Sir Richard Steele (1672-1729), soldier, courtier and dramatist, is best remembered for his founding of two literary and political periodicals, the Tatler and the Spectator (the latter jointly with his friend Joseph Addison). These two volumes of his letters to friends and family were compiled by the publisher John Nichols and published in 1809. Nichols claims in his preface that these letters, 'some of them evidently scribbled when their amiable Author was probably not in the very best condition for penmanship', are nonetheless of great interest, 'as they contain the private and undisguised opinions of the man who took upon himself to be the Censor of the age'. Volume 2 contains letters to his wife and daughters, and to literary and political figures of his day, including Sir Robert Walpole, Robert Harley, earl of Oxford, the duke of Newcastle, and the theatre managers Cibber and Booth.
- ISBN13 9781107448506
- Publish Date 18 December 2014 (first published 22 May 2014)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Cambridge University Press
- Format eBook
- Language English