You see in their countenances they are at home, and in quiet possession of the present instant as it passes, without desiring to quicken it by gratifying any passion or prosecuting any new design.

These are the men formed for society, and those little communities which we express by the word neighbourhood." Thus moved the panorama of the coffee-house.

Perhaps nothing contributed more importantly to the gossip of the latter than did the mention of quiet Addison himself after the night in April, 1713, which witnessed the triumph of "Cato." The essayist had always possessed, like many other literary men, a secret longing to be the author of a prosperous tragedy, and in his earlier days made bold to submit a play to the inspection of Dryden.

The poet read it with polite interest, and, on returning the manuscript to the author, expressed therefor his profound esteem, with many apologetic _et ceteras_, and only regretted that, in his humble opinion, the piece, if placed upon the stage, "would not meet with its deserved success." In other words, Dryden saw that Addison was sadly wanting in dramatic instinct, but was too forbearing to say this in plain, set terms.

As for the young man, he must have felt much after the fashion of the aspiring writer who receives an article back from an unappreciative magazine with a printed slip warning him that "the rejection of manuscript does not imply lack of merit," &c.