event.' I followed his advice; waited on Lord | ties were acknowledged, and who, having atHalifax some time after; said, I hoped he would find his objections to those passages removed; read them to him exactly as they were at first; and his lordship was extremely pleased with them, and cried out, Ay, now they are perfectly right; nothing can be better.'”

It is seldom that the great or the wise suspect that they are despised or cheated. Halifax, thinking this a lucky opportunity of securing immortality, made some advances of favour and some overtures of advantage to Pope, which he seems to have received with sullen coldness. All our knowledge of this transaction is derived from a single letter, (Dec. 1, 1714,) in which Pope says, "I am obliged to you, both for the favours you have done me, and those you intend me. I distrust neither your will nor your memory, when it is to do good; and if I ever become troublesome or solicitous, it must not be out of expectation, but out of gratitude. Your lordship may cause me to live agreeably in the town, or contentedly in the country, which is really all the difference I set between an easy fortune and a small one. It is indeed a high strain of generosity in you to think of making me easy all my life, only because I have been so happy as to divert you some few hours; but, if I may have leave to add, it is because you think me no enemy to my native country, there will appear a better reason; for I must of consequence be very much (as I sincerely am) yours,

&c."

tained that eminence to which he was himself aspiring, had in his hands the distribution of literary fame. He paid court with sufficient diligence by his prologue to "Cato," by his abuse of Dennis, and with praise yet more direct, by his poem on the "Dialogues on Medals," of which the immediate publication was then intended. In all this there was no hypocrisy ; for he confessed that he found in Addison something more pleasing than in any other man

It may be supposed, that as Pope saw himself favoured by the world, and more frequently compared his own powers with those of others, his confidence increased and his submission lessened; and that Addison felt no delight from the advances of a young wit, who might soon contend with him for the highest place. Every great man, of whatever kind be his greatness, has among his friends those who officiously or insidiously quicken his attention to offences, heighten his disgust, and stimulate his resentment. Of such adherents Addison doubtless had many; and Pope was now too high to be without them.

From the emission and reception of the proposals for the "Iliad," the kindness of Addison seems to have abated. Jervas the painter once pleased himself, (Aug. 20, 1714,) with imagining that he had re-established their friendship; and wrote to Pope that Addison once suspected him of too close a confederacy with Swift, but was now satisfied with his conduct. To this Pope These voluntary offers, and this faint accept- answered, a week after, that his engagements to ance, ended without effect. The patron was not Swift were such as his services in regard to the accustomed to such frigid gratitude; and the subscription demanded, and that the tories never poet fed his own pride with the dignity of inde- put him under the necessity of asking leave to he pendence. They probably were suspicious of grateful. "But," says he, "as Mr. Addison each other. Pope would not dedicate till he saw must be the judge in what regards himself, and at what rate his praise was valued; he would be seems to have no very just one in regard to me, "troublesome out of gratitude, not expectation." so I must own to you I expect nothing but civiHalifax thought himself entitled to confidence; lity from him." In the same letter he mentions and would give nothing unless he knew what he Philips, as having been busy to kindle animosity should receive. Their commerce had its begin-between them; but in a letter to Addison he exning in hope of praise on one side, and of money on the other, and ended because Pope was less eager of money than Halifax of praise. It is not likely that Halifax had any personal benevolence to Pope; it is evident that Pope looked on Halifax with scorn and hatred.

presses some consciousness of behaviour inattentively deficient in respect.

Of Swift's industry in promoting the subscription, there remains the testimony of Kennet, no friend to either him or Pope.

Then he instructed a young nobleman that the best poet in England was Mr. Pope, (a papist,) who had begun a translation of Homer into English verse, for which he must have them all subscribe: for, says he, the author shall not begin to print till I have a thousand guineas for him."

"Nov. 2, 1713, Dr. Swift came into the coffeeThe reputation of this great work failed in house, and had a bow from every body but me, gaining him a patron, but it deprived him of a who, I confess, could not but despise him. When friend. Addison and he were now at the head I came to the antichamber to wait, before prayof poetry and criticism; and both in such a state ers, Dr. Swift was the principal man of talk and of elevation, that, like the two rivals in the Ro-business, and acted as master of requests.— man state, one could no longer bear an equal, nor the other a superior. Of the gradual abatement of kindness between friends, the beginning is often scarcely discernible to themselves, and the process is continued by petty provocations, and incivilities, sometimes peevishly returned, and sometimes contemptuously neglected, which would escape all attention but that of pride, and drop from any memory but that of resentment. That the quarrel of these two wits should be minutely deduced, is not to be expected from a writer, to whom, as Homer says, "nothing but rumour has reached, and has no personal knowledge."

