ship to prevail over his publick fpirit, and gave in the Spectator fuch praises of Tickell's poem, that when, after having long wifhed to peruse it, I laid hold on it at laft, I thought it unequal to the honours which it had received, and found it a piece to be approved rather than admired. But the hope excited by a work of genius, being general and indefinite, is rarely gratified. It was read at that time with fo much favour, that fix editions were fold.

At the arrival of king George he fung The Royal Progrejs; which being inferted in the Spectator is well known, and of which it is juft to fay that it is neither high nor low.

The poetical incident of most importance in Tickell's life was his publication of the first book of the Iliad, as tranflated by himself, in apparent oppofition to Pope's Homer, of which the first part made its entrance into the world at the fame time.

Addifon declared that the rival verfions were both good; but that Tickell's was the best that ever was made, and with Addison the wits, his adherents and followers, were certain to concur. Pope does not appear to have been much dif mayed; for, fays he, I have the town, that is, the mob, on my fide. But he remarks, that it is common for the smaller party to make up in diligence what they want in numbers; he appeals to the people

as

as his proper judges; and if they are not inclined to condemn him, he is in little care about the high-flyers at Button's.

Pope did not long think Addison an impartial judge; for he confidered him as the writer of Tickell's verfion. The reafons for his fufpicion I will literally tranfcribe from Mr. Spence's Collection.

"There had been a coldness between "Mr. Addifon and me for fome time; "and we had not been in company to

gether, for a good while, any where "but at Button's coffee-houfe, where I "ufed to fee him almost every day.

"On his meeting me there, one day in "particular, he took me afide, and faid "he fhould be glad to dine with me,

at fuch a tavern, if I ftaid till thofe

"people were gone (Budgel and Phi

66

lips). We went accordingly; and af

❝ter dinner Mr. Addison faid, "That "he had wanted for fome time to talk "with me; that his friend Tickell had "formerly, whilft at Oxford, translated "the first book of the Iliad; that he

66

defigned to print it, and had defired "him to look it over; that he must "therefore beg that I would not defire "him to look over my firft book, be"caufe, if he did, it would have the "air of double-dealing." I affured him "that I did not at all take it ill of "Mr. Tickell that he was going to pub

lifh his tranflation; that he certainly "had as much right to tranflate any "author

author as myself; and that publishing "both was entering on a fair ftage. I "then added, that I would not defire "him to look over my firft book of "the Iliad, because he had looked over "Mr. Tickell's; but could wish to have “the benefit of his observations on my "fecond, which I had then finished, and "which Mr. Tickell had not touched

upon. Accordingly I fent him the "fecond book the next morning; and “Mr. Addison a few days after returned "it, with very high commendations.— "Soon after it was generally known that "Mr. Tickell was publishing the first "book of the Iliad, I met Dr. Young "in the street; and, upon our falling into that fubject, the Doctor expreffed

"a great