only at that allegorical muddiness, and not at any worse sort of dirt, with which some other writers were charged. I hate to say what will not be believed yet when I told you," Many asked me to whom that oblique praise was meant?" I did not tell you I answered it was you. Has it escaped your observation, that the name is a syllable too long? Or (if you will have it a Christian name) is there any other in the whole book? Is there no author of two syllables whom it will better fit, not only as getting out of the allegorical muddiness, but as having been dipt in the dirt of party-writing, and recovering from it betimes? I know such a man, who would take it for a compliment, and so would his patrons too-But I ask you not to believe this, except you are vastly inclined to it. I will come closer to the point would you have the note left out? It shall. Would you have it expressly said, you were not meant? It shall, if I have any influence on the editors.

I believe the note was meant only as a gentle rebuke, and friendlily: I understood very well the caveat on your part to be the same; and complained (you see) of nothing but two or three lines reflecting on my behaviour and temper to other writers; because I knew they were not true, and you could not

know they were.

You cannot in your cool judgment think it fair to fix a man's character on a point, of which you do not give one instance? Name but the man, or men, to whom I have unjustly omitted approbation or encouragment, and I'll be ready to do them justice. I

think I have publicly praised all the best writers of my time, except yourself, and such as I have had no fair opportunity to praise. popular, I've praised but few,

As to the great and and those at the times Many of those writers

when they were least popular. have done nothing else but flattered the great and popular, or been worse employed by 'em in partystuff. I do indeed think it no great pride in me to speak about them with some air of superiority; and this, Sir, must be the cause (and no other) that made me address that declaration of my temper towards them, to you, who had accused me of the contrary, not, I assure you, from the least imagination of any resemblance between you and them, either in merit or circumstances.

I named Mr. Dennis, because you distinguish him from the rest: So do I. But, moreover, he was uppermost in my thoughts, from having endeavoured (before your admonition) to promote his affair, with Lord Wilmington, Lord Lansdown, Lord Blandford, and Mr. Pulteney, etc. who promised me to favour it. But it would be unjust to measure my good-will by the effects of it on the great, many of whom are the last men in the world who will pay tributes of this sort, from their own ungiving nature; and many of whom laugh at me when I seriously petition for Mr. Dennis. After this, I must not name the many whom I have fruitlessly solicited I hope yet to be more successful. But, Sir, you seem too iniquitous in your conceptions of me, when you fancy I called such things services. I called 'em but humane offices:

Services I said I would render him, if I could. I would ask a place for life for him; and I have; but that is not in my power: if it was, it would be a service, and I wish it.

I mentioned the possibility of Mr. D.'s abusing me for forgiving him, because he actually did, in print, lately represent my poor, undesigning, subscriptions to him, to be the effect of fear and desire, to stop his critiques upon me. I wish Mr. Hill would (for once) think so candidly of me, as to believe me sincere in one declaration, that " I desire no man to belie his own" judgment in my favour." Therefore though I acknowledge your generous offer to give examples of imperfections rather out of your own works than mine, in your intended book; I consent with all my heart, to your confining them to mine; for two reasons: the one, that I fear your sensibility that way is greater than my own (by observing you seemed too concerned at that hint given by the notes on the D. of a little fault in the works of your youth only): the other is a better, namely, that I intend to amend by your remarks, and correct the faults you find if they are such as I expect from Mr. Hill's cool judgment.

I am very sensible, that my poetical talent is all that may (I say not, will) make me remembered: but it is my morality only that must make me beloved, or happy and if it be any deviation from greatness of mind, to prefer friendships to fame, or the honest enjoyments of life to noisy praises; I fairly confess that meanness. Therefore it is, Sir, that I much more re

sent any attempt against my moral character (which I know to be unjust) than any to lessen my poetical one (which, for all I know, may be very just).

Pray, then, Sir, excuse my weak letter, as I do your warm one. I end as I begun. You guessed right, that I was sick when I wrote it: yours are very well written, but I have neither health nor time to make mine so. I have writ a whole book of retractations of my writings (which would greatly improve your criticisms on my errors), but of my life and manners I do not yet repent one jott, especially when I find in my heart I continue to be, without the least acrimony (even as little as I desire you should bear to myself), sincerely, Sir,

Yours affectionately.

If I did not acknowledge as I ought, both the father's agreeable present, and the daughter's pretty one, which you sent me, I very ill expressed myself. If Miss Urania Hill has not my 4to edition of the Odyssey, I beg your leave to send it her. You had sooner heard from me, but I saw yours, here, but three days ago. I return home to-morrow.

SIR,

LETTER V.

TO THE SAME.

February 15, 1731. EVER since I returned home, I have been in almost roaring pain, with a violent rheumatism in my shoulder, so that all I am able to do is to return you thanks for yours. The satisfaction it gave me me is proportioned to the regard I have for you. I will not praise your poem further than to say, the generosity of its sentiments must charm every man: its other merit you know well. You'll pardon the few doubts I start in the interlinings; they are such as you can efface as easily as they may deserve. I wish to tell my Lord Peterborough (who has so long honoured me with so particular and familiar an acquaintance) the honour done him.

I am very desirous to leave out that Note, if you like so. The two lords, and one gentleman, who really took and printed that edition, I can (I doubt not) bring easily to it.

The chief objection I have to what you say of myself in this poem, is, that the praise is too strong. I may well compound for the rest.

Suffer me to send the young lady the Odyssey, full of faults, as I know it to be, before she grows old enough to know how mean a present it is. I am, with great truth, Sir,

Your, etc.