About this time it is likely that Steele, who was, with all his political fury, good natured and officious, procured an interview between these angry rivals, which ended in aggravated malevolence. On this occasion, if the reports be true, Pope made his complaint with frankness and spirit, as a man undeservedly neglected or opposed; and Addison affected a contemptuous Pope doubtless approached Addison, when the unconcern, and, in a calm even voice, reproached reputation of their wit first brought them toge- Pope with his vanity, and telling him of the imther, with the respect due to a man whose abili-provements which his early works had received

from his own remarks and those of Steele, said, that he, being now engaged in public business, had no longer any care for his poetical reputation, nor had any other desire, with regard to Pope, than that he should not, by too much arrogance, alienate the public.

To this Pope is said to have replied with great keenness and severity, upbraiding Addison with perpetual dependence, and with the abuse of those qualifications which he had obtained at the public cost, and charging him with mean endeavours to obstruct the progress of rising merit. The contest rose so high that they parted at last without any interchange of civility.

The first volume of Homer was (1715) in time published; and a rival version of the first "Iliad," for rivals the time of their appearance inevitably made them, was immediately printed, with the name of Tickell. It was soon perceived that among the followers of Addison, Tickell had the preference, and the critics and poets divided into factions. "I," says Pope, "have the town, that is, the mob, on my side; but it is not uncommon for the smaller party to supply by industry what it wants in numbers. I appeal to the people as my rightful judges, and, while they are not inclined to condemn me, shall not fear the high-flyers at Button's." This opposition he immediately imputed to Addison, and complained of it in terms sufficiently resentful to Craggs, their common friend.

between us; and, to convince me of what he had said, assured me that Addison had encouraged Gildon to publish those scandals, and had given him ten guineas after they were published. The next day, while I was heated with what I had heard, I wrote a letter to Mr. Addison, to let him know that I was not unacquainted with this behaviour of his; that, if I was to speak severely of him in return for it, it should be not in such a dirty way; that I should rather tell him, himself, fairly of his faults, and allow his good qualities; and that it should be something in the following manner; I then adjoined the first sketch of what has since been called my satire on Addison. Mr. Addison used me very civilly ever after."*

The verses on Addison, when they were sent to Atterbury, were considered by him as the most excellent of Pope's performances; and the writer was advised, since he knew where his strength lay, not to suffer it to remain unemploved.

This year (1715) being, by the subscription, enabled to live more by choice, having persuaded his father to sell their estate at Binfield, he purchased, I think only for his life, that house at Twickenham, to which his residence afterwards procured so much celebration, and reinoved thither with his father and mother.

Here he planted the vines and the quincunx which his verses mention; and being under the When Addison's opinion was asked, he de- necessity of making a subterraneous passage to a clared the versions to be both good, but Tickell's garden on the other side of the road, he adorned the best that had ever been written; and some-it with fossil bodies, and dignified it with the times said that they were both good, but that Tickell had more of Homer.

title of a grotto, a place of silence and retreat, from which he endeavoured to persuade his friends and himself that cares and passions could be excluded.

Pope was now sufficiently irritated; his reputation and his interest were at hazard. He once intended to print together the four versions of A grotto is not often the wish or pleasure of Dryden, Maynwaring, Pope, and Tickell, that an Englishman, who has more frequent need to they might be readily compared, and fairly esti- solicit than exclude the sun; but Pope's excamated. This design seems to have been de-vation was requisite as an entrance to his garfeated by the refusal of Tonson, who was the proprietor of the other three versions.

den, and as some men try to be proud of their defects, he extracted an ornament from an inPope intended, at another time, a rigorous cri- convenience, and vanity produced a grotto where ticism of Tickell's translation, and had marked necessity enforced a passage. It may be frea copy, which I have seen, in all places that ap- quently remarked of the studious and specupeared defective. But, while he was thus medi-lative, that they are proud of trifles, and that tating defence or revenge, his adversary sunk before him without a blow; the voice of the public was not long divided, and the preference was universally given to Pope's performance.

