in the room of pious paffion, which was understood by Ducket to convey a fcandalous afperlon, and added a folemn difavowal of his malignant meaning,

The Dunciad is addreffed to Swift; of the notes, part were written by Arbuthnot; and an apologetical letter was prefixed by Cleland, but supposed to have been written by Pope,

In 1731, he published an Epifle to the Earl of Burlington, on Tafe: in which he feverely criticises the house, furniture, garden, and entertainments of Timon, who was fuppofed to mean the Duke of Chandos, to whom he had been obliged. He wrote an exculpatory letter to the Duke, who' accepted of his excufe, without believing his profeffions.

The next year he loft his friend Gay; who was a moft amiable man, and loved by Pope with great tendernefs.

The following year deprived him of his mother, who lived to the age of ninety-three; and did not die unlamented. His filial piety, Dr. Johnfon obferves, was, in the highest degree, amiable, and exemplary; his parents had the happiness of living till he was at the fummit of his poetical reputation, till he was at eafe in his fortune, and without a rival in his fame; and found no diminution of his refpect or tenderness. Whatever was his pride, to them he was obedient; and whatever was his irritability, to them he was gentle. Life has among its foothing and quiet comforts, few things better to beftow than such a fon.

About this time, Curll published the furreptitious copy of Letters between Pope and bis Friends; which were clandeftinely conveyed to him for publication, as is believed, by Pope's direction, that he might decently and defenfively publish them himself. The meffenger was Worfdale the painter.

From the perufal of his Letters, Mr. Allen conceived the defire of being acquainted with him. When Pope told him his purpose of afferting his property by a genuine edition, he offered to pay the cost. This, however, Pope did not accept; but, in time, with fuccefs, folicited a fubfcription for a quarto volume, which appeared in 1737.

In 1733, he published the first epiftle of his Effy on Man, without his name, which, being fa vourably received, the second and third Epifiles were published; and being now generally fufpected of writing them, at last, in 1734, he avowed the fourth, and claimed the honour of a moral poet.

In the conclufion, it is acknowledged, that the doctrine of the Efay was received from Boling broke, to whom it is infcribed, who is faid to have ridiculed Pope, as having advanced principles contrary to his own; and of which he did not perceive the confequences. However that may be, it is manifest that the pleasure of the taste and fancy, from the perufal of the Py, is much greater than the information or conviction of the understanding.

The fame of the Effay on Man was very great; it was tranflated into French profe, and afterwards, by Refuel, into verfe. The tranflations were read by Croufaz, a profeffor in Switzerland. He believed that the pofitions of Pope were intended to reprefent the whole courfe of things as a chain of fatality, and made remarks on the Effy, tending to establish the free agency of man.

The celebrated Warburton undertook the defence of Pope, against the imputation of fatalism in "the Republic of Letters." Warburton, in his exculpatory comment, showed very great ingenuity, but is not generally reckoned to have completely removed the objections.

From this time, Pope lived in the clofeft intimacy with his commentator, who had before favoured his adverfaries, and amply rewarded his kindnefs and zeal; for he introduced him to Mr. Murray, afterwards Lord Mansfield, by whofe interest he became preacher at Lincoln's Inn, and to Mr. Allen, who gave him his niece and his eftate.

He was now received with attention, not only by the nobility, but by the Prince of Wales, who honoured him with his friendship, and dined at his houfe. It is faid that Queen Caroline expreffed an intention of visiting him at Twickenham, but it was never accomplished.

In 1733, he published the Epifle to Lord Bathurst, on the Ufe of Riches; in which he draws the celebrated character of Kyrl the Man of Refs.

In 1734, he infcribed to Lord Cobham his Charaters of Men, in which he endeavours to eftablish and exemplify his favourite theory of the Ruling Paffion; but with fo little fkill, that in the examples by which he illuftrates and confirms it, he has confounded paffions, appetites, and ha

bits.

He added, foon after, an Epifle on the Charaders of Women; fupposed to have been addreffed to

Martha Blount, to whom, during the greatest part of his life, he had been very much attached. The character of the Duchefs of Marlborough, under the name of At, was afterwards inferted, with no great honour to his gratitude.

