Sir Richard Steele

Born in Dublin in 1672, Sir Richard Steele became an essayist, dramatist, journalist, and politician whose name is closely tied to the rise of periodical writing in Britain. He was educated at the Charterhouse School, where he formed his lasting friendship with Joseph Addison, and he first tried an army career before turning more fully to writing.

Steele is best remembered as the founder of The Tatler and, with Addison, the co-creator of The Spectator. Those papers helped popularize the short, conversational essay and brought literature, manners, politics, and everyday life into a form that reached a broad reading public. He also wrote for the stage, including The Conscious Lovers, and his writing often aimed to entertain while encouraging civility and good sense.

Alongside his literary work, Steele was active in public life as a Whig politician. His career was energetic and influential, though often marked by financial trouble and controversy. Even so, his blend of warmth, humor, and social observation helped define a new kind of author: one who could speak to readers regularly, personally, and engagingly through print.