Background
Joseph Addison was born May 1, 1672, at Milston, Wiltshire, where his father was rector.
Joseph Addison was born May 1, 1672, at Milston, Wiltshire, where his father was rector.
Joseph attended the local grammar school. In 1686 he went to Charterhouse School, London, and while in attendance met his famous friend Richard Steele. From 1687 to 1699 he was at Oxford, first at Queen's College, then at Magdalen. He received his B.A. in 1691, his M.A. in 1693, and became a fellow of Magdalen College in 1698.
Joseph Addison encountered Jonathan Swift in Ireland and remained there for a year. Subsequently, he helped found the Kitcat Club and renewed his association with Richard Steele. In 1709 Steele began to bring out Tatler, to which Addison became almost immediately a contributor: thereafter he (with Steele) started The Spectator, the first number of which appeared on 1 March 1711. This paper, which at first appeared daily, was kept up (with a break of about a year and a half when the Guardian took its place) until 20 December 1714.
Joseph Addison wrote the libretto for Thomas Clayton's opera Rosamond, which had a disastrous premiere in London in 1707. In 1713 Addison's tragedy Cato was produced, and was received with acclamation by both Whigs and Tories. He followed this effort with a comedic play, The Drummer (his last undertaking was The Freeholder, a party paper, 1715–16.)