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you affure me I am a man of parts. But is this all you can fay to my honour? You faid ten times as much more, when you called me your friend. After having made me believe I poffeffed a fhare in your affections, to treat me with compliments and sweet fayings, is like the proceedings with poor Sancho Pancha: they perfuaded him that he enjoyed a great dominion, and then gave him nothing to fubfift upon but wafers and marmalade. In our days the greateft obligation you can lay upon a wit, is to make a fool of him. For as when madmen are found incurable, wife men give them their way, and pleafe them as well as they can; so when thofe in corrigible things, poets, are once irrecoverably be-mufed, the best way both to quiet them, and fecure yourself from the effects of their frenzy, is to feed their vanity; which indeed, for the molt part, is all that is fed in a poet. You may believe me, I could be heartily glad that all you fay were as true applied to me as it would be to yourfelf, for feveral weighty reafons; but for none fo much as that I might be to you what you deserve; whereas I can now be no more than is confiftent with the small, though utmost capacity of,

&c.

$121. From Mr. WALSH to Mr. POPE.

At my return from the North I received the favour of your letter, which had lain there till then. Having been abfent about fix weeks, I read over your Paftorals again with a great deal of pleafure, and, to judge the better, read Virgil's Eclogues, and Spenfer's Calen. dar, at the fame time; and I affure you I continue the fame opinion I had always of them. By the little hints you take upon all occafions to improve them, 'tis probable you will make them yet better against winter; though there is a mean to be kept even in that too, and a man may correct his verses till he takes away the true fpirit of them; efpecially if he fubmits to the correction of fome who pafs for great critics by mechanical rules, and never enter into the true design and genius of an au

thor. I have feen fome of these that would hardly allow any one good ode in Horace; who cry, Virgil wants fancy, and that Homer is very incorrect. While they talk at this rate, one would think them above the common race of mortals: but generally they are great admirers of Ovid and Lucan; and when they write themfelves, we find out all the mystery. They fean their verses upon their fingers; run after conceits and glaring thoughts; their poems are all made up of couplets, of which the firft may be laft, or laft firft, without any prejudice to their works; in which there is no defign or method, or any thing natural or juft. For you are certainly in the right, that in all writings whatfoever (not poetry only) nature is to be followed, and we fhould be jealous of ourselves for being fond of fimilies, conceits, and what they call "saying fine things." When we were in the North, my lord Wharton fhewed me a letter he had received from a certain general in Spain: I told him, I would by all means have that general recall'd, and fet to writing here at home; for it was impoffible that a man with so much wit as he fhew'd, could be fit to command an army, or do any other bufinefs. As for what you fay of expreffion, 'tis indeed the fame thing to wit, as drefs is to beauty: I have feen many women overdreffed; and feveral look better in a careless night-gown, with their hair about their ears, than Mademoifelle Spanheim dreffed for a ball. I do not defign to be in London till towards the parliament; then I fhall certainly be there, and hope by that time you will have finifhed your paftorals as you would have them appear in the world, and particularly the third, of Autumn, which I have not feen. Your laft eclogue being upon the fame fubject as that of mine on Mrs. Tempeft's death, I fhould take it very kind in you to give it a little turn, as if it were to the memory of the fame lady, if it

Mr. Walsh's remark will be thought very made on the Earl of Peterborough, just before innocent, when the reader is inform'd that it was the glorious campaigns of Barcelona and Va

lentia.

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were not written for fome particular woman whom you would make immortal. You may take occafion to thew the difference between poets' miftreffes and other men's. I only hint this, which you may either do, or let alone, juft as you think fit. I fhall be very much pleafed to fee you again in town, and to hear from you in the mean time. I am, with much esteem, very Yours, &c.

$122. Mr. POPE to Mr. CROMWELL.

