Richard STEELE
Sir Richard Steele.
Baptisted on 12 March 1672 in Dublin, Ireland.
Died on 1 September 1729 in Carmarthen, Wales.
Wikipedia: English,
French.
COMEDIES
The Funeral, or Grief À-La-Mode (1701).
Written in the summer of 1701. First performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, probably in November 1701. Published by Jacob Tonson, London, between 18 and 20 December 1701, with the date 1702 on the title page.
English: 1702,
1723,
1735,
1743,
1743,
1750,
1758,
1768,
1777,
1894.
French: Les Funérailles, ou le Deuil à la mode (Pierre-Antoine de La Place, 1749);
Le Deuil anglais (Marc-Antoine-Jacques Rochon de Chabannes, adaptation, 1757).
The Lying Lover, or the Ladies’ Friendship (1703).
First performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, on 2 December 1703. Published by Bernard Lintot, London, on 26 January 1704.
English: 1704,
1723,
1725,
1732,
1747,
1760,
1764,
1764,
1894.
The Tender Husband, or the Accomplished Fools (1705).
Prologue written by Joseph Addison.
First performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, on 23 April 1705. Published by Jacob Tonson, London, on 9 May 1705.
English: 1723,
1734,
1740,
1761,
1791,
1894.
Prologue to John Vanbrugh’s comedy The Mistake (1705).
English: 1756.
Preface to Joseph Addison’s comedy The Drummer (1716).
Completed with an address to William Congreve in 1721.
English: 1733.
The Conscious Lovers (1722).
Prologue and epilogue written by Leonard Welsted.
The Original Weekly Journal of 21 November 1719 announced Steele’s The Gentleman among forthcoming plays. The Fine Gentleman was also considered as a possible title, as well as The Unfashionable Lovers, mentioned in newspapers of 2 October 1722.
First performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, on 7 November 1722. Published by Jacob Tonson, London, on 1 December 1722, with the date 1723 on the title page.
English: 1723,
1729,
1735,
1760,
1760,
1894.
French: Les Amants réservés (François-Antoine Quétant, 1778);
Les Amants généreux (Cornélie and Marie Wouters, 1788).
The School of Action (unfinished, 1809).
Written in 1723–1725.
English: 1809,
1894.
The Gentleman (fragment, 1809).
Joseph Nichols, who published this fragment in 1809, asserted that it was from a play intended to be called The Gentleman, probably alluding to the comedy announced as forthcoming in The Original Weekly Journal of 21 November 1719, but that one eventually became The Conscious Lovers. The subject of this fragment is related to Steele’s essay published in The Spectator No. 88 of 11 June 1711, and it was possibly written around that time.
English: 1809,
1894.
ESSAYS
In this list, the days correspond to the Old Style calendar, but I have adjusted the start of the year from 25 March to 1 January.
The Christian Hero (essay, 1701).
Published in April 1701. Second edition in July 1701, with additions. Steele’s final version is the third edition, of November 1710.
English: 1701,
1710,
1722.
French: Le Héros chrétien (Antoine de La Barre de Beaumarchais, 1729).
The Tatler (journal, 1709–1711).
Other title: The Lucubrations of Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq.
In collaboration with Joseph Addison. 271 issues.
Volume 1 (12 April–4 August 1709).
English: 1710,
1710,
1712 (revised),
1713,
1774.
Volume 2 (6 August–31 December 1709).
English: 1710,
1710,
1712 (revised),
1713,
1723,
1728,
1774.
Volume 3 (3 January–24 June 1710).
English: 1711,
1711 (revised),
1723,
1728,
1774.
Volume 4 (27 June 1710–2 January 1711).
English: 1711,
1711,
1723,
1728,
1774.
Supplement.
English: 1786.
The Spectator (journal, 1711–1714).
555 issues, collected in seven volumes, in collaboration with Joseph Addison. The eighth volume, containing 80 additional issues, is by Addison alone.
Volume 1 (1 March–1 June 1711).
English: 1712,
1897,
1907.
Volume 2 (2 June–13 September 1711).
English: 1712,
1897,
1907.
Volume 3 (14 September–18 December 1711).
English: 1713,
1897,
1907.
Volume 4 (19 December 1711–8 March 1712).
English: 1712,
1897,
1907.
Volume 5 (10 March–2 June 1712).
English: 1713,
1897,
1967.
Volume 6 (3 June–2 September 1712).
English: 1713,
1897,
1967.
Volume 7 (3 September–6 December 1712).
English: 1713,
1897,
1963.
Volume 8 (18 June–20 December 1714).
English: 1715,
1897,
1963.