He was convinced, by adding one circumstance to another, that the other translation was the work of Addison himself; but if he knew it in Addison's life time, it does not appear that he told it. He left his illustrious antagonist to be punished by what has been considered as the most painful of all reflections, the remembrance of a crime perpetrated in vain.

The other circumstances of their quarrel were thus related by Pope:*

"Philips seemed to have been encouraged to abuse me in coffee-houses and conversations; and Gildon wrote a thing about Wycherly, in which he had abused both me and my relations very grossly. Lord Warwick himself told me one day, that it was in vain for me to endeavour to be well with Mr. Addison; that his jealous temper would never adinit of a settled friendship

⚫ Spence.

their amusements seem frivolous and childish; whether it be that men conscious of great reputation think themselves above the reach of censure, and safe in the admission of negligent indulgences, or that mankind expect from elevated genius a uniformity of greatness, and watch its degradation with malicious wonder; like him who, having followed with his eye an eagle into the clouds, should lament that she ever descended to a perch.

While the volumes of his Homer were annually published, he collected his former works (1717) into one quarto volume, to which he prefixed a preface, written with great sprightliness and elegance, which was afterwards reprinted, with some passages subjoined that he at first omitted; other marginal additions of the same kind he made in the later editions of his poems, Waller remarks, that poets lose half their praise, because the reader knows not what they have blotted. Pope's voracity of fame taught him

* See however the Life of Addison in the "Biogrc phia Britannica," last edition.-R.

the art of obtaining the accumulated honour, both of what he had published and of what he had suppressed.

In this year his father died suddenly, in his seventy-fifth year, having passed twenty-nine years in privacy. He is not known but by the character which his son has given him. If the money with which he retired was all gotten by himself, he had traded very successfully in times when sudden riches were rarely attainable.

things wrong, and left many things undone ; but let him not be defrauded of his due praise. He was the first that knew, at least the first that told, by what helps the text might be improved. If he inspected the early editions negligently, he taught others to be more accurate. In his preface he expanded with great skill and elegance the character which had been given of Shakspeare by Dryden; and he drew the public attention upon his works which, though often mentioned, had been little read.

The publication of the "Iliad” was at last completed in 1720. The splendour and success Soon after the appearance of the "Iliad," reof this work raised Pope many enemies, that en-solving not to let the general kindness cool, deavoured to depreciate his abilities. Burnet, he published proposals for a translation of the who was afterwards a judge of no mean reputa-"Odyssey," in five volumes, for five guineas. tion, censured him in a piece called "Homer-He was willing, however, now to have assoides," before it was published. Ducket likewise ciates in his labour, being either weary with toil endeavoured to make him ridiculous. Dennising upon another's thoughts, or having heard, as was the perpetual persecutor of all his studies. Ruffhead relates, that Fenton and Broome had But, whoever his critics were, their writings are already begun the work, and liking better to lost; and the names which are preserved are have them confederates than rivals. preserved in the "Dunciad."

In the patent, instead of saying that he had "translated" the "Odyssey," as he had said of the "Iliad," he says, that he had "undertaken" a translation; and in the proposals the subscription is said to be not solely for his own use, but for that of "two of his friends who have assisted him in this work."

In this disastrous year (1720) of national infatuation, when more riches than Peru can boast were expected from the South Sea, when the contagion of avarice tainted every mind, and even poets panted after wealth, Pope was seized with the universal passion, and ventured some of his money. The stock rose in its price; and In 1723, while he was engaged in this new for a while he thought himself the lord of thou-version, he appeared before the Lords at the mesands. But this dream of happiness did not last long; and he seems to have waked soon enough to get clear with the loss of what he once thought himself to have won, and perhaps not wholly of that.

morable trial of Bishop Atterbury, with whom he had lived in great familiarity and frequent correspondence. Atterbury had honestly recommended to him the study of the popish controversy, in hope of his conversion; to which Next year he published some select poems of Pope answered in a manner that cannot much his friend Dr. Parnell, with a very elegant de recommend his principles or his judgment. In dication to the Earl of Oxford; who, after all questions and projects of learning they agreed his struggles and dangers, then lived in retire-better. He was called at the trial to give an acment, still under the frown of a victorious faction, who could take no pleasure in hearing his praise.