I believe it was with me when I left the town, as it is with a great many men when they leave the world, whofe lofs itself they do not fo much regret as that of their friends whom they leave behind in it: for I do not know one thing for which I can envy London, but for your continuing there. Yet I guess you will expect me to recant this expreffion, when I tell you, Sappho (by which heathenish name you have chrif tened a very orthodox lady) did not accompany me into the country. Well, you have your lady in the town ftill, and I have my heart in the country ftill, which being wholly unemploy'd as yet, has the more room in it for my friends, and does not want a corner at your fervice. You have extremely obliged me by your franknefs and kindnefs; and, if I have abufed it by too much freedom on my part, I hope you will attribute it to the natural openness of my bute it to the natural openness of my temper, which knows how to fhew refpect where it feels affection. I would love my friend as my mistress, without ceremony: and hope a little rough ufage fometimes may not be more difpleafing to the one than it is to the other.

If you have any curiofity to know in what manner I live, or rather lose a life, Martial will inform you in one line.

Prandeo, poto, cano, ludo, lego, cœno, quiefco. Every day with me is literally another yesterday, for it is exactly the fame : it has the fame bufinefs, which is poetry; and the fame pleasure, which is

idleness. A man might indeed pafs his time much better; but I question if any man could pafs it much eafier. If you will visit our fhades this fpring, which I very much defire, you may perhaps inftruct me to manage my game more wifely; but at prefent I am fatisfied to trifle away my time any way, rather than let it ftick by me; as fhop-keepers are glad to be rid of thofe goods at any rate, which would otherwife always be lying upon their hands. Sir, if you will favour me fometimes with your letters, it will be a great fatisfaction to me on feveral accounts; and on this in particular, that it will fhew me (to my comfort) that even a wife man is fomeidle; for fo you must needs be, when you can find leifure to write to, Yours, &c.

times very

§ 123. Mr. POPE to Mr. CROMWELL.

I have nothing to fay to you in this letter, but I was refolved to write to tell you fo. Why fhould I not content myfelf with fo many great examples of deep divines, profound cafuifts, grave philofophers; who have written, not letters only, but whole tomes and voluminous treatises about nothing? Why fhould a fellow like me, who all his life does nothing, be afhamed to write nothing? and that to one who has nothing to do but to read it? But perhaps you'll fay, the whole world has fomething to do, fomething to talk of, fomething to wish for, fomething to be employed about. But pray, Sir, caft up the account, put all thefe fomethings together, and what is the fum total, but juft nothing? I have no more to fay, but to defire you to give my fervice (that is nothing) to your friends, and to believe that I am nothing more than your, &c.

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prefent than he that gives you his heart; and true friends would rather fee fuch thoughts as they communicate only to one another, than what they fquander about to all the world. They who can fet a right value upon any thing, will prize one tender, well-meant word, above all that ever made them laugh in their lives. If I did not think fo of you, I fhould never have taken much pains to endeavour to please you by writing, or any thing elfe. Wit I am fure I want; at least in the degree that I fee others have it, who would at all feafons alike be entertaining; but I would willingly have fome qualities that may be (at fome feafons) of more comfort to myfelf, and of more fervice to my friends: I would cut off my own head, if it had nothing better than wit in it; and tear out my own heart, if it had no better difpofitions than to love only myfelf, and laugh at all my neighbours. I know you'll think it an agreeable thing to hear that I have done a great deal of Homer; if it be tolerable, the world may thank you for it: for if I could have feen you every day, and imagined my company could have every day pleafed you, I fhould fcarce have thought it worth my while to pleafe the world. How many verfes could I gladly have left unfinished, for people to fay what they would of, had I been permitted to pass all thofe hours more pleafingly? Whatever fome may think, fame is a thing I am much lefs covetous of than your friendship; for that, I hope, will laft all my life: the other I cannot anfwer for, What if they fhould both grow greater after my death? Alas! they would both be of no advantage to me! Therefore think upon it, and love me as well as ever you can while I

live.

Now I talk of fame, I fend you my Temple of Fame, which is jutt come out: but my fentiments about it, you will fee better by this epigram:

What's fame with men, by cuftom of the nation,
Is call'd in women only reputation :
About them both why keep we fuch a pother?
Part you with one, and I'll renounce the other.