Translation
An anonymous French translation in 6 volumes was published in 1714–1726 by David Mortier, Amsterdam. It omitted numerous issues of the journal, which were translated later in two additional volumes by other publishers. The eight French volumes do not correspond to the original ones. They also contain essays from the ninth volume of The Spectator, to which neither Richard Steele nor Joseph Addison have contributed.
French: Le Spectateur, ou le Socrate moderne, vol. 1 (1714, ed. 1768),
vol. 2 (1716, ed. 1768),
vol. 3 (1718, ed. 1788),
vol. 4 (1720, ed. 1788),
vol. 5 (1721, ed. 1766),
vol. 6 (1726, ed. 1767),
vol. 7 (1750, ed. 1768) and
vol. 8 (1768).
Of Envy and Emulation; A Story of a Ball at Wapping (1711).
Published in The Medley No. 23, of 5 March 1711. The final section, titled A Comparison Between the Examiner and His Brother Abel, is by Arthur Maynwaring.
English: 1712,
1789.
The Englishman’s Thanks to the Duke of Marlborough (1712).
Published on 4 January 1712 (1711 Old Style). Collected in The Political Writings (1715).
A Letter to Sir Miles Warton, Concerning Occasional Peers (1713).
Letter dated 5 March 1713. Published as a single-sheet folio, publisher and date unknown. Reprinted in The Lover No. 6 of 3 May 1714, and collected in The Political Writings (1715).
The Guardian (journal, 1713).
In collaboration with Joseph Addison. 175 issues.
Volume 1 (12 March–15 June 1713).
English: 1714,
1714,
1723,
1745,
1751,
1797.
Volume 2 (16 June–1 October 1713).
English: 1714,
1714,
1723,
1745,
1751,
1797.
The Importance of Dunkirk Considered (pamphlet, 1713).
Published on 22 September 1713. Collected in The Political Writings (1715).
English: 1713,
1713.
French: Réflexions sur l’importance de Dunkerque (anonymous, 1715).
The Englishman (journal, 1713–1714).
57 issues from 6 October 1713 to 15 February 1714.
English: 1714,
1714.
No. 57 (15 February 1714).
Title: The Englishman: Being the Close of the Paper So Called; With an Epistle Concerning the Whigs, Tories, and New Converts.
English: 1714 (Burleigh),
1714 (Burleigh, 2nd edition),
1714,
1714.
French: Le Dernier Anglais de Mr Steele (1714).
The Crisis (pamphlet, 1714).
Published on 19 January 1714. Collected in The Political Writings (1715).
English: 1714,
1714 (pirated),
1714 (Dublin),
1714 (Edinburgh).
French: La Crise (Abel Boyer, 1714).
A Defence of The Crisis (pamphlet, 1714).
English: 1714,
1714.
The Lover (journal, 1714).
40 issues from 25 February to 27 May 1714.
English: 1715,
1718,
1723,
1789.
The Reader (journal, 1714).
9 issues from 22 April to 10 May 1714.
English: 1714,
1718,
1723,
1789.
The Romish Ecclesiastical History of Late Years (1714).
Published on 25 May 1714.
English: 1714.
A Letter to a Member of Parliament concerning the Bill for preventing the Growth of Schism (pamphlet, 1714).
Letter dated 28 May 1714. Published on 3 June 1714.
English: 1714,
1714,
1714.
The French Faith represented in the Present State of Dunkirk (pamphlet, 1714).
Published on 2 July 1714. Collected in The Political Writings (1715).
English: 1714,
1714.
French: L’état présent de Dunkerque (anonymous, 1715).
The Ladies’ Library (anthology, 1714).
Published in October 1714. Only the dedications and the preface are by Richard Steele. In the first 1714 edition, the title above the Introduction is The Lady’s Library, in contradiction with the volume’s title page. This was changed to The Ladies Library in the second 1714 edition and the subsequent ones.
Volume 1.
English: 1714,
1714,
1722,
1732,
1739,
1751,
1772.
French: Bibliothèque des dames, vol. 1 (François-Michel Janiçon, 1716).
Volume 2.
English: 1714,
1722,
1732,
1739,
1751,
1772.
French: Bibliothèque des dames, vol. 2 (François-Michel Janiçon, 1719).
Volume 3.
English: 1714,
1722,
1732,
1739,
1751,
1772.
French: Bibliothèque des dames, vol. 3 (François-Michel Janiçon, 1724).
Mr Steele’s Apology for Himself and his Writings (1714).
Published on 22 October 1714.
English: 1714.
An Account of the State of the Roman Catholic Religion Throughout the World (1715).
Dedication and preface by Richard Steele. Translations by Michel de La Roche.
Published on 13 May 1715.
English: 1715.
French: État présent de l’Église romaine dans toutes les parties du monde (1716).
