fome* people who give us as good an opportunity of pratifing the one, as themfelves have given an infance of the violation of the other. Whoever is really brave, has always this comfort when he is oppreffed, that he knows himself to be superior to those who injure him : for the greatest power on earth can no fconer də him that injury, but the brave man can make himself greater by forgiving it.

If it were generous to feek for alleviating consolations in a calamity of fo much glory, one might fay, that to be ruined thus in the grofs, with a whole people, is but like perishing in the general conflagration, where nothing we can value is left behind

us.

Methinks, the most heroic thing we are left capable of doing, is to endeavour to lighten each other's load, and (oppreffed as we are) to fuccour fuch as are yet more oppreffed. If there are too many who cannot be affifted but by what we cannot give, our money; there are yet others who may be relieved by our counsel, by our countenance, and even by our cheerfulness. The misfortunes of private families, the mifunderstandings of people whom diftreffes make fufpicious, the coldness of relations whom change of religion may difunite, or the neceffities of half ruined eftates, render unkind to each other; these at least

may

Alluding to the bills against the Papifts.

Can there

Let the reader peruse this paragraph with attention. It was written after the unfuccefsful rebel attack at Prefton. be any doubt of Pope's real fentiments and feelings?

I

am,

may be softened in fome degree, by a general wellmanaged humanity among ourselves; if all thofe who have your principles of belief, had also your fenfe and conduct. But indeed most of them have given lamentable proofs of the contrary; and it is to be apprehended that they who want fenfe, are only religious through weakness, and good-natured through shame. Thefe are narrow-minded creatures that never deal in effentials, their faith never looks beyond ceremonials, nor their charity beyond relations. As poor as I would gladly relieve any distressed, conscientious French refugee at this inftant: what must my concern then be, when I perceive so many anxieties now tearing those hearts, which I have defired a place in, and clouds of melancholy rifing on those faces, which I have long looked upon with affection? I begin already to feel both what fome apprehend, and what others are yet too ftupid to apprehend. I grieve with the old †, for fo many additional inconveniences and chagrins, more than their small remains of life seemned destined to undergo; and with the young §, for of those gaieties and pleasures (the portion of

so many

That is, the Papists.

youth)

This was written when the fufpicion of Blount's difaffection to Government was very general. Pope had an eye to his female favourites, when he exclaims, "What must my concern be, when I perceive fo many anxieties now tearing those hearts which I have defired a place in, and clouds of melancholy rifing on those faces, which I have long looked on with affection."

Blount's father and mother. § His fifters.

youth) which they will by this means be deprived of. This brings into my mind one or other of those I love best, and among them the widow and fatherless*, late of -. As I am certain no people living had an earlier and truer sense of others misfortunes, or a more generous refignation as to what might be their own, fo I earnestly wish that whatever part they must bear, may be rendered as fupportable to them, as it is in the power of any friend to make it †.

But I know you have prevented me in this thought, as you always will in any thing that is good, or generous: I find by a letter of your Lady's (which I have seen) that their ease and tranquillity is part of your care. I believe there is fome fatality in it, that you should always, from time to time, be doing those particular things that make me enamoured of you.

I write this from Windfor-Foreft, of which I am come to take my last look. We here bid our neighbours adieu, much as those who go to be hanged do their fellow-prisoners who are condemned to follow them a few weeks after. I parted from honeft Mr. D* with tenderness; and from old Sir William Trumbull as from a venerable prophet, foretelling with lifted hands the miferies to come, from which he is just going to be removed himself.

Perhaps,

Probably fome Catholic family, who had loft their fupport in confequence of the war.

† A fubfcription among their Catholic friends, put forward for their relief.

Perhaps, now I have learnt fo far as

Nos dulcia linquimus arva,

my next leffon may be

* Nos Patriam fugimus.

Let that, and all elfe be as Heaven pleases! I have provided juft enough to keep me a man of honour. I believe you and I fhall never be afhamed of each other. I know I wish my country well, and, if it undoes me, it fhall not make me wish it otherwise.

LETTER VII†.

FROM MR. BLOUNT.

March 24, 1715-16.

YOUR letters give me a gleam of fatisfaction, in the midst of a very dark and cloudy fituation of thoughts, which it would be more than human to be exempt from at this time, when our homes muft either. be left, or be made too narrow for us to turn in. Poetically speaking, I fhould lament the lofs WindforForest and you sustain of each other, but that methinks, one can't say you are parted, because you

will

This leffon was referved for his friends Bolingbroke and Atterbury: he had too much caution to learn it himself, though he feems in this Letter to speak pretty plainly of men and measures, to his friend Blount.

† Written under the impreffion of leaving his country.

will live by and in one another, while verse is verse *. This confideration hardens me in my opinion rather to congratulate you, fince you have the pleasure of the prospect whenever you take it from your fhelf, and at the fame time the folid cafh you fold it for, of which Virgil in his exile knew nothing in those days, and which will make every place eafy to you. I for my part am not fo happy; my parva rura are fastened to me, so that I can't exchange them, as you havet, for more portable means of fubfistence; and

*Alluding to his poem on Windfor-Forest.

yet

+ Pope's father's property in Windfor-Foreft being fold at this time, Blount wishes that Pope might be induced to accompany him abroad; but it is fingular he should say, "where war will not reach us," when the war was owing to their own party; and as to "paltry conflables fummoning them to veftries," furely that could not be a great hardship.

The following Letter, relating to the fale of Pope's father's house and property in Windfor-Foreft, is in the British Museum : "To John Vander Bempden.

"SIR,

Thursday.

"Upon what you told me when I was laft to wait on you, I deferred treating farther for the rent-charge, till you could be certain what fum you could conveniently raise at present towards the purchase. If there were three of the 400l. wanting, we would take your bond; for as to a mortgage on the rent-charge, my father is not qualified to take it, for by an act of parliament he cannot buy land, though he may fell it.

"However, if you defire to make the purchase foon, I believe I have a friend who will lend you the 1000l. on the fame fecurity you offer us. If you have any other fcruple, you will be pleased to tell me fairly; but if this purchase be convenient to you, we shall think of treating with no other, and be ready upon your anfwer; fince I think what I here propofe entirely accommodates all the difficulty you feem to be at. I am, Sir,

"Your very humble fervant,

"A. POPE."