He gave the same year (1721) an edition of Shakspeare. His name was now of so much authority, that Tonson thought himself entitled, by annexing it, to demand a subscription of six guineas for Shakspeare's plays in six quarto volumes: nor did his expectation much deceive him; for, of seven hundred and fifty which he printed, he dispersed a great number at the price proposed. The reputation of that edition indeed sunk afterwards so low, that one hundred and forty copies were sold at sixteen shillings each.

count of Atterbury's domestic life and private employment, that it might appear how little time he had left for plots. Pope had but few words to utter, and in those few he made several blunders.

His letters to Atterbury express the utmost esteem, tenderness, and gratitude; "perhaps," says he, "it is not only in this world that I may have cause to remember the Bishop of Rochester." At their last interview in the Tower, Atterbury presented him with a Eible.*

be true.

Of the "Odyssey" Pope translated only twelve books; the rest were the work of Broome and Fenton; the notes were written wholly by Broome, who was not over-liberally rewarded. The public was carefully kept ignorant of the On this undertaking, to which Pope was in- several shares; and an account was subjoined duced by a reward of two hundred and seven-at the conclusion which is now known not to teen pounds twelve shillings, he seems never to have reflected afterwards without vexation; for Theobald, a man of heavy diligence, with very slender powers, first, in a book called "Shak speare Restored," and then in a formal edition, detected his deficiences with all the insolence of victory; and, as he was now high enough to be feared and hated, Theobald had from others all the help that could be supplied by the desire of humbling a haughty character.

The first copy of Pope's books, with those of Fenton, are to be seen in the Museum. The parts of Pope are less interlined than the "Iliad," and the latter books of the "Iliad" less than the former. He grew dexterous by practice, and every sheet enabled him to write the next with more facility. The books of Fenton have very few alterations by the hand of Pope. Those of Broome have not been found; but Pope comFrom this time Pope became an enemy to edi-plained, as it is reported, that he had much trou tors, collators, commentators, and verbal critics; ble in correcting them. and hoped to persuade the world, that he miscarried in this undertaking only by having a mind too great for such minute employment.

Pope in his edition undoubtedly did many

The late Mr Graves of Clavert" informs us, that this Bible was afterwards used in the chapel of Prior park. Dr. Warburton probably presented it to Mr. A len.-C.

His contract with Lintot was the same as for the "Iliad," except that only one hundred pounds were to be paid him for each volume. The number of subscribers were five hundred and seventy-four, and of copies eight hundred and nineteen; so that his profit, when he had paid his assistants, was still very considerable. The work was finished in 1725; and from that time he resolved to make no more translations.

The sale did not answer Lintot's expectation; and he then pretended to discover something of fraud in Pope, and commenced or threatened a | suit in Chancery.

On the English "Odyssey" a criticism was published by Spence, at that time prelector of poetry at Oxford; a man whose learning was not very great, and whose mind was not very powerful. His criticism, however, was commonly just. What he thought, he thought rightly; and his remarks were recommended by his coolness and candour. In him Pope had the first experience of a critic without malevolence, who thought it as much his duty to display beauties as expose faults; who censured with respect and praised with alacrity.

is, according to Pope's account, but the emblem of a wit winded by book sellers.

His complaint, however, received some attestation; for the same year the Letters written by him to Mr. Cromwell in his youth were sold by Mrs. Thomas, to Curll, who printed them.

In these Miscellanies was first published the "Art of Sinking in Poetry," which, by such a train of consequences as usually passes in literary quarrels, gave in a short time, according to Pope's account, occasion to the "Dunciad."

In the following year (1728) he began to put Atterbury's advice in practice: and showed his satirical powers by publishing the "Dunciad," one of his greatest and most elaborate performances, in which he endeavoured to sink into contempt all the writers by whom he had been attacked, and some others whom he thought unable to defend themselves.

