Steel engraved portrait of Joseph Addison by J. Thomson after J. Thurston after G. Kneller

Call Number - 0014664 Shelf Mark - Corson P.7117 Engraved portrait of the English essayist and poet Joseph Addison (1672-1719). In June 1819, the actor Daniel Terry acquired for Scott a collection of antiquarian material for Abbotsford, including a pair of velvet slippers and a wig-case belonging to the English essayist and poet Joseph Addison. Scott replied: 'If Addison's slippers and wig-box will serve you in your professional dress, pray accept them from me, for my curiosity leads chiefly to articles of armour; and Addison, I know not why, is personally no such favourite of mine as Sir Roger de Coverley should make him' (letter of 15 June 1819). (Sir Roger de Coverley was a caricatural old country gentlemen created by Addison in The Spectator.) Despite his expressed distaste for Addison, Scott frequently quoted his works, particularly the tragedy Cato which he saw performed in Edinburgh in 1812, greatly admiring J. P. Kemble in the title role. The original portrait was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) between 1703 and 1712. The engraving was taken from a copy by John Thurston (1744-1822) made ca. 1820.