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Story
May 20, 1927
The Midland Journal
Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland
What is this article about?
In 1706, English writer Joseph Addison, as undersecretary of state, struggled for hours to draft an official message announcing Queen Anne's death to Hanover but failed, leading regency lords to employ clerk Southwell, who completed it easily and boasted of his superiority over Addison.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Gave Lesser Man His Brief Hour of Triumph
Great writers have had 'artistic conscience' to a degree that sometimes caused them painful labors. In 1706, when Joseph Addison, the English poet and essayist, was undersecretary of state he was given as a matter of official business the task of writing to Hanover that Queen Anne was dead.
He found it so difficult to express himself satisfactorily that the lords of the regency were obliged to employ Southwell, at that time one of the clerks.
For hours Addison had struggled in attempts to draft a suitable message, but the last one seemed as inadequate as the first, and in despair he cast it after its predecessors into the wastebasket.
Southwell stated the simple fact, as he was ordered, in the ordinary language of business, and it is said he then boasted of his superiority to Addison in having readily done that which Addison attempting to do had failed.—Kansas City Times.
Great writers have had 'artistic conscience' to a degree that sometimes caused them painful labors. In 1706, when Joseph Addison, the English poet and essayist, was undersecretary of state he was given as a matter of official business the task of writing to Hanover that Queen Anne was dead.
He found it so difficult to express himself satisfactorily that the lords of the regency were obliged to employ Southwell, at that time one of the clerks.
For hours Addison had struggled in attempts to draft a suitable message, but the last one seemed as inadequate as the first, and in despair he cast it after its predecessors into the wastebasket.
Southwell stated the simple fact, as he was ordered, in the ordinary language of business, and it is said he then boasted of his superiority to Addison in having readily done that which Addison attempting to do had failed.—Kansas City Times.
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Fortune Reversal
Triumph
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Joseph Addison
Queen Anne Death
Writing Struggle
Southwell Triumph
Artistic Conscience
What entities or persons were involved?
Joseph Addison
Queen Anne
Southwell
Where did it happen?
England
Story Details
Key Persons
Joseph Addison
Queen Anne
Southwell
Location
England
Event Date
1706
Story Details
Joseph Addison labored unsuccessfully to write an official announcement of Queen Anne's death, leading to clerk Southwell completing the task simply and boasting of his superiority.