Addison, Joseph

(1672-1719)

   Essayist, poet, dramatist and statesman; the son of a clergyman, born at Milston, Wiltshire, and educated at Charterhouse School, Queen's College, and Magdalen College, Oxford, from where he graduated in 1693. He was a major contributor to The Tatler and founded the Spectator in 1711. His tragedy Cato was published in 1713. Two of his longer poems are "An Account of the Greatest English Poets" and "A Letter from Italy." At least six hymns are credited to him. He is buried in the South Transept of Westminster Abbey. Joseph Haydn set "The Spacious Firmament on High" to an adaptation of his own "The Heavens Are Telling" from The Creation. This music can be found online at http:// www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/p/spacious.htm. Some of his other poems: "How Are Thy Servants Blest, O Lord!" "Hymn," "Ode."

   Sources: Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite DVD, 2006. Oldpoetry (www.oldpoetry.com). Poemhunter (www.poemhunter.com). Samuel Johnson's Lives of the English Poets, 1779-1781 (http://www2.hn.psu.edu/ Faculty/KKemmerer/poetspreface.htm). The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry. Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The National Portrait Gallery (www.npg.org.uk). The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 6th edition. Margaret Drabble, ed. Oxford University Press, 2000. The Poetical Works of Joseph Addison. John Bell. Apollo Press, 1778. Westminster Abbey Official Guide (no date).