§ 125. Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL to Mr. POPE. Sir,

I return you the book you were pleafed to fend me, and with it your obliging letter, which deferves my particular acknowledgment; for, next to the pleafure of enjoying the company of fo good a friend, the welcomeft thing to me is to hear from him. I expected to find, what I have met with, an admirable genius in thofe poems, not only becaufe they were Milton's, or were approved by Sir Henry Wooton, but becaufe you had commended them; and give me leave to tell you, that I know nobody fo like to equal him, even at the age he wrote moft of them, as yourfelf. Only do not afford more cause of complaint against you, that you suffer nothing of yours to come abroad; which in this age, wherein wit and true sense is more fcarce than money, is a piece of fuch cruelty as your best friends can hardly pardon. I hope you will repent and amend: I could offer many reasons to this purpofe, and fuch as you cannot anfwer with any fincerity; but that I dare not enlarge, for fear of engaging in a flyle of compliment, which has been fo abufed by fools and knaves, that it is become almoft fcandalous. I conclude therefore with an affurance, which fhall nevery vary, of my being ever, &c.,

$126. Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL 10

Mr. POPE.

I think a hafty fcribble fhews more what flows from the heart than a letter, after Balzac's manner, in ftudied phrafes; therefore I will tell you, as faft as I can, that I have received your favour of the 26th paft, with your kind prefent of the Rape of the Lock. You have given me the trueft fatisfaction imaginable, not only in making good the just opinion I have ever had of your reach of thought, and my idea of your comprehenfive genius; but likewife in that pleasure I take, as an Englishman, to fee the French, even Boileau himself, in his Lutrin, out-done in your poem; for you defcend, leviere plero, to all the nicer touches that Qq2

your

your own obfervations and wit furnish on fuch a fubject as requires the fineft ftrokes and the livelielt imagination. But I must say no more (though I could a great deal) on what pleafes me fo much and henceforth, I hope, you will never condemn me of partiality, fince I only fwim with the ftream, and approve of what all men of good tafte (notwithstanding the jarring of the parties) muft, and do, univerfally applaud. I now come to what is of vast moment, I mean the prefervation of your health; and I beg of you to get out of all tavern-company, and fly away tanquam ex incendio. What a mifery is it for you to be deftroyed by the foolish kindnefs ('tis all one whether real or pretended) of those who are able to bear the poison of bad wine, and to engage you in fo unequal a combat! As to Homer, by all I can learn, your bufinefs is done: therefore come away, and take a little time to breathe in the country, I beg now, for my own fake, but much more for yours; methinks Mr. has faid to you more than once,

mis !

Heu fuge, nate Dea, teque his, ait, eripe flam-
I am your, &c.

$127. Mr. POPE to Lord LANSDOWN.

Binfield, Jan. 10, 1712.

I thank you for having given my poem of Windfor Foreft its greatest ornament, that of bearing your name in the front of it. 'Tis one thing, when a perfon of true merit permits us to have the honour of drawing him as like as we can and another, when we make a fine thing at random, and per. fuade the next vain creature we can find that 'tis his own likeness; which is the cafe every day of my fellow-fcribblers. Yet, my Lord, this honour has given me no more pride than your honours have given you; but it affords me a great deal of pleasure, which is much better than a great deal of pride; and it indeed would give me fome pain, if I was not fure of one advantage: that, whereas others are offended if they have not more than juftice done them, you would be difpleafed if you had fo much therefore I may fafely do you

as much injury in my words, as you do yourself in your own thoughts. I am fo vain as to think I have fhewn you a favour in fparing your modefty, and you cannot but make me fome return for my prejudicing the truth to gratify you: this I beg may be the free correction of thefe verfes, which will have few beauties but what may be made by your blots. I am in the circumftance of an ordinary painter drawing Sir Godfrey Kneller, who, by a few touches of his own, could make the piece very valuable. I might then hope, that many years hence the world might read, in conjunction with your name, that of your lordship's, &c.

§ 128. Mr. POPE to Mr. STEELE.

You formerly obferved to me, that nothing made a more ridiculous figure in a man's life, than the disparity we often find in him fick and well: thus, one of an unfortunate conftitution is

perpetually exhibiting a miferable example of the weakness of his mind, and of his body, in their turns. I have had frequent opportunities of late to confider myself in thefe different views; and, I hope, have received fome advantage by it, if what Waller fays be true, that

The foul's dark cottage, batter'd and decay'd,
Lets in new light through chinks that time

has made.

