en he received advice from his friends that he was
pitched upon to attend the army under Prince EUGENE, who had just begun
the war in Italy, as Secretary from His Majesty. But an account of the
death of King WILLIAM, which he met with at Geneva, put an end to that
thought: and, as his hopes of advancement in his own country, were fallen
with the credit of his friends, who were out of power at the beginning of
her late Majesty's reign, he had leisure to make the tour of Germany, in
his way home.

He remained, for some time after his return to England, without any
public employment: which he did not obtain till the year 1704, when the
Duke of MARLBOROUGH arrived at the highest pitch of glory, by delivering
all Europe from slavery; and furnished Mr. ADDISON with a subject worthy
of that Genius which appears in his Poem, called _The Campaign_.

Lord Treasurer GODOLPHIN, who was a fine judge of poetry, had a sight of
this Work when it was only carried on as far as the applauded simile of
the Angel; and approved of the Poem, by bestowing on the Author, in a few
days after, the place of Commissioner of Appeals, vacant by the removal of
the famous Mr. [JOHN] LOCKE to the Council of Trade.

His next advancement was to the place of Under Secretary, which he held
under Sir CHARLES HEDGES, and the present Earl of SUNDERLAND. The opera
of _Rosamond_ was written while he possessed that employment. What doubts
soever have been raised about the merit of the Music, which, as the
Italian taste at that time began wholly to prevail, was thought
sufficient inexcusable, because it was the composition of an Englishman;
the Poetry of this Piece has given as much pleasure in the closet, as
others have afforded from the Stage, with all the assistance of voices
and instruments.

The Comedy called _The Tender Husband_ appeared much about the same time;
to which Mr. ADDISON wrote the _Prologue_. Sir RICHARD STEELE surprised
him with a very handsome _Dedication_ of his Play; and has since
acquainted the Public, that he owed some of the most taking scenes of it,
to Mr. ADDISON.

His next step in his fortune, was to the post of Secretary under the late
Marquis of WHARTON, who was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in the
year 1709. As I have proposed to touch but very lightly on those parts of
his life, which do not regard him as an Author; I shall not enlarge upon
the great reputation he acquired, by his turn for business, and his
unblemished