Alexander Pope to the Earl of Burlington-Journey to Oxford with Lintot.

engaged to attend him, being to have the printing of the said copy.

"So, in short, I borrowed this stone-horse of my publisher, which he had of Mr. Oldmixon for a debt. He lent me, too, the pretty boy you see after me; he was a smutty dog yesterday, and cost me near two hours to wash the ink off his face; but the devil is a fair-conditioned devil, and very forward in his catechise; if you have any more bags, he shall carry them."

I thought Mr. Lintot's civility not to be neglected, so gave the boy a small bag containing three shirts and an Elzevir Virgil; and, mounting in an instant, proceeded on the road, with my man before, my courteous stationer beside, and the aforesaid devil behind.

66

Mr. Lintot began in this manner: Now, damn them! what if they should put it into the newspaper how you and I went together to Oxford? what would I care? If I should go down into Sussex, they would say I was gone to the Speaker. But what of that? If my son were but big enough to go on with the business, by G-d I would keep as good company as old Jacob."

Hereupon I inquired of his son. "The lad," says he, "has fine parts, but is somewhat sickly, much as you are—I spare for nothing in his education at Westminster. Pray, don't you think Westminster to be the best school in England? most of the late ministry came out of it, so did many of this ministry; I hope the boy will make his fortune." Don't you design to let him pass a year at Oxford? "To what purpose?" said he, "the universities do but make pedants, and I intend to breed him a man of business."

As Mr. Lintot was talking, I observed he sat uneasy on his

Alexander Pope to the Earl of Burlington-Journey to Oxford with Lintot.

saddle, for which I expressed some solicitude. "Nothing," says he, "I can bear it well enough; but since we have the day before us, methinks it would be very pleasant for you to rest awhile under the woods." When we were alighted, "See here, what a mighty pretty Horace I have in my pocket! what if you amused yourself in turning an ode, till we mount again? Lord! if you pleased, what a clever miscellany might you make at leisure hours." Perhaps I may, said I, if we ride on; the motion is an aid to my fancy, a round trot very much awakens my spirits; then jog on apace, and I'll think as hard as I can.

Silence ensued for a full hour; after which Mr. Lintot lugged the reins, stopped short, and broke out: "Well, sir, how far have you gone?" I answered, seven miles. "Zounds, sir," said Lintot, “I thought you had done seven stanzas. Oldsworth, in a ramble round Wimbleton Hill, would translate a whole ode in half this time. I'll say that for Oldsworth (though I lost by his Timothy's), he translates an ode of Horace the quickest of any man in England. I remember Dr. King would write verses in a tavern three hours after he could not speak; and there's Sir Richard, in that rumbling old chariot of his, between Fleetditch and St. Giles's pond, shall make you half a Job.

Pray, Mr. Lintot, said I, now you talk of translators, what is your method of managing them? "Sir," replied he, " those are the saddest pack of rogues in the world; in a hungry fit, they'll swear they understand all the languages in the universe; I have known one of them take down a Greek book upon my counter and cry, Ay, this is Hebrew, I must read it from the latter end. By G-d I can never be sure in these fellows, for I neither understand Greek, Latin, French, nor Italian myself.

Alexander Pope to the Earl of Burlington-Journey to Oxford with Lintot.

But this is my way: I agree with them for ten shillings per sheet, with a proviso that I will have their doings corrected by whom I please; so by one or other they are led at last to the true sense of an author; my judgment giving the negative to all my translators." But how are you secure those correctors may not impose upon you? "Why, I get any civil gentleman (especially any Scotchman) that comes into my shop, to read the original to me in English; by this I know whether my first translator be deficient, and whether my corrector merits his money or not.

"I'll tell you what happened to me last month: I bargained with S for a new version of Lucretius to publish against Tonson's; agreeing to pay the author so many shillings at his producing so many lines. He made a great progress in a very short time, and I gave it to the corrector to compare with the Latin, but he went directly to Creech's translation, and found it the same, word for word, all but the first page. Now, what d'ye think I did? I arrested the translator for a cheat; nay, and I stopped the corrector's pay, too, upon this proof, that he had made use of Creech instead of the original."

"Sir,"

Pray, tell me next how you deal with the critics? said he, "nothing more easy. I can silence the most formidable of them; the rich ones for a sheet apiece of the blotted manuscript, which costs me nothing; they'll go about with it to their acquaintance, and pretend that they had it from the author, who submitted to their correction; this has given some of them such an air, that in time they come to be consulted with, and dedicated to as the top critics of the town. As for the poor critics, I'll give you one instance of my management, by which you may guess at the rest. A lean man, that looked like a very

Alexander Pope to the Earl of Burlington-Journey to Oxford with Lintot.

good scholar, came to me t'other day; he turned over your Homer, shook his head, shrugged up his shoulders, and pished at every line of it. One would wonder (says he) at the strange presumption of some men; Homer is no such easy talk, that every stripling, every versifier-He was going on, when my wife called to dinner. Sir, said I, will you please to eat a piece of beef with me? Mr. Lintot (said he), I am sorry you should be at the expense of this great book; I am really concerned on your account. Sir, I am obliged to you; if you can dine upon a piece of beef, together with a slice of pudding-Mr. Lintot, I do not say but Mr. Pope, if he would condescend to advise with men of learning-Sir, the pudding is upon the table, if you please to go in My critic complies, he comes to a taste of your poetry, and tells me in the same breath that the book is commendable, and the pudding excellent. "Now, sir," concluded Mr. Lintot, "in return to the frankness I have shown, pray tell me, is it the opinion of your friends at Court that my Lord Lansdowne will be brought to the bar or not?" I told him I heard he would not, and I hoped it, my Lord being one I had particular obligations to. "That may be," replied Mr. Lintot, "but, by G―d, if he should not, I shall lose the printing of a very good trial.”

These, my Lord, are a few traits by which you may discern the genius of Mr. Lintot, which I have chosen for the subject of a letter. I dropped him as soon as I got to Oxford, and paid a visit to my Lord Carleton at Middleton.

The conversations I enjoy here are not to be prejudiced by my pen, and the pleasures from them only to be equalled when I meet your Lordship. I hope in a few days to cast myself from your horse at your feet. I am, etc.

Dr. Arbuthnot to Alexander Pope-Friendly Feelings a Advice.

III.-FRIENDLY FEELINGS AND ADVICE.

Dr. Arbuthnot to Alexander Pope.

HAMPSTEAD, July 17, 1734.

I little doubt of your kind concern for me, nor of that of the lady you mention. I have nothing to repay my friends with at present, but prayers and good wishes. I have the satisfaction to find that I am as officiously served by my friends, as he that has thousands to leave in legacies; besides the assurance of their sincerity. God Almighty has made my bodily distress as easy as a thing of that nature can be. I have found some relief, at least sometimes, from the air of this place. My nights are bad, but many poor creatures have worse.

As for you, my good friend, I think, since our first acquaintance, there have not been any of those little suspicions or jealousles that often affect the sincerest friendships; I am sure not on my side. I must be so sincere as to own that, though I could not help valuing you for those talents which the world prizes, yet they were not the foundation of my friendship; they were quite of another sort; nor shall I at present offend you by enumerating them; and I make it my last request, that you will continue that noble disdain and abhorrence of vice which you seem naturally endued with; but still with a due regard to your own safety; and study more to reform than chastise, though the one cannot be effected without the other.

Lord Bathurst I have always honored for every good quality that a person of his rank ought to have; pray, give my respects and kindest wishes to the family. My venison stomach is gone, but I have those about me, and often with me, who will be very glad of his present. If it is left at my house, it will be transmitted safe to me.