STEELE. 
564 
blistered steel is attempted to be polished, the surface is seen 
to abound with numerous spots, arising from mechanical 
defects in the bars previous to conversion. 
Cast-steel works much harder under the hammer, and 
will not bear much more than a red heat, without breaking 
in pieces under it. This, however, is more especially con¬ 
fined to that commonly made; since cast-steel may be made 
which will bear a white and even a welding heat; but it 
requires a much greater heat for its fusion, and would in 
consequence be sold at a higher price. 
The refuse of blistered or common steel is generally 
melted into cast-steel; but this is not of the best quality. 
The best cast-steel is made by melting the bars of blistered 
steel, which, for this purpose, are a little more converted 
than for ordinary purposes, in order to give the steel a little 
more carbon than if it were used in the state of blistered 
steel. The bars are broken into small pieces, for the purpose 
of stowing the greatest quantity in the crucible. 
STEEL POINT, a cape on the east coast of Labrador. 
Lat. 58. 40. N. long. 62. W. 
STEELE (Sir Richard), a political and miscellaneous 
writer of considerable note, was born at Dublin, either in 
1671 or 1676. His father, who was of English extraction, 
had been for some time private secretary to the first duke of 
Ormond, through whose influence the son was sent, at an 
early age, to England, and placed at the Charter-House for 
education. In 1691 he was entered of Merton college, Oxford. 
Of his academical life little or nothing is known, except 
that he composed a comedy during his residence, nhich, by 
the advice of a fellow-collegian, he suppressed. He left the 
university without a degree, and feeling a strong inclination 
for the army, he entered himself as a private in the horse- 
guards, but his friends soon after procured for him an 
ensign’s commission. Feeling that he might not be able 
effectually to resist the temptations incident to his age and 
situation, he drew up a little treatise for his own admonition, 
and which is well known even now, entitled “ The Chris¬ 
tian Herothis was printed in the year 1701, at which 
time the author was secretary to Lord Cults, and had, by 
his means, obtained a company in a regiment of fusileers. 
The seriousness of the work exposed him to some ridicule 
among his companions, and the more so, as it failed in pro¬ 
ducing the corresponding good effect in regulating his own 
morals; he therefore, “ to enliven his character,” as he says 
of himself, brought out a comedy, entitled “ The Funeral, or 
Grief a-la-mode.” This piece proved successful: it had the 
merit of uniting entertainment with the more direct purpose 
of moral improvement, than was usual among dramatists at 
that time. Either on this or on other accounts he attracted 
the notice of king William, who meant to have bestowed 
upon him some mark of the royal favour, but he did not live 
to effect his intention. He obtained the very humble office 
of gazette-writer under queen Anne; but he now pursued 
his career as a writer, and in 1704, brought out his comedy 
of “The Tender Husband,” which was acted with great suc¬ 
cess. This was followed by “ The Lying Lover,” which 
was not well received. 
In 1709, Steele began a series of periodical papers, which, 
more than any of his other exertions, has contributed to 
establish his fame. The “ Tatler,” with which it began, 
was formed upon a plan which included the political infor¬ 
mation of a common newspaper. Its main object was, how¬ 
ever, to improve the morals and manners, by holding up to 
ridicule fashionable follies and vices of every kind, and in¬ 
culcating just and liberal sentiments on common topics, with 
a general regard to the proper decorum of social life. The 
author was fully qualified for this task by a knowledge of the 
world, acquired in free converse with it, by natural humour 
and vivacity, and by a generous and benevolent way of 
thinking. He had likewise the felicity of being able to en¬ 
gage coadjutors of considerable talents, among whom were 
Addison and Swift. The “ Tatler” was extensively circu¬ 
lated, and as, in its politics, it sided with the minister, Steele 
obtained the reward of a place among the commissioners of 
the stamp-duties, which he retained after the dismissal of 
the ministers who had granted it. In 1711, this paper was 
succeeded by the more celebrated “ Spectator,” in which the 
plan was matured, the politics of the day were rejected, and 
the assistance of Addison and other eminent writers was more 
constant, though Steele continued his own most active ser¬ 
vices. This work was brought to a close, and the “ Guar¬ 
dian” commenced in 1713, and was terminated in the same 
year. He afterwards engaged in other periodical works, but 
being subservient to mere political purposes, they have all 
been long since forgotten. 