At the head of the Dunces he placed poor Theobald, whom he accused of ingratitude; but whose real crime was supposed to be that of having revised "Shakspeare" more happily than himself. This satire had the effect which he intended, by blasting the characters which it touched. Ralph, who, unnecessarily interposing in the quarrel, got a place in a subsequent edition, complained that for a time he was in danger of starving, as the booksellers had no longer any confidence in his capacity.

With this criticism Pope was so little offended, that he sought the acquaintance of the writer, who lived with him from that time in great familiarity, attended him in his last hours, and compiled memorials of his conversation. The regard The prevalence of this poem was gradual and of Pope recommended him to the great and pow-slow; the plan, if not wholly new, was little erful; and he obtained very valuable preferments in the church.

understood by common 'readers. Many of the allusions required illustration; the names were Not long after, Pope was returning home often expressed only by the initial and final letfrom a visit in a friend's coach, which, in pass-ters, and, if they had been printed at length, ing a bridge, was overturned into the water: the windows were closed, and being unable to force them open, he was in danger of immediate death, when the postillion snatched him out by breaking the glass, of which the fragments cut two of his fingers in such a manner that he lost their use.

Voltaire, who was then in England, sent him a letter of consolation. He had been entertained by Pope at his table, where he talked with so much grossness, that Mrs. Pope was driven from the room. Pope discovered by a trick that he was a spy for the court, and never considered him as a man worthy of confidence.

were such as few had known or recollected. The subject itself had nothing generally interesting, for whom did it concern to know that one or another scribbler was a dunce? If, therefore, it had been possible for those who were attacked to conceal their pain and their resentment, the "Dunciad" might have made its way very slowly in the world.

This, however was not to be expected: every man is of importance to himself, and therefore, in his own opinion, to others; and, supposing the world already acquainted with all his plea sures and his pains, is perhaps the first to publish injuries or misfortunes, which had never been known unless related by himself, and at which those that hear them will only laugh; for no man sympathizes with the sorrows of vanity.

The history of the "Dunciad" is very minutely related by Pope himself in a dedication which he wrote to Lord Middlesex, in the name of Savage.

"I will relate the war of the 'Dunces' (for so it has been commonly called) which began in the year 1727, and ended in 1730.

He soon afterwards (1727) joined with Swift, who was then in England, to publish three volumes of Miscellanies, in which among other things he inserted the "Memoirs of a Parish Clerk," in ridicule of Burnet's importance in his own History, and a "Debate upon Black and White Horses," written in all the formalities of a legal process, by the assistance, as is said, of Mr. Fortescue, afterwards Master of the Rolls. Before these Miscellanies is a preface signed by Swift and Pope, but apparently written by Pope; "When Dr. Swift and Mr. Pope thought it in which he makes a ridiculous and romantic proper, for reasons specified in the preface to complaint of the robberies committed upon au- their Miscellanies, to publish such little pieces thors by the clandestine seizure and sale of their of theirs as had casually got abroad, there was papers. He tells in tragic strains, how "the added to them the Treatise of the Bathos,' or the cabinets of the sick, and the closets of the dead, 'Art of Sinking in Poetry. It happened that, have been broken open and ransacked;" as if in one chapter of this piece, the several species those violences were often committed for papers of bad poets were ranged in classes, to which of uncertain and accidental value which are were prefixed almost all the letters of the alphararely provoked by real treasures; as if epi- bet, (the greatest part of them at random;) but grams and essays were in danger where gold and such was the number of poets eminent in that diamonds are safe. A cat hunted for his muskart, that some one or other took every letter to

Pope appears by this narrative to have contemplated his victory over the "Dunces" with great exultation and such was his delight in the tumult which he had raised, that for a while his natural sensibility was suspended, and he considering them only as the necessary effects of that pain which he rejoiced in having given.

himself; all fell into so violent a fury that, for half a year or more, the common newspapers (in most of which they had some property, as being hired writers) were filled with the most abusive falsehoods and scurrilities they could possibly devise; a liberty no ways to be won-read reproaches and invectives without emotion. dered at in those people, and in those papers, that, for many years during the uncontrolled license of the press, had aspersed almost all the great characters of the age; and this with impunity, their own persons and names being utterly secret and obscure.

