you had of my esteem for you, is the reason that you do not diflike my letters. They will not be of any great service (I find) in the defign I mentioned to you: I believe I had better steal from a richer man, and plunder your letters (which I have kept as carefully as I would Letters Patents, fince they intitle me to what I more value than titles of honour.) You have fome cause to apprehend this ufage from me, if what fome fay be true, that I am a great borrower; however I have hitherto had the luck that none of my creditors have challenged me for it: and those who fay it are fuch, whose writings no man ever borrow'd from, fo have the least reason to complain; and whose works are granted on all hands to be but too much their own. Another has been pleas'd to declare, that my verses are corrected by other men: I verily believe theirs were never corrected by any man: but indeed if mine have not, 'twas not my fault; I have endeavour'd my utmost that they should. But these things are only whisper'd, and I will not encroach upon Bay's province and pen-whifpers, fo haften to conclude Your, &c. LETTER R 3 LETTER VIII, From my Lord LANDSDOWN. Oct. 21, 1713, Am pleas'd beyond measure with your defign of tranflating Homer. The trials which you have already made and published on fome parts of that author, have fhewn that you are equal to fo great a task: and you may therefore depend upon the utmost fervices I can do you in promoting this work, or any thing that may be for your fervice. I hope Mr. Stafford, for whom you was pleased to concern yourfelf, has had the good effects of the Queen's Grace to him. I had notice the night before I began my journey, that her Majefty had not only directed his pardon, but order'd a Writ for reverfing his Outlawry, Your, &c, LETTER LETTER IX. To General ANTHONY HAMILTON' Upon his having tranflated into French Verfe the Effay on Criticifm. Oct. 10, 1713. F I could as well exprefs, or (if you will allow me to fay it) tranflate the sentiments of my heart as you have done those of my head, in your excellent verfion of my Effay; you I should not only appear the beft writer in the world, but, what I much more defire to be thought, the most your servant of any man living. "Tis an advantage very rarely known, to receive at once a great honour and a great improvement, This, Sir, have afforded me, having at the same time made others take my fense, and taught me to understand my own; if I may call that my own which is indeed more properly yours. Your verfes are no more a tranflation of mine, than Virgil's are of Homer's; but are, like his, the justest imitation and the noblest Commentary. In putting me into a French dress, you have not only adorned my outside, but mended my fhape; and, if I am now a good figure, I must a Author of the Memoirs | Contas, and other pieces of of the Count de Grammont, note in French. R 4 P. confider confider you have naturaliz'd me into a country which is famous for making every man a fine gentleman. It is by your means, that (contrary to most young travellers) I am come back much better than I went out. I cannot but wish we had a bill of commerce for tranflation established the next parliament; we could not fail of being gainers by that, nor of making ourselves amends for any thing we have loft by the war. Nay, tho' we should infift upon the demolishing of Boileau's works, the French, as long as they have writers of your form, might have as good an equivalent. Upon the whole, I am really as proud, as our minifters ought to be, of the terms I have gain'd from abroad; and I defign, like them, to publish speedily to the world the benefits accruing from them; for I cannot resist the temptation of printing your admirable translation here; to which if you will be fo obliging to give me leave to prefix your name, it will be the only addition you can make to the honour already done me. I am b This was never done, for the two printed French verfions are neither of this hand. The one was done by Monfieur Roboton, private fecretary to king George Your, &c. the first, printed in quarto at Amfterdam, and at Lopdon 1717. The other by the Abbé Refnel, in octavo with a large preface and notes, at Paris, 1730. P. LETTERS LETTERS TO AND FROM Mr. STEELE, Mr. ADDISON, Mr. CONGREVE, etc. From 1712, to 1715. LETTER I. Mr. STEELE to Mr. POPE. June 1, 1712. Am at a folitude, an houfe between Hampftead and London, wherein Sir Charles Sedley died. This circumftance fet me a thinking and ruminating upon the employments in which men of wit exercise themselves. It was faid of Sir Charles, who breath'd his laft in this room, Sedley has that prevailing gentle art, |