Richard Steele

Richard Steele – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Discover the life and legacy of Sir Richard Steele (1672–1729), the British essayist, dramatist, and co-founder of The Tatler and The Spectator, whose wit, moral vision, and literary innovation shaped 18th-century journalism and theatre.

Introduction

Sir Richard Steele was an influential British dramatist, essayist, politician, and moral philosopher best known for co-founding the periodicals The Tatler (1709) and The Spectator (1711) with Joseph Addison. Born in Dublin in 1672, Steele became one of the leading figures in early English journalism and the moral essay tradition. His works combined humor, sentiment, and social criticism, helping to define the emerging form of the modern essay and the ideal of polite, moral conversation in the 18th century.

As a playwright, he introduced realism and virtue into Restoration comedy, paving the way for sentimental drama. Steele’s writings still resonate for their humane wit and their advocacy for decency, empathy, and civic virtue.

Early Life and Family

Richard Steele was born on March 12, 1672, in Dublin, Ireland, to an English father serving as a lawyer and a mother of Irish descent. His father died when Steele was about five years old, and he was placed under the guardianship of his uncle, Henry Gascoigne, the secretary to the Duke of Ormond.

He attended Charterhouse School in London, where he first met Joseph Addison, a friendship that would profoundly influence his life and career. He later studied at Merton College, Oxford, but left without taking a degree.

Youth and Education

While at Charterhouse and Oxford, Steele absorbed classical learning and developed a deep interest in rhetoric, literature, and moral philosophy. His friendship with Addison began as one of literary rivalry and admiration.

After leaving Oxford, Steele joined the Life Guards, serving as a soldier under King William III. His time in the army exposed him to the social realities of England’s classes — an experience that would inform the realism and moral outlook in his later writings.

During this period, he wrote The Christian Hero (1701), a moral treatise promoting virtue and discipline. Though intended as a serious reflection, it drew ridicule from peers for its pious tone, prompting Steele to turn toward the stage to balance his reputation with wit and creativity.

Career and Achievements

Early Playwright and Dramatist

Steele began his literary career in the early 1700s as a dramatist. His early plays include:

• “The Funeral: or, Grief à la Mode” (1701) – A satirical comedy exposing hypocrisy in mourning; it was a major success.

• “The Lying Lover” (1703) – One of the first sentimental comedies, introducing moral reformation rather than farcical humor.

• “The Tender Husband” (1705) – Co-written with Addison, balancing humor with moral reflection.

• “The Conscious Lovers” (1722) – His best-known play, representing the full flowering of sentimental drama, where love, virtue, and reason triumph over deception and vice.

These plays marked a departure from the licentious tone of Restoration comedy, aligning with a new middle-class taste for moral sentiment and emotional authenticity.

Journalism and The Tatler / The Spectator

In 1709, Steele launched The Tatler, a tri-weekly publication written under the pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff.
The paper covered news, gossip, literature, and manners, blending humor with moral commentary. Steele used the publication to “instruct and entertain”, fostering reasoned discussion of everyday virtue and civility.

In 1711, Steele joined forces with Addison to create The Spectator, which became one of the most influential periodicals in English literature. Together, they refined the essay form — short, elegant, and reflective — addressing topics like education, virtue, taste, and the proper conduct of gentlemen and ladies.

The Spectator introduced the fictional Spectator Club, featuring characters such as Sir Roger de Coverley, through whom Steele and Addison explored social manners and moral improvement.

Steele also founded or contributed to other periodicals, including The Guardian (1713) and The Englishman (1713–1714).

Political and Later Career

Steele was a Whig politician, known for his support of constitutional monarchy, religious tolerance, and civic virtue. He served as Member of Parliament for Stockbridge (1713) and Boroughbridge (1715).

Knighted by King George I in 1715, Steele held several government posts, including Commissioner of Stamps and Governor of Drury Lane Theatre.

However, his outspoken political views, especially his advocacy for liberty and criticism of corruption, led to his temporary expulsion from Parliament. He later retired to his estate in Carmarthen, Wales, where he lived quietly until his death in 1729.

Historical Context and Influence

Steele lived during the Augustan Age, an era of refinement, wit, and growing interest in moral and social reform. His and Addison’s essays reflected Enlightenment ideals — reason, moderation, virtue — yet addressed readers in the tone of friendly conversation.

He helped pioneer the modern periodical essay, combining journalism, philosophy, and storytelling. The Tatler and The Spectator are considered precursors to the modern magazine and even the personal essay.

His dramatic innovations also reshaped English theatre: by replacing scandal and satire with sentiment and moral learning, Steele influenced later writers like Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

Legacy and Influence

Richard Steele’s legacy extends across literature, journalism, and moral philosophy:

• Co-founder of the English essay tradition, blending humor with moral reasoning.

• Pioneer of sentimental drama, paving the way for moral comedy.

• Model of journalistic integrity, advocating reform and social conscience.

• His works helped articulate a new public ideal — the “man of sense and virtue”, blending intellect, civility, and emotional depth.

Steele’s humane spirit and reformist zeal made him a cultural bridge between Restoration cynicism and the Enlightenment’s optimism.

Personality and Beliefs

Steele was known for his warmth, impulsiveness, and generosity — often in contrast to Addison’s restraint and precision. He was convivial, sometimes careless with money, but always sincere in his pursuit of truth and decency.

He saw literature not merely as art, but as moral service — a way to educate hearts as well as minds.

Famous Quotes by Richard Steele

Here are some of Steele’s most memorable lines:

• “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

• “Fire and swords are slow engines of destruction, compared to the tongue of a gossip.”

• “The true art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

• “To love and be beloved is the greatest happiness of existence.”

• “A gentleman makes no noise; a lady gives no uneasiness.”

These quotations reflect his deep understanding of civility, human weakness, and moral charm — the essence of his age’s polite culture.

Lessons from Richard Steele

1. Virtue can be engaging. Moral writing need not be dull; humor and wit can make goodness attractive.

2. Conversation shapes society. Steele showed that how we speak and write determines how we live together.

3. Art and ethics belong together. His plays and essays illustrate that literature serves a higher social and moral purpose.

4. Partnership in creativity. His collaboration with Addison exemplifies how friendship and dialogue can elevate art.

5. Civility as a moral act. Steele taught that grace, manners, and empathy are as vital to virtue as law or doctrine.

Conclusion

Sir Richard Steele remains one of the founding figures of modern English prose and theatre. Through The Tatler and The Spectator, he shaped the moral and literary imagination of his age, teaching readers how to live thoughtfully and speak wisely. His legacy — as reformer, essayist, and dramatist — endures as a testament to the power of words to civilize society.

Steele’s voice, compassionate yet sharp, continues to remind us that good humor and good character are inseparable — and that true wit lies in understanding the heart.