MY DEARE,

LETTER LXVIII.

FROM HIS MOTHER.

Tuesday, 12 o'clock. A LETTER from your sister yust now is come and gone, Mr. Mannock and Charls Rackitt, to take his leve of us, but being nothing in it doe not send it. He will not faile to cole here on Friday morning, and take ceare to cearrie itt to Mr. Thomas Doncaster. He shall dine wone day with Mrs. Dune, in Ducke-street; but the day will be unsirton, soe I thinck you had better to send itt to me. He will not faile to cole here, that is Mr. Mannock. Your sister is very well, but your brother is not. Theres Mr. Blunt, of mapill Durom, is ded; the same day that Mr. Inglefield died. My sirvis to Mrs. Blunts, and all that ask of me. I hope to here from you, and that you are well, which is my dalye prayers; this, with my blessing,

I am, etc.

It appears from manuscripts of Mr. POPE, that he occasionally indulged his affectionate and amiable mother in transcribing some part of his Iliad for the press; and the numerous corrections made in his own hand, sufficiently shew, that her mode of spelling gave him more trouble than the subsequent inaccuracy of his printers. The pleasure such a good old woman must have felt in writing over verses, which she justly thought would confer immortality on her son, is more easy to be conceived than expressed; while his willing

ness to support her in the enjoyment of a fancied consequence, affords a glimpse of filial tenderness, which forms perhaps the most captivating trait in his whole character.

SIR,

LETTER LXIX.

FROM MR. TONSON.

Gray's-Inn-Gate, April 20, 1706. I HAVE lately seen a pastoral of yours in Mr. Walsh's and Congreve's hands, which is extremely fine, and is approved of by the best judges in poetry. I remember I have formerly seen you at my shop, and am sorry I did not improve my acquaintance with you. If you design your poem for the press, no person shall be more careful in the printing of it, nor no one can give greater encouragement to it than, Sir,

LETTER LXX.

FROM THE SAME.

Your, etc.

SIR,

December 23, 1724.

I CANNOT possibly see you at Twitnam myself. I have therefore sent you the Preface from Lord Cobham, and a proof of the Monument with the draft. I request the favour of you to settle the In

scription as you would have it, and return it to me, then the plate may be worked. I do assure you I shall always be very glad to oblige and serve you all in my power, and am,

Your, etc.

I was with the Speaker yesterday; he told me you had promised to dine with him at Chiswick in the holydays, and bring your Preface (with some alterations) with you. After that, I beg to have it, for I am impatient to publish.

LETTER LXXI.

FROM THE SAME.

You have, enclosed, the account of the profit of -works. For the books sold I have allowed you all the money I have received, and the binding etc. I have charged at the price it cost me. You will please to call and bring with you the agreement between us, which may be executed.-I will give you my note to deliver the books left when required. I wish you would send me the Merchant of Venice by the waterman.

Your, etc.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER LXXII.

FROM THE SAME.

Thursday, eleven at night. I HAVE just now received yours, and indeed it is not my fault I have not seen you, having been hindered by business I could not help minding; but I will not fail seeing you on Sunday morning early, but must return to dinner, having a little company to dine with me that day. Do but excuse me till I see you, and I will satisfy you that I have not neglected you. As for Shakspear, Watts's brother died lately, which has hindered his business a little; but now things will go on better.

Your, etc.

SIR,

LETTER LXXIII.

TO MR. LINTOTT.

PRAY send Mr. Broom the sheets of all the notes that are printed, that he may avoid the exceptions, etc. but I would not have the poetry sent, knowing the consequences of its being shewn about to every body before it's published, which I will not have done; nor, I suppose, would you. I am

Your, etc.

SIR,

LETTER LXXIV.

FROM MR. LINTOTT.

June 10, 1715. You have Mr. Tickell's book to divert one hour.It is already condemned here, and the malice and juggle at Button's is the conversation of those who have spare moments from politics.

Sir John Germain has his book.

All your books are delivered pursuant to the directions, the middle of the week after you left us. The Princess is extremely pleased with her book. You shall have your folios preserved.

Mr. Broom I have not heard from.

Pray detain me not from publishing my own book, having delivered the greatest part of the sub scribers already upwards of four hundred.

I designed to publish Monday sevennight. Pray interrupt me not with an errata.

I doubt not the sale of Homer, if you do not disappoint me by delaying publication.

Service to Mr. Gay.

Your, etc.

Lord Bolingbroke is impeached this night. The noise the report makes does me some present damage.