Note 15 — Chapter V · INTRODUCTION OF ITALIAN OPERA INTO ENGLAND.

The same trenchant critics who attribute Addison's satire of the Opera to the failure of his Rosamond, explain Steele's attacks by his position as patentee of Drury Lane Theatre. Here, however, dates come to our assistance. The jocose paper on Mrs. Toft's insanity appeared in the Tatler, in 1709. The attacks of the unhappy Clayton on Handel (see following pages) were published under Steele's auspices in the Spectator, in 1711-12. Steele did not succeed Collier as manager or patentee of Drury Lane, together with Wilks, Doggett, and Cibber, until 1714.