THE  LIFE  OF  ADDISON  333

The  play,  supported  thus  by  the  emulation  of  factious
praise,  was  acted  night  after  night  for  a  longer  time
than,  I  believe,  the  public  had  allowed  to  any  drama
before;  and  the  author,  as  Mrs.  Porter  long  after-
Swards  related,  wandered  through  the  whole  exhibition
behind  the  scenes  with  restless  and  unappeasable
solicitude.
When  it  was  printed,  notice  was  given  that  the  queen
would  be  pleased  if  it  was  dedicated  to  her;  'but,  as

10  he  had  designed  that  compliment  elsewhere,  he  found
himself  obliged,'  says  Tickell,  'by  his  duty  on  the  one
hand,  and  his  honor  on  the  other,  to  send  it  into  the
world  without  any  dedication.'

Human    happiness    has   always   its   abatements;    the

15  brightest  sunshine  of  success  is  not  without  a  cloud.
No  sooner  was  Cato  offered  to  the  reader,  than  it  was
attacked  by  the  acute  malignity  of  Dennis,  with  all  the
violence  of  angry  criticism.  Dennis,  though  equally
zealous,  and  probably  by  his  temper  more  furious  than

20  Addison,  for  what  they  called  liberty,  and  though  a
flatterer  of  the  Whig  ministry,  could  not  sit  quiet  at
a  successful  play ;  but  was  eager  to  tell  friends  and
enemies,  that  they  had  misplaced  their  admirations.  The
world  was  too  stubborn  for  instruction;  with  the  fate

25  of  the  censurer  of  Comeille's  Cidy  his  animadversions
showed  his  anger  without  effect,  and  Cato  continued  to
be  praised.