Between 1730 and 1740, he published, from time to time, his Imitations of Horace, generally with his name, which modernize ancient ideas and characters, more fuccefsfully than any which had before appeared.

His Epifle to Dr. Arbuthnot, was published in January 1735, about a month before the death of his friend. It is to be regretted, Dr. Johnsón observes, that either honour or pleasure should have been miffed by Arbuthnot; a man eftimable for his learning, amiable for his life, and venerable for his piety.

Arbuthnot was a man of great comprehenfion, skilful in his profeffion, verfed in the sciences, acquainted with ancient literature, and able to animate his mass of knowledge, by a bright and active imagination; a scholar, with great brilliance of wit; a wit, who in the crowd of life retained and discovered a noble ardour of religious zeal.

In this epiftle, Pope vindicates himself from cenfures, and, with dignity rather than arrogance, enforces his own claims to kindness and respect. In the character of Sporus he ridicules Lord Hervey, who had written an invective against him. Whether he or Pope made the first attack, perhaps cannot now be cafily known.

In 1738, he published too fatirical dialogues, named from the year of their appearance. In the first he degraded himself, by descending to party politics. In the fecond he attacked several private characters, which had nearly exposed him to the refentment of the legislature.

The Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus were published about this time, extending to the firft book of a work, projected by the Scriblerus Club; the production, probably of Arbuthnot, with a few touches perhaps by Pope. Befides its general resemblance to "Don Quixote," there will be found in it particular imitations of " The History of Mr. Ouffle."

In 1740, he published a collection of Latin poems, written by Italians, in 2 vols. 12mo. including the former collection made by Atterbury, but injuriously omitting his preface.

He published likewise about this time, a revival in smoother numbers, of Donne's Satires, which was recommended to him by the Duke of Shrewsbury, and the Earl of Oxford.

In 1742, he added, at Warburton's request, another book to the Duneiad.

In the Epifle to Arbuthnot, as in the Dunciad, he had attacked Cibber with great feverity. Cibber, who well knew the irritability of Pope, and confident that he could give him pain, wrote a fpirited pamphlet, containing several stories, tending to make him ridiculous. The inceffant and unappeaseable malignity of Pope, he imputes to his ridicule of the exploded-fcene of the mummy and the crocodile in The Three Hours after Marriage, fuppofed to be the joint production of Gay, Pope, and Arbuthnot. Pope enraged, published a new edition of the Dunciad, in which he degraded Theobald, and enthroned Cibber in his ftead. By transferring the fame ridicule from one to another, he destroyed its efficacy. Unhappily the two heroes were of oppofite characters, and Pope was unwilling to lose what he had already written; he has therefore depraved his poem, by giving to Cibber the old books, the cold pedantry, and sluggish pertinacity of Theobald. Cibber repaid the Dunciad with another pamphlet, which, though he pretended to difregard, really gave him great uneafinefs, From this time, finding his difeafes more oppreffive, and his vital powers gradually declining, he wrote nothing new, but satisfied himself with revifing his former works, in which he received advice and affiftance from Warburton, whofe hints, in the warmth of gratitude, he followed with all the blindness of infatuated affection.

He laid afide his epic poem, on the ridiculous fiction of the arrival of Brutus, the Trojan, in Britain; which he had begun in blank verfe. The plan is exhibited by Ruffhead; but though the MS. was before him, he has given no fpecimen.

In 1743, he began to confider himself as approaching to his end. He had for at least five years been afflicted with an asthma, and other disorders, which his physicians were unable to relieve. While he was yet capable of amusement and conversation, his literary friends were almost continually with him, and endeavoured to alleviate his pain. His favourite, Martha Blount, is faid to have neglected him, with fhameful unkindness, in the latter time of his decay. Of this, however, he does not feem to have been fenfible, as he left her the greater part of his property.