Then furely fickness, contributing no lefs than old age to the fhaking down this fcaffolding of the body, may dif cover the inward ftructure more plainly. Sickness is a fort of early old age; it teaches us a diffidence in our earthly flate, and infpires us with the thoughts of a future, better than a thoufand volumes of philofophers and divines. It gives fo warning a concuffion to those props of our vanity, our ftrength and youth, that we think of fortifying ourfelves within, when there is fo little dependence upon our out-works. Youth at the very beft is but a betrayer of human life in a gentler and fmoother manner than age: 'tis like a ftream that nourishes a plant upon a bank, and caufes it to flourish and bloffom to the

POPE.

Naples, Oct. 22, 1717.

fight, but, at the fame time, is under- § 129. Rev. Dean BERKLEY, to Mr. mining it at the root in fecret. My youth has dealt more fairly and openly with me; it has afforded several profpects of my danger, and given me an advantage not very common to young men, that the attractions of the world have not dazzled me very much and I begin, where moft people end, with a full conviction of the emptinefs of all forts of ambition, and the unfatisfactory nature of all human pleasures. When a fmart fit of ficknefs tells me this fcurvy tenement of my body will fall in a little time, I am e'en as unconcern'd as was that honeft Hibernian, who being in bed in the great ftorm fome years ago, and told the houfe would tumble over his head, made anfwer, "What care I for the house? I am only a lodger." I fancy 'tis the best time to die when one is in the best humour; and, fo exceffively weak as I now am, I may fay with confcience, that I am not at all uneafy at the thought, that many men, whom I never had any esteem for, are likely to enjoy this world after me. When I reflect what an inconfiderable little atom every fingle man is, with refpect to the whole creation, methinks, 'tis a fhame to be concerned at the removal of fuch a trivial animal as I am. The morning after my exit the fun will rife as bright as ever, the flowers fmell as fweet, the plants fpring as green, the world will proceed in its old courfe, people will laugh as heartily, and marry as faft, as they were used to do, "The memory

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of man," as it is elegantly expreffed in the book of Wisdom," paffeth away "as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but one day." There are reafons enough, in the fourth chapter of the fame book, to make any young man contented with the profpect of death," For honourable age is not that "which flandeth in length of time, "or is measured by number of years: but wifdom is the grey hair to men, "and an unfpotted life is old age. He was taken away fpeedily, left wickednefs fhould alter his understanding, "or deceit beguile his foul," &c.

I am, &c.

I have long had it in my thoughts to trouble you with a letter, but was difcouraged for want of fomething that I could think worth fending fifteen hundred miles. Italy is fuch an exhausted fubject, that, I dare fay, you'd eafily forgive my faying nothing of it; and the imagination of a poet is a thing fo nice and delicate, that it is no eafy matter to find out images capable of giving pleasure to one of the few, who (in any age) have come up to that character. I am nevertheless lately returned from an ifland, where I paffed three or four months; which, were it fet out in its true colours, might, methinks, amuse you agreeably enough for a minute or two. The island Inarime is an epitome of the whole earth, containing, within the compafs of eighteen miles, a wonderful variety of hills, vales, ragged rocks, fruitful plains, and barren mountains, all thrown together in a moft romantic confufion. The air is, in the hotteft feafon, conftantly refreshed by cool breezes from the fea. The vales produce excellent wheat and Indian corn, but are moftly covered with vineyards intermixed with fruit-trees. Befides the common kinds, as cherries, apricots, peaches, &c. they produce oranges, limes, almonds, pomegranates, figs, water-melons, and many other fruits unknown to our climate, which lie every where open to the paffenger. The hills are the greater part covered to the top with vines, fome with chefnut groves, and others with thickets of myrtle and lentifcus. The fields in the northern fide are divided by hedge-rows of myrtle. Several fountains and rivulets add to the beauty of this landfcape, which is likewife fet off by the variety of fome barren fpots and naked rocks. But that which crowns the fcene is a large mountain, rifing out of the middle of the island (once a terrible vulcano, by the ancients called Mons Epopeus.) Its lower parts are adorned with vines and other fruits; the middle affords pafture to flocks of goats and fheep; and the top is a fandy pointed rock, from which Q93

you

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