On taking a decided political character against the govern¬ 
ment, he resigned his post in the stamp-office, and likewise 
his pension, which he had hitherto received, as having be¬ 
longed to the household of the late prince, George of Den¬ 
mark. He was now returned member of parliament for the 
borough of Stockbridge. He had not taken his seat long 
before he was expelled as the author of certain publications 
to which his name was prefixed, and which the House voted 
to be seditious and scandalous libels. The most noted of 
these, entitled “ The Crisis,” was not written by Steele, but 
by a friend and political coadjutor. The charge exhibited 
on this occasion, that the libels, as they were called, con¬ 
tained many expressions highly reflecting upon her majesty, 
&c., maliciously insinuating that the Protestant succession in 
the house of Hanover is in danger under her majesty’s admi¬ 
nistration. Steele met with very able as well as zealous de¬ 
fenders in Addison, the Walpoles, Lords Finch, Lumley, and 
Hinchinbroke; but the party in power was determined on 
the sacrifice, and the charge against him was affirmed by a 
majority of nearly two to one. After his expulsion, he en¬ 
gaged in some literary undertakings; but on the accession of 
George I. he was taken into favour, and was presented with 
a small appointment under government. 
Having procured a licence to be chief manager of the 
royal company of comedians, he had interest enough to get 
this licence exchanged for a patent for life as governor of 
that company. In the first parliament of the new reign, he 
re-entered the House as a member for Boroughbridge, in 
Yorkshire; and.in April 1715, he received the honour of 
knighthood, on presenting an address: and about the same 
time, the more substantial reward of 500/. was given him by 
Sir Robert Walpole, for special service. Thus encouraged, 
his fertile pen produced a variety of political tracts in favour 
of that cause which seemed at all times to be near his heart, 
as well in its depressed as in its triumphant state. Having 
been appointed, in 1717, one of the commissioners for en¬ 
quiring into the estates forfeited by the late rebellion in Scot¬ 
land, he went to that country, and was treated in it with 
great respect, notwithstanding the unwelcomeness of the 
errand on which he was sent. It was on this occasion tnat 
he conceived the project of forming an union between the 
Scotch and English churches, and had several conferences 
with the Presbyterian ministers respecting the restoration of 
episcopacy; but his zeal, it is said, was not directed by 
judgment. He obtained, and with much justice, the cha¬ 
racter of a projector, which was both the effect and cause of 
that perpetual embarrassment under which he laboured, and 
which was principally owing to a radical want of economy, 
and a strange inclination to expences. Pie was twice mar¬ 
ried, and with each wife he had a good fortune; yet he 
seems to have been always necessitous. In 1718, he had a 
project for conveying fish to market alive, for which he ob¬ 
tained a patent, which, instead of mending his circum¬ 
stances, only involved him still deeper in difficulties. PIis 
biographers observe, that “ it were to be wished that his 
distresses had occasioned no other sacrifices than that of 
money; but there is reason to suppose that they sometimes 
interfered with the dictates of conscience.” Whiston says, 
that once having met with Steele, after a vote in parliament 
contrary to his former declarations, with which he slightly 
upbraided him, the knight replied, “ Mr. Whiston, you can 
walk on foot, but I cannot.” Steele’s spirit was not, how¬ 
ever, formed for implicit submission, and for his opposition 
to the peerage-bill in 1719, he was deprived of his theatrical 
patent. He appealed to the public, and was restored in the 
following 
