The Resume

(May 1, 1672-June 17, 1719)
Born in Milston, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
Essayist/poet/playwright/politician
Wrote the plays 'Cato' (1713) and 'The Drummer' (1716)
Wrote the poems 'Pax Gulielmi' (1697) and 'The Campaign' (1704)
Contributed to the magazine 'The Tatler'
Co-founder of the magazines 'The Spectator' (1711-14) and 'The Freeholder' (1715-16)
Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel (1708-09) and Malmesbury (1710-19)
Namesake for 'Addisonian termination' (a fancy way of describing ending a sentence with a preposition)

Why he might be annoying:

His poems made flattering references to influential men as a means of furthering his political career.
He was so shy, he attempted to make a speech in Parliament only once, returning to his seat in confusion before getting past the opening sentence.
Alexander Pope called him 'A timorous foe and a suspicious friend... Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike.'

Why he might not be annoying:

He translated Virgil and Ovid and modeled his prose style on Roman poetry.
Samuel Johnson wrote, 'Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar, but not coarse, and elegant, but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison.'
His play 'Cato,' with its theme of individual liberty versus government tyranny, was particularly popular during the American Revolution, with George Washington having it performed for the Continental Army at Valley Forge.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 18th Century Poets
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 33]
• I Attended Oxford
• I Sought Political Office
• I'm Buried at Westminster Abbey
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• My Book is on the Catholic Index of Forbidden Books
• Playwrights
• Poets
• Powdered Wig Wearers
• Profiles 30251-30500 (Ranked: 30447)

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 140 Votes: 55.00% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying