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Who was Sir Roger de Coverley in The Spectator?
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Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison, oil painting by Michael Dahl, 1719; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Sir Roger de Coverley is a fictional character created by Joseph Addison for the influential 18th-century periodical The Spectator.1
Addison portrayed Sir Roger as a baronet from Worcestershire who served as the ostensible author of various papers and letters within the publication. Designed to represent a typical landed country gentleman, he was also a member of the fictitious Spectator Club. The writings featuring Sir Roger are widely regarded as the best aspect of the periodical, offering engaging vignettes that provide a window into early 18th-century English life.1