1. To His Holiness Clement XI, by Richard Steele.
English: 1715.
French: À Sa Sainteté Clément XI (1716).
2. Preface, by Richard Steele.
English: 1715.
French: Préface (1716).
3. Instructions for Our Holy Father Innocent XI Concerning the Present State of Religion, in the Several Parts of the World, by Urbano Cerri, translated by Michel de La Roche.
English: 1715.
Italian: Manuscript (original, c. 1677).
French: Mémoires pour Notre Saint Père Innocent XI (from English, 1716).
4. An Important Discourse Concerning the State of Religion in England, and the Reconciliation with Rome, anonymous essay in French, translated by Michel de La Roche.
English: 1715.
French: Discours considérable de l’état de la religion en Angleterre et de la réconciliation avec Rome (original, 1701);
Discours touchant l’état présent de la religion romaine en Angleterre, et la réconciliation avec Rome (from English, 1716).
The Political Writings of Sir Richard Steele (1715).
Collection of essays previously published.
1. The Englishman’s Thanks to the Duke of Marlborough.
First published on 4 January 1712.
English: 1715,
1715.
2. A Letter to Sir Miles Warton, Concerning Occasional Peers.
Letter dated 5 March 1713. Published as a single-sheet folio, probably in the same year.
English: 1715,
1715.
3. The Guardian of August the 7th, 1713.
English: 1715,
1715.
French: Raisons pour la démolition de Dunkerque (1714).
4. The Importance of Dunkirk Considered.
First published on 22 September 1713.
English: 1715,
1715.
5. The French Faith represented in the Present State of Dunkirk.
First published on 2 July 1714.
English: 1715,
1715.
6. The Crisis.
First published on 19 January 1714.
English: 1715,
1715.
7. A Letter to a Member of Parliament.
First published on 3 June 1714.
English: 1715,
1715.
8. Mr Steele’s Apology for Himself and his Writings.
First published on 22 October 1714.
English: 1715,
1715.
A Letter from the Earl of Mar to the King (pamphlet, 1715).
English: 1790.
Town Talk (journal, 1715–1716).
9 issues from 17 December 1715 to 13 February 1716.
English: 13 January 1716 (No. 5);
1789,
1790.
The Tea Table (journal, 1716).
3 issues, on 6 February (second edition on 9 February), 16 February and 2 March 1716.
Chit-Chat (journal, 1716).
3 issues, on 6, 10 and 16 March 1716.
A Letter to a Member, etc. concerning the Condemned Lords (pamphlet, 1716).
Letter dated 6 March 1716.
English: 1789,
1790.
Speech on the Septennial Bill (1716).
Speech delivered on 24 April 1716. Published in The Political State of April 1716.
English: 1716,
1789,
1790.
An Account of the Fish-Pool (pamphlet, 1718).
In collaboration with Joseph Gillmore.
English: 1789,
1790.
The Plebeian (journal, 1719).
Four issues, from 14 March to 6 April 1719.
English: 1719,
1789,
1790 (No. 1,
No. 2,
No. 3 and
No. 4).
A Letter to the Earl of Oxford, concerning the Bill of Peerage (pamphlet, 1719).
Letter dated 7 December 1719.
English: 1789,
1790.
The Spinster, in Defence of the Woollen Manufactures (journal, 1719).
One issue, on 19 December 1719.
English: 1789,
1790.
The Theatre (journal, 1720).
Twenty-eight issues, from 2 January to 5 April 1720.
English: 1791.
The Crisis of Property (pamphlet, 1720).
Published on 1 February 1720.
English: 1791.
A Nation a Family (pamphlet, 1720).
Published on 26 or 27 February 1720.
English: 1791.
The State of the Case between the Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty’s Household, and the Governor of the Royal Company of Comedians (pamphlet, 1720).
Published on 29 March 1720.
English: 1791.
Article in Pasquin No. 46 (1723).
Published on 9 July 1723.
English: 1791.
Article in Pasquin No. 51 (1723).
Published on 26 July 1723.
English: 1791.
Greatness Among the Moderns (posthumous, 1944).
Letter probably written in 1705–1707.
English: 1967.
Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq. to Pasquin (posthumous, 1944).
Letter probably written in 1711.
English: 1967.
CORRESPONDENCE
The Epistolary Correspondence (1787).
Edited by John Nichols.
English: 1787 (vol. 1 and
vol. 2),
1809 (vol. 1 and
vol. 2).
REFERENCES
George Atherton Aitken, The Life of Richard Steele, vol. 1 and vol. 2, 1889.
Rae Blanchard, Tracts and Pamphlets by Richard Steele, 1944, ed. 1967.
Created on 28 August 2021. Updated on 1 September 2021.