Is May 1744, his death was approaching; on the 6th he was all day delirious. He afterwards Complained of feeing things as through a curtain. He faid that his greatest inconvenience was inability to think. He received the Sacrament from a Romish priest; and expreffed undoubted confidence of a future ftate. He died on the evening of the 30th day of May, 1744, in perfect tranquillity; having, a few days before, entered the 57th year of his age. He was buried at Twickenham, near his father and mother, where a monument has been erected to him, by his friend Warburton.

By his will, made in the end of 1743, he appointed Lord Bathurst, Lord Marchmont, Mr. Murray, and Mr. Arbuthnot, his executors, and left the care of his papers to Lord Bolingbroke; and failing him, to Lord Marchmont; and to Warburton, the property of all his works, on which he had written, or fhould write commentaries, except thofe of which the property had been sold. To his noble friends he left his pictures, and ftatues, with fome of his favourite books; with other legacies to his other friends, and to his favourite domeftics; and the refidue of his fortune, to Martha Blount, for her life, and then to be divided among his relations.

The contemptuous mention made in his will of Mr. Allen, and an affected repayment of his be Befactions with 1501., brought fome reproach on his memory. Martha Blount had been invited with Pope to Mr. Allen's houfe at Prior Park. Having occafion to go to Bristol for a few days, he left her behind him. In his abfence, fhe fignified an inclination to go to the Popish chapel at Bath, and desired of Mr. Allen the ufe of his chariot; but he, being at that time Mayor of the eity, fuggefted the impropriety of having his carriage feen at the door of a place of worship, to which, as a magiftrate, he was at least reftrained from giving a fanction, and might be required to fupprefs; and therefore defired to be excufed.

Mrs. Blount refented this refufal, and told Pope of it at his return; and fo infected him with her rage, that they both left the house abruptly. She parted from Mr. Allen in a state of irreconGileable diflike, and refused any legacy from Pope, unless he left the world with a difavowal of obligation to him. Pope complied with her demand, and polluted his will with female refentment. Mr. Allen accepted the legacy which he gave to the hospital at Bath.

He loft the favour of Bolingbroke, by a kind of pofthumous offence. He had been defired by Bolingbroke to procure the impression of a very few copies of the "Patriot King ;" and he assured bim that no more copies had been printed than were allowed; but after his death the printer refigned a complete edition of 1500 copies, to the right owner, which Pope had ordered him to print, and to retain in fecret. Bolingbroke delivered the whole impreffion to the flames, and employed Mallet, another friend of Pope, to expofe the breach of truft to the public, with all its aggravations. Warburton undertook not indeed to vindicate the action, but to extenuate it by an apology. To this apology an answer was written, in "A letter to the most impudent man living."

His works were published in 9 vols. 8vo. 1751, with a commentary and notes by Warburton. Another edition appeared in 5 vols. 4to. 1769, with an account of his life, and observations on his writings, by Owen Ruffhead, Efq. An edition with notes, has been lately announced by Mr. Wakefield, the learned author of the " Silva Critica" and another by Dr. Warton, the elegant author of the "Effays on the Genius and writings of Pope," in 2 vols. 8vo. 1762, and 1782: A work abounding with information, learning and juft principles of taste.

The perfon of Pope was diminutive and mishapen. In the "Guardian," he compares himself to a spider, and is said to have been protuberant behind and before. His ftature was fo low, that, to bring him to a level with common tables, it was necessary to raise his feat. But his face was fweet and animated, and his eye remarkably intelligent and piercing. One fide was contracted. He wore a fur doublet under a fhirt of coarfe linen with fine fleeves. When he rofe, he was invested in boddice made of stiff canvafs, being scarce able to hold himself erect till they were laced. His legs were so flender, that he enlarged their bulk with three pair of ftockings, which were drawn on and off by the maid; for he was not able to drefs or undress himself, and neither went to bed nor rofe without help. His weakness made it very difficult for him to be clean. The feebleness of his frame made him fickly and impatient. Both thefe caufes made him a troublesome guest in the families which he visited. He was perpetually fending the fervants on frivolous errands, but took care to compenfate their trouble by pecuniary rewards. He expected that every thing should give way to

