we have that admirable paraphrase of the
_Twenty-third Psalm_:

The Lord my pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a shepherd's care;

and the hymn

When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys.

None, however, is so beautiful, stately, and polished as the Divine Ode,
so pleasant to all people, little and large,--

The spacious firmament on high.

HIS PERSON AND CHARACTER.--In closing this brief sketch of Addison, a few
words are necessary as to his personality, and an estimate of his power