Joseph Addison and his time

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"Joseph Addison and his time" by Charles Joseph Finger is a literary biography and cultural history written in the early 20th century. It explores Addison’s character, his partnership with Richard Steele, and the making and meaning of The Spectator, while painting a lively panorama of early 18th-century English society—its coffeehouses, journalism, morals, and amusements.

The opening of the volume presents Addison in a brisk “telegram” of his life, nods to mild scandals, and reframes his friendship with the charming but improvident Steele through personal letters and an anecdote about a loan gone awry. It then follows the birth of The Spectator, outlines its persona and club, and highlights Sir Roger de Coverley as the lens through which Addison made morality engaging. Substantial excerpts—most notably “The Vision of Mirza,” plus pieces on suspicion and witchcraft—show his tone, aims, and influence. Alongside this, the author sketches Addison’s world: the buzz of coffeehouses, sensationalist news, wagering and bubbles, duelling (and its critique), brutal entertainments, highwaymen, and credulity about witches. The section concludes with tender, illustrative scenes of Sir Roger’s country life and household, setting the book’s blend of biography, excerpt, and social portrait.