his cafe or humour. When he wanted to fleep, he padded in company, and once flumbered at his own table, while the Prince of Wales was talking of poetry. In familiar or convivial converfation he was not diftinguished by vivacity. In his eating, he was both dainty and voracions; and when he had eaten too much, if a dram had been offered to him, he pretended to be angry, but did not forbear to drink it. It does not appear that he was addicted to wine. His impatience and irritability often led him into little quarrels, that would make him leave the houses of his friends abruptly. At Lord Oxford's he frequently met Lady Mary Wortley Montague, who knowing his peevishness, could by no entreaties be reftrained from contradicting him, till their difputes were sharpened to fuch afperity, that one or other quitted the house. At home he was chiefly distinguished for his frugality. It is faid that when he had two gueûs in his house, he would only fet a single pint of wine on the table. He fometimes gave a splendid entertainment; and on those occafions showed tafte, and magnificence. Of his fortune, which was very honourably obtained, he was proud. The great topic of his ridicule is poverty. He was accused of loving money; but his love was eagerness to gain, not folicitude to keep it. He assisted Dodsley with a hundred pounds, that he might open a fhop, and contributed twenty pounds a-year to the subscription for Savage; and bestowed confiderable fums on charity. He was a faithful and conftant friend; and notwithstanding the little defects of his conftitutional temper, was beloved by them during his life, and remembered with the most tender affection after his death. His refentment was too easily excited, and his revenge carried to too great a length. The provocation he received by no means justified, in many cafes, the fevere fatire of the Dunciad. His malignity to Philips, whom he had at first made ridiculous, and then hated for being, angry, continued too long. Of his yain defire to make Bentley contemptible, no good reason can be given. He was fometimes wanton in his attacks, before Chandos, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, and Hill, mean in his retreat. Though, on the whole, a man of integrity, he frequently ufed artifices that bordered on difengenuity. Thofe, however, feem to have refulted more from the idea of fuperiority, than of impofing upon others. Even that gratification was a weakness in the character of Pope. Artifice and cunning require very little ability. A man of fuch exalted fuperiority, and fo little modera tion, would naturally have all his delinquencies obferved; thofe who could not deny that he was excellent, would rejoice to find that he was not perfect.

Of his intellectual character, the conflituent and fundamental principle was good sense, a prompt and intuitive perception of confonance and propriety. He had likewife genus; a mind active, ambitious, and adventurous, always inveftigating, always afpiring. He was endowed with a fertile invention, and brilliant wit. To affift these powers, he had great strength and exaAness of memory, which readily fupplied the understanding with abundance of materials. Those gifts he improved by indefatigable induftry, and acquired a great compafs of knowledge, completely digefted.

Thus endowed with the means of acquifition, he fuperadded the most effectual and agreeable modes of communication. His language is clear, forcible and elegant, enriched with figures, that at once illuftrate, adorn, and imprefs. He confidered poetry as the bufinefs of his life, and how. ever he might feem to lament his occupation, he followed it with conftancy; to make verfes was his first labour, and to mend them was his laft. He ufed always the fame fabric of verfe. Of this uniformity the certain confequence was readiness and dexterity. By perpetual practice, language had in his mind a fyftematical arrangement; having always the fame ufe for words, he had worde fo felected and combined as to be ready at his call.

On the general character and effect of his poems, it is the lefs neceffary to enlarge, as little remains to be added to the diftinct examination of his excellent biographer, Dr. Johnson, and the masterly criticifm of Dr. Warton.

In his Paftorals, Dr. Warton obferves, there is not to be found a fingle inftance of a rural image that is new. The ideas of Theocritus, Virgil, and Spenfer, are indeed exhibited in language equally mellifluous and pure, but the defcriptions and fentiments are trite, and common. A mixture of British and Grecian ideas may juftly be deemed a blemish. An Englifuman speaks of "celeftial Venus, and Idalia's Groves, of Diana and Cynthius." They exhibit, however, a feries of verfification, which had in Engfh poetry no precedent, nor has fauce had an imitation.

The defign of Windfor Foref is evidently derived from Denham's " Cooper's Hill," with fome at

tention to Waller's poem on "The Park ;" but Pope cannot be denied to excel his masters in variery, and elegance, and the art of interchanging description, narrative, and morality.

