hecrossesthewoodofRavennawithoutrecollectingtheSpectreHuntsman，andwandersupanddownRiminiwithoutonethoughtofFrancesca。AtParis，hehadeagerlysoughtanintroductiontoBoileau;butheseemsnottohavebeenatallawarethatatFlorencehewasinthevicinityofapoetwithwhomBoileaucouldnotsustainacomparison，ofthegreatestlyricpoetofmoderntimes，VincenzioFilicaja。Thisisthemoreremarkable，becauseFilicajawasthefavouritepoetoftheaccomplishedSomers，underwhoseprotectionAddisontravelled，andtowhomtheaccountoftheTravelsisdedicated。Thetruthis，thatAddisonknewlittle，andcaredless，abouttheliteratureofmodernItaly。HisfavouritemodelswereLatin，hisfavouritecriticswereFrench。
HalftheTuscanpoetrythathehadreadseemedtohimmonstrous，andtheotherhalftawdry。
HisTravelswerefollowedbythelivelyoperaofRosamond。Thispiecewasillsettomusic，andthereforefailedonthestage，butitcompletelysucceededinprint，andisindeedexcellentinitskind。Thesmoothnesswithwhichtheversesglide，andtheelasticitywithwhichtheybound，is，toourearsatleast，verypleasing。WeareinclinedtothinkthatifAddisonhadleftheroiccoupletstoPope，andblankversetoRowe，andhademployedhimselfinwritingairyandspiritedsongs，hisreputationasapoetwouldhavestoodfarhigherthanitnowdoes。Someyearsafterhisdeath，RosamondwassettonewmusicbyDoctorArne;andwasperformedwithcompletesuccess。Severalpassageslongretainedtheirpopularity，andweredailysung，duringthelatterpartofGeorgetheSecond’sreign，atalltheharpsichordsinEngland。
WhileAddisonthusamusedhimself，hisprospects，andtheprospectsofhisparty，wereconstantlybecomingbrighterandbrighter。Inthespringof1705，theMinisterswerefreedfromtherestraintimposedbyaHouseofCommonsinwhichToriesofthemostperverseclasshadtheascendency。TheelectionswerefavourabletotheWhigs。Thecoalitionwhichhadbeentacitlyandgraduallyformedwasnowopenlyavowed。TheGreatSealwasgiventoCowper。SomersandHalifaxwereswornoftheCouncil。HalifaxwassentinthefollowingyeartocarrythedecorationsoftheOrderoftheGartertotheElectoralPrinceofHanover，andwasaccompaniedonthishonourablemissionbyAddison，whohadjustbeenmadeUnder—SecretaryofState。TheSecretaryofStateunderwhomAddisonfirstservedwasSirCharlesHedges，aTory。ButHedgeswassoondismissed，tomakeroomforthemostvehementofWhigs，Charles，EarlofSunderland。IneverydepartmentoftheState，indeed，theHighChurchmenwerecompelledtogiveplacetotheiropponents。Atthecloseof1707，theTorieswhostillremainedinofficestrovetorally，withHarleyattheirhead。
Buttheattempt，thoughfavouredbytheQueen，whohadalwaysbeenaToryatheart，andwhohadnowquarrelledwiththeDuchessofMarlborough，wasunsuccessful。Thetimewasnotyet。TheCaptain—Generalwasattheheightofpopularityandglory。TheLowChurchpartyhadamajorityinParliament。Thecountrysquiresandrectors，thoughoccasionallyutteringasavagegrowl，wereforthemostpartinastateoftorpor，whichlastedtilltheywererousedintoactivity，andindeedintomadness，bytheprosecutionofSacheverell。Harleyandhisadherentswerecompelledtoretire。ThevictoryoftheWhigswascomplete。Atthegeneralelectionof1708，theirstrengthintheHouseofCommonsbecameirresistible;and，beforetheendofthatyear，SomerswasmadeLordPresidentoftheCouncil，andWhartonLord—