of candour, like the Sun, makes all the beauties which it fees; it gives colour and brightness to the meanest objects purely by looking on them. I agree with you, that there is a pleasure in feeing the nature and temper of men in the plainest undress; but few men are of confequence enough to deferve, or reward, that curiofity. I fhall indeed (and fo will all mankind) be highly pleased to see the great Czar of Mufcovy in this light, drawn by himself, like an ancient master, in rough strokes, without heightening or fhadowing: what a fatisfaction to behold that perfect likeness, without art, affectation, or even the glofs of colouring, with a noble neglect of all that finishing and fmoothing, which any other hand would have been obliged to bestow on fo principal a figure! I write this to a man whofe judgment I am certain of, and therefore am as certain you will give the world this great depofitum, juft as you have received it: there will be no danger of your dreffing this Mars too finely, whose armour is not gold, but adamant, and whofe ftyle in all probability is much more ftrong than it is polished. I congratulate you, that this great treasure is fallen into your hands; and I congratulate all Europe, that it is to be delivered to them through the hands of one, who will think it facrilege to touch upon, much less to alter, any great lines of fuch an original.

I can make you no better return for your great compliment upon me (which it would be arrogance

in me to fhew to any other, and dangerous even to remember myself) but by telling you, that it is ho, nour enough to reward all my ftudies, to find my character and reputation is part of the care of that person to whom the fame and glory of Peter Alexiawitz was committed,

SIR,

I am forced to make ufe of another hand than my own in this letter, having received a wound crofs all the veins of my right hand, by which the tendons of two fingers are separated; however, it was a fine paid for my life, which has been very narrowly faved, and which may now continue me fome years longer t.

Dear Sir,

Your, etc.

The Life of Peter, by Aaron Hill,

+ Written foon after his accident, when he was overturned in his chariot, and had his fingers cut by the breaking of the glafs windows.

and fometimes at Letcomb, where the Dean makes a great part of my imaginary entertainment, this being the cheapest way of treating me; I hope he will not be displeased at this manner of paying my refpects to him, instead of following my friend Jervas's example, which, to fay the truth, I have as much inclination to do, as I want ability. I have been ever fince December last in greater variety of business than any fuch men as you (that is, divines and philofophers) can poffibly imagine a reasonable creature capable of. Gay's play, among the reft, has coft much time and long-fuffering, to ftem a tide of malice and party, that authors have raised against it; the best revenge upon fuch fellows is now in my hands, I mean your Zoilus, which really transcends the expectation I had conceived of it. I have put it into the prefs, beginning with the poem Batrachom; for you seem by the first paragraph of the dedication to it, to defign to prefix the name of fome particular perfon. I beg therefore to know for whom you intend it, that

the

*That is, going to Ireland, as Jervas did, who was the bearer of the first Letter to Parnelle. Jervas lent Pope his houfe in London, during his abfence. Pope thus fpeaks of his stay in Ire land, in a Letter dated 29th of November 1706:

"You have stayed long enough to have painted all the number lefs hiftories of old Ogygia. If you have begun to be hiftorical, I recommend to your hand the ftory which every pious Irishman ought to begin with, that of St. Patrick.

"As to your inquiry about your houfe, when I come within the walls, they put me in mind of those of Carthage, where your friend, like the wandering Trojan,

"Animum picturâ pafcit inani."

the publication may not be delayed on this account; and this as foon as poffible. Inform me alfo upon what terms I am to deal with the bookfeller, and whether you defign the copy-money for Gay, as you formerly talked; what number of books you would have yourself, etc. I fcarce fee any thing to be altered in this whole piece; in the poems you fent, I will take the liberty you allow me; the story of Pandora, and the Eclogue upon Health, are two of the moft beautiful things I ever read. I don't fay this to the prejudice of the reft, but as I have read these oftener. Let me know how far my commiffion is to extend, and be confident of my punctual performance of whatever you enjoin. I must add a paragraph on this occafion, in regard to Mr. Ward, whose verses have been a great pleasure to me; I will contrive they shall be fo to the world, whenever I can find a proper opportunity of publishing them.

I shall very foon print an entire collection of my own madrigals, which I look upon as making my last will and teftament, fince in it I shall give all I ever intend to give (which I'll beg your's and the Dean's acceptance of); you must look on me no more as a poet, but a plain commoner, who lives upon his own, and fears and flatters no man. I hope before I die to discharge the debt I owe to Homer, and get upon the whole juft fame enough, to serve for an annuity for my own time, though I leave nothing to pofterity.

I beg our correfpondence may be more frequent than it has been of late. I am fure my efteem and love for you never more deserved it from you, or more prompted it from you. I defired our friend Jervas (in the greatest hurry of my bufinefs) to fay a great deal in my name, both to yourself and the Dean, and must once more repeat the affurances to you both, of an unchanging friendship, and unalterable efteem. I am, dear Sir, most entirely,

Your, etc.

LETTER LXXXII.

TO THE SAME*.

Dear Mr. Archdeacon,

I

THOUGH my proportion of this epistle should be but a sketch in miniature, yet I take up half this page, having paid my club with the good company both for our dinner of chops and for this paper. The poets will give you lively defcriptions in their way; fhall only acquaint you with that which is directly my province. I have juft fet the laft hand to a couplet, for fo I may call two nymphs in one piece. They are Pope's favourites; and though few, you will guess must have coft me more pains than any nymphs

*Written after Jervas's return from Ireland.