It cannot however be concealed, that by his own confession, he was the aggressor, for no body believes that the letters in the "Bathes" were placed at random; and it may be disco"This gave Mr. Pope the thought, that he vered that, when he thinks himself concealed, had now some opportunity of doing good by he indulges the common vanity of common men, detecting and dragging into light these common and triumphs in those distinctions which he had enemies of mankind; since, to invalidate this affected to despise. He is proud that his book universal slander, it sufficed to show what con- was presented to the King and Queen by the temptible men were the authors of it. He was right honourable Sir Robert Walpole; he is not without hopes that by manifesting the dul- proud that they had read it before; he is proud ness of those who had only malice to recom-that the edition was taken off by the nobility mend them, either the booksellers would not and persons of the first distinction. find their account in employing them, or the The edition of which he speaks was, I believe, men themselves, when discovered, want courage that which, by telling in the text the names, and to proceed in so unlawful an occupation. This in the notes the characters, of those whom he it was that gave birth to the 'Dunciad;' and he had satirised, was made intelligible and divertthought it a happiness, that, by the late flooding. The critics had now declared their approof slander on himself, he had acquired such a peculiar right over their names as was necessary to this design.

"On the 12th of March, 1729, at St. James's, that poem was presented to the King and Queen (who had before been pleased to read it) by the right honourable Sir Robert Walpole: and, some days after, the whole impression was taken and dispersed by several noblemen and persons of the first distinction.

"It is certainly a true observation, that no people are so impatient of censure as those who are the greatest slanderers, which was wonderfully exemplified on this occasion. On the day the book was first vended, a crowd of authors besieged the shop; entreaties, advices, threats of law and battery, nay, cries of treason, were all employed to hinder the coming out of the 'Dunciad:' on the other side the booksellers and hawkers made as great efforts to procure it. What could a few poor authors do against so great a majority as the public? There was no stopping a current with a finger; so out it

came.

bation of the plan, and the common reader began to like it without fear; those who were stran gers to petty literature, and therefore unable to decipher initials and blanks, had now names and persons brought within their view, and delighted in the visible effect of those shafts of malice which they had hitherto contemplated as shot into the air.

Dennis, upon the fresh provocation now given him, renewed the enmity which had for a time been appeased by mutual civilities; and published remarks which he had till then suppressed, upon "The Rape of the Lock." Many more grumbled in secret, or vented their resentment in the newspapers by epigrams or invectives.

Ducket, indeed, being mentioned as loving Burnet with "pious passion," pretended tha his moral character was injured, and for some time declared his resolution to take vengeance with a cudgel. But Pope appeased him, by changing "pious pas: ion" to "cordial friendship;" and by a note, in which he vehementiy disclaims the malignity of meaning imputed to the first expression.

"Many ludicrous circumstances attended it. Aaron Hill, who was represented as diving The 'Dunces' (for by this name they were for the prize, expostulated with Pope in a mancalled) held weekly clubs, to consult of hostili- ner so much superior to all mean solicitation, ties against the author: one wrote a letter to a that Pope was reduced to sneak and shuffle, great minister, assuring him Mr. Pope was the sometimes to deny, and sometimes to apologize : greatest enemy the government had; and an-he first endeavours to wound, and is then afraid other brought his image in clay, to execute him in effigy; with which sad sort of satisfaction the gentlemen were a little comforted.

"Some false editions of the book having an owl in their frontispiece, the true one, to distinguish it, fixed in his stead an ass laden with authors, Then another surreptitious one being printed with the same ass, the new edition in octavo returned for distinction to the owl again. Hence arose a great contest of booksellers against booksellers, and advertisements against advertisements; some recommending the edition of the owl, and others the edition of the ass; by which names they came to be distinguished, to the great honour also of the gentlemen of the

"Dunciad.'"

to own that he meant a blow.

The "Dunciad," in the complete edition, is addressed to Dr. Swift: of the notes, part were written by Dr. Arbuthnot; and an apologetical letter was prefixed, signed by Cleland, but supposed to have been written by Pope.

After this general war upon dulness, he seems to have indulged himself a while in tranquillity; but his subsequent productions prove that he was not idle. He published (1731) a poem on "Taste," in which he very particularly and severely criticises the house, the furniture, the gar dens, and the entertainments of Timen, a man of great wealth and little taste. By Tinion he was universally supposed, and by the Earl of Burlington, to whom the poem is addressed, was