He accordingly applied to Halifax as the person to whom
the sacer votes required for the occasion would probably
be known. Halifax has had the misfortune to have his
character transmitted to posterity by two poets who hated
him either on public or private grounds. Swift describes
him as the would - be " MaBcenas of the nation," but in-
sinuates that he neglected the wants of the poets whom
he patronised:

" Himself as rich as fifty Jews,
Was easy though they wanted shoes."

Pope also satirises the vanity and meanness of his disposi-
tion in the well-known character of Bufo. Such portraits,
though they are justified to some extent by evidence com-
ing from other quarters, are not to be too strictly examined
as if they bore tlie stamp of historic truth. It is, at any



IT.] HIS EMPLOYMENT IN AFFAIBS OF STATE. 61

rate, certain tbat Halifax always proved himself a warm
and zealous friend to Addison, and when Godolphin ap-
plied to him for a poet to celebrate Blenheim, he answered
that, thoagh acquainted with a person who possessed every
qualification for the task, he could not ask him to under-
take it. Being pressed for his reasons, he replied "that
while too many fools and blockheads were maintained in
their pride and luxury at the public expense, such men as
were really an honour to their age and country were shame-
fully suffered to languish in obscurity ; that, for his own
share, he would never desire any gentleman of parts and
learning to employ his time in celebrating a Ministry who
had neither the justice nor the generosity to make it worth
his while." In answer to this the Lord Treasurer assured
Halifax that any person whom he might name as equal to
the required task, should have no cause to repent of hav-
ing rendered his assistance ; whereupon Halifax mentioned
Addison, but stipulated that all advances to the latter
must come from Godolphin himself. Accordingly, Boyle,
Chancellor of the Exchequer, afterwards Lord Carleton,
was despatehed on the embassy, and, if Pope is to be
trusted, found Addison lodged up three pair of stairs over
a small shop. 