and my defign; there remaining befides to rectify the Method, to connect the Matter, and to mend the Expreffion and Verfification. I will go next upon the poems of Solitude, on the Public, and on the mixt Life; the Bill of Fare, the Praises of Avarice, and fome others.

I must take notice of what you fay of "my pains

to make your dulnefs methodical ;" and of your hint," that the fprightliness of wit defpifes method." This is true enough, if by wit you mean no more than fancy or conceit; but in the better notion of wit, confidered as propriety, furely method is not only neceffary for perfpicuity and harmony of parts, but gives beauty even to the minute and particular thoughts, which receive an additional advantage from those which precede or follow in their due place. You remember a fimile Mr. Dryden ufed in converfation, of feathers in the crowns of the wild Indians, which they not only choose for the beauty of their colours, but place them in fuch a manner as to reflect a luftre on each other. I will not difguife any of my fentiments from you; to methodize in your cafe, is full as neceffary as to ftrike out; otherwife you had better destroy the whole frame, and reduce them into fingle thoughts in profe, like Rochefoucault, as I have more than once hinted to you.

* This beautiful fimile is worth recording, for its juftness and elegance. His poems have not a better.

WARTON.

LETTER XVI.

FROM MR. WYCHERLEY.

Feb. 28, 1707-8.

I

HAVE had yours of the 23d of this inftant, for which I give you many thanks, fince I find by it, that even abfence (the ufual bane of love or friendfhip) cannot leffen yours, no more than mine. As to your hearing of my being ill, I am glad, and forry for the report in the first place, glad that it was not true; and in the next, forry that it fhould give you any disturbance, or concern more than ordinary for me; for which, as well as your concern for my future well-being or life, I think myself most eternally obliged to you; affuring, your concern for either will make me more careful of both. Yet for your fake I love this life fo well, that I fhall the less think of the other; but it is in your power to enfure my happiness in one and the other, both by your fociety, and good example, fo not only contribute to my felicity here, but hereafter.

Now as to your excufe for the plainness of your style, I must needs tell you, that friendship is much more acceptable to a true friend than wit, which is generally falfe reafoning; and a friend's reprimand often fhews more friend fhip than his compliment: nay love, which is more than friendship, is often feen by our friends correction of our follies or crimes.

Upon this teft of your friendship I intend to put you when I return to London, and thence to you at Binfield, which, I hope, will be within a month.

Next to the news of your good health, I am pleased with the good news of your going to print fome of your poems, and proud to be known by them to the public for your friend; who intend (perhaps the fame way) to be revenged of you for your kindness; by taking your name in vain in fome of my future madrigals yet fo as to let the world know, my love or efteem for you are no more poetic than my talent in fcribling. But of all the arts of fiction, I defire you to believe I want that of feigning friendship, and that I am fincerely

Your, etc.

I

LETTER XVII.

FROM MR. WYCHERLEY.

May 13, 1708. HAVE received yours of the first of May. Your paftoral mufe, outfhines in her modest and natural drefs all Apollo's court-ladies, in their more artful, laboured, and coftly finery. Therefore I am glad to find by your letter you defign your country-beauty of a muse shall appear at court and in public: to outfhine all the farded, lewd, confident, affected Towndowdies,

dowdies, who aim at being honour'd only to their shame but her artful innocence (on the contrary) will gain more honour as she becomes public; and, in fpite of cuftom, will bring modefty again into fashion, or at least make her fifter-rivals of this age blush for fpite, if not for fhame. As for my ståle, antiquated, poetical puss, whom you would keep in countenance by saying she has once been tolerable, and would yet pass muster by a little licking over; it is true, that (like most vain antiquated jades which have once been paffable) fhe yet affects youthfulness in her age, and would still gain a few admirers (who the more fhe feeks or labours for their liking, are but more her contemners). Nevertheless she is refolved henceforth to be fo cautious as to appear very little more in the world, except it be as an Attendant on your Mufe, or as a foil, not a rival to her wit, or fame fo that let your Country-gentlewoman appear when the will in the world', my old worn-out jade of a loft reputation fhall be her attendant into it, to procure her admirers; as an old whore, who can get

no

This, and what follows, is a full confutation of John Dennis and others, who afferted that Mr. Pope wrote these verses on himfelf (though published by Mr. Wycherley fix years before his death). We find here, it was a voluntary act of his, promised before-hand, and written while Mr. Pope was abfent. The first Brouillon of thofe verfes, and the fecond Copy with corrections, are both yet extant in Mr. Wycherley's own hand: In another of his Letters of May 18, 1708, are these words: "I have made a “damn'd Compliment in verfe upon the printing your Paftorals, "which you fhall fee when you fee me:"

POPE.

no more friends of her own, bawds for others, to make sport or pleasure yet, one way or other, for mankind. I approve of your making Tonfon your mufe's introductor into the world, or master of the ceremonies, who has been fo long a pimp, or gentleman-ufher to the Mufes.

I wish you good fortune; fince a man with ftore of wit, as ftore of money, without the help of good fortune, will never be popular; but I wish you a great many admirers, which will be fome credit to my judgment as well as your wit, who always thought you had a great deal, and am

Your, etc.

LETTER XVIII.

FROM MR. WYCHERLEY.

May 17, 1709.

I

MUST thank you for a book of your Miscellanies, which Tonfon fent me, I fuppofe, by your order; and all I can tell you of it is, that nothing has lately been better received by the public than your part of it. You have only difpleafed the critics by pleafing them too well; having not left them a word to say for themselves, against you and your performances; so that, now your hand is in, you must persevere, till my prophecies of you be fulfilled. In earnest, all the

best