Of the Temple of Fame, every part is fplendid; there is great luxuriance of ornaments. The ori ginal vifion of Chaucer is much improved; the imagery is properly felected, and learnedly displayed ; yer, with all this comprehenfion of excellence, it never obtained much notice, and is feldom quoted or mentioned, with either praise or blame.

That the Meffiab excells the "Pollio" of Virgil, is no great praife, if it is confidered from what fublime original the improvements are derived. Sumetimes indeed the fimple grandeur of Ifaiab is diminished by florid epithets, and injudicious prettinesses.

The Elegy on an Unfortunate Lady, as it came from the heart, is very tender and pathetic; nor has Pope produced any poem in which the fenfe predominates more over the diction.

Of the Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, it is fufficient praife, that it is only inferior to the inimitable "Alexander's Feaft" of Dryden. The general effect is very pleafing, and often striking.

Of the Effay on Criticism, Dr. johnson observes, that if he had written nothing elfe, it would have placed him among the firft critics and the first poets, as it exhibits every mode of excellence that çan embellish or dignify didactic compofition, felection of matter, novelty of arrangement, juftness of precept, fplendour of illustration, and propriety of digreffion.

The Rape of the Lock is univerfally allowed to be the most attractive of all ludicrous compofitions, The means employed are, vigorous thought, brilliant fancy, poignant wit, forcible fatire, and refined humour, most agreeably interwoven and diversified. The machinery is an ingenious expansion of that in Shakspeare's" Tempeft," and the Roficrucian dialogue of the Comte de Gabalis. The epistle of Elifa to Abelard is replete with poetical fire, paffionate language, picturesque imagery, and pathetic exclamation, which strike the imagination with a captivating horror.

"Clouds interpose, waves roar, and winds arise."

It has certainly a charm hardly to be equalled; for who can read it without experiencing the alternate impulfe of defire, pity, or rage; and lastly, the freezing languor of irrecoverable despair. "This epiftle," fays Dr. Warton, " is one of the most highly finished, and certainly the most interefting of the pieces of Pope; and, together with the Elegy on an Unfortunate Lady, is the only inftance of the pathetic he has given us.”

The tranflation of Homer is a performance which no age or nation can pretend to equal. Such a verfion, the most perfect knowledge of the Greek and English languages could not have produced. It is not the work of a fcholar or verfifier merely; it is the performance of a poet. The diction and verfification must vindicate to themselves a very confiderable fhare of the merit of this masterly work. "Pope searched the pages of Dryden," fays Dr. Johnson, " for happy combinations of poetic diction; but it will not be denied that he added much to what he found. He cultivated the language with fo much diligence and art, that he has left in his Homer a treasure of poetical elegances to pofterity. His version may be said to have tuned the English tongue; for fince its appearance, no writer, however deficient în ather powers, has wanted melody. Such a series of lines, fo claborately corrected, and so sweetly modulated, took possession of the public ear; the vulgar was enamoured of the poem, and the learned wondered at the translation."

It has been objected by some, that it is not Homerical; that it exhibits no refemblance of the ori ginal and characteristic manner of the Father of Poetry, as it wants his awful fimplicity, his artless grandeur, his unaffected majesty. This cannot be totally denied. Homer doubtlefs owes to his tranflator many Ovidian graces, not strictly fuitable to his character; but to have added can be no great crime, if nothing be taken away. Elegance is furely to be defired, if it be not gained at the expence of dignity. Pope wrote for his own age and his own nation; he knew that it was neceffary to colour the images, and paint the fentiments of his author; he therefore made him graceful, but loft fome of his fublimity.

As a work of wit and ingenious fatire, the Dunciad has few equals. The hint is confefiedly takes from Dryden's" Mac Flecknoe;" but the plan is fo enlarged and diverfified, as justly to claim the praife of an original, and affords, perhaps, the best specimen that has yet appeared of personal fatire, ludicrously pompous. Without approving of the petulance and malignity of the defign, the vigour of intellect, and the fertility of fancy which it displays, are equally admirable.