He was destined for the church, but turned his attention to
political life, and became eventually a member of parliament, and in 1717,
one of the principal Secretaries of State. He first rose into public
notice, through his poem on the battle of Blenheim, written in 1704, and
entitled, _The Campaign_. He was chief contributor to _The
Spectator_. His tragedy of _Cato_, produced in 1713, achieved a
great popularity, which, however, has not been permanent. He died on June
17th, 1719. As an observer of life, of manners, of all shades of human
character, he stands in the first class.
ALDRICH, THOMAS BAILEY, an American poet, born at Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, 1836. He has been an industrious worker on the newspaper press,
and is the author of Baby Bell, a beautiful poem of child-death. He has
published his collected poems under the title of _Cloth of Gold_, and
of _Flower and Thorn_. He is also a prose writer of considerable note,
having an exquisite humour. His published novels are _Prudence
Palfrey_, _The Queen of Sheba_, _The Still-water Tragedy_,
etc.
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