abroad, where it was fo highly efteemed, that it was translated into French verse, by General Hamilton, which occafioned the following letter from our poet to the tranflator. "If 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 version of my Effay; I "should not only appear the best writer in the "world, but what I much more defire to be "thought, the most your fervant of any man "living. 'Tis an advantage, very rarely known, "to receive at once a great honour and a great "improvement. This, Sir, you have afforded cc me; having at the fame time made others "take my fenfe, and taught me to understand my own; if I may call that my own, which " is indeed more properly your's. Your verses are no more a translation of mine, than Virgil's are of Homer's; but are like his, the jufteft imitation, and the nobleft 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 confider you have naturalized me into a country, which is famous for making every man a fine gentleman. It is by your means, "that (contrary to moft young travellers) I am "come back much better than I went out." The strain of compliment in this letter will be excufed, when it is confidered that it was addreffed, from a young writer, to the celebrated H 3 brated Author of the Life of Count Gramont ; and that fulfome adulation was, in truth, more particularly the vice of the times. This piece was afterwards translated into French by other hands, and feveral verfions of it have fince appeared in the Latin language *. But whatever reputation our author may have gained by this didactic effay, in which he difplayed fuch uncommon compass of learning, fuch extenfive, knowledge of human nature, and fuch ftrength of judgment; yet, as a Poet, he acquired ftill greater fame by the Rape of the Lock. The full force of his poetical talents appears combined in this celebrated piece. All the beauty of defcription, the richness of invention, the glow of imagination, together with all the fprightlinefs of gallantry, are here alternately difplayed with the moft exquifite harmony of numbers: And this may be justly deemed the moft excellent of all heroi-comic compofitions. But to have a perfect relish for this excellent piece of raillery, it will be neceffary to be apprized of the following anecdotes, which gave rife to it. Mr. Caryl (a gentleman who was fecretary to Queen Mary, wife of James the 2d. whofe for * It was tranflated into Latin by Dr. Kirkpatrick, a gentleman well known in the literary world. As alfo by Mr. Smart. There was a Latin verfion of it likewise made by an unfortunate man, who was executed for High Treason, relating to the Coin, whofe name I therefore fupprefs. tune tune he followed into France, and author of the comedy of Sir Solomon Single, and of feveral tranflations in Dryden's Mifcellanies) originally proposed the fubject to our author, in a view of putting an end, by this piece of ridicule, to a difference that was arifen between two noble families, thofe of Lord Petre and of Mrs. Fermor, on the trifling occafion of his having cut off a lock of her hair. This little liberty was taken too seriously; and though the two families had long been friends, it occafioned a coolnefs between them, The first sketch of this exquifite piece, which Addison calls Merum Sal, was, as we learn from one of POPE's letters, written in two cantos only, in less than a fortnight, in the year 1711, when he was about the age of twenty-three. Our author fent a copy of it to the Lady, with whom he was acquainted, and she was so delighted with it, that the diftributed copies of it among her acquaintance, and at length prevailed on him to publifh it, as appears by the motto * The piece produced the defired effect; for it reconciled the two families, and gave offence to no one but Sir George Brown, who often obferved, with fome degree of refentment, and indeed juftice too, that he was made to talk * Nolueram, Belinda, tuos violare capillos; H 4 nothing nothing but nonfenfe, in the character of Sir Plume. Our bard used to fay, that what he wrote fastest, always pleafed moft; and the truth of his obfervation was exemplified in the uncommon fuccefs which attended this piece; which was fo well received, that he made it more confiderable the next year, by the addition of the Machinery of the Sylphs, and extended it to five cantos, when it was printed, with an elegant letter to Mrs. Fermor, which is prefixed to the piece*: When * He afterwards addreffed another letter to the fame lady, on her happy marriage, which, for good fenfe and elegant turn of fentiment, may be fo juftly deemed a pattern of epiftolary compofition, that I cannot refift the pleasure of tranfcribing it. << Madam, "You are sensible, by this time, how much the tender"nefs of one man of merit, is to be preferred to the addres fes of a thoufand; and, by this time, the gentleman you "have made choice of, is fenfible how great is the joy of "having all thofe charms and good qualities, which have "pleafed fo many, now applied to please one only. It was but juft, that the fame virtues which gave you reputation, "fhould give you happiness; and I can with you no greater, "than that you may reap it in as high a degree, as fo much "good nature muft infallibly give it to your husband. "It may be expected, perhaps, that one who has the title "of being a wit, fhould fay fomething more polite on this "occafion; but I am really more a well-wisher to your felicity, than a celebrater of your beauty. Befides, you are now a married woman, and in a way to be a great 66 many better things, than a fine lady; fuch as an excellent wife, a faithful friend, a tender parent, and at laft, as the confequence of them all, a faint in heaven. You ought 65 now When Mr. POPE, as his friend and commentator obferves, had projected to give the Rape of the Lock the form of a mock heroic poem, he was obliged to provide it with its machinery. For as the fubject of the epic confifts of two parts, the metaphyfical and the civil; fo this mock epic, which is of the fatiric kind, and receives its grace from the ludicrous mimickry of the other's pomp and folemnity, was to have the like compofition: And as the civil part is intentionally debafed by the choice of fome trifling action, so should the metaphyfical, by the application of fome very extravagant system. A rule which, though neither Boileau nor Garth had been careful enough to attend to, our author's good fenfe would not fuffer him to overlook; and that fort of machinery which his judgment taught him was only fit for his ufe, his admirable invention foon fupplied. There was but one system in all nature that was to his purpose, the Roficrufan Philofophy And this, by the effort of a well ' now to hear nothing, but that which is all you ever de"fired to hear, (whatever others may have spoken to you) "I mean truth; and it is with the utmost that I affure you, no friend you have, can more rejoice in any good that "befalls you, is more fenfibly delighted with the prospect "of your future happiness, or more unfeignedly defires a ❝long continuance of it. "I hope you will think it but juft, that a man, who will certainly be spoken of as your admirer after he is dead, may have the happiness, while he is living, to be esteemed Yours, &c. directed |