Richard Steele

(1672 - 1729)

Along with Joseph Addison, Richard Steele was the principal author of the famed eighteenth-century periodicals The Tatler and The Spectator. After being gravely wounded in duel with a fellow officer while serving in the army, Steele turned his attention to writing and produced a string of successful tracts and plays. He achieved his greatest success, however, as an essayist, writing the bulk of The Tatler’s 271 issues by himself.