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me what a Poet I am; but 'tis from the world abroad we hope, (piously hope) to hear these things. At home we follow our business, when we have any; and think and talk moft of each other when we have none. 'Tis not unlike the happy friendship of a stay'd man and his wife, who are feldom fo fond as to hinder the business of the house from going on all day, or fo indolent as not to find confolation in each other every evening. Thus well-meaning couples hold in amity to the laft, by not expecting too much from human nature; while romantick friendships, like violent loves, begin with difquiets, proceed to jealoufies, and conclude in ani mofities. I have liv'd to fee the fierce advancement, the fudden turn, and the abrupt period, of three or four of these enormous friendships; and am perfectly convinc'd of the truth of a maxim we once agreed in, that nothing hinders the conftant agreement of peo ple who live together, but meer vanity; a fecret infifting upon what they think their dignity or merit, and an inward expectation of such an Over-measure of deference and regard, as anfwers to their own extravagant falfe fcale; and which no body can pay, because none but themfelves can tell, exactly, to what pitch it amounts-?

LETTER XXII,

I am, &c.

Mr. Jervas to Mr. Pope.

Aug. 20, 1714. I Have a particular to tell you at this time, which pleases me fo much, that you must expect a more than ordinary alacrity in every turn. You know I

cou'd

cou'd keep you in fufpence for twenty lines, but I will tell you directly that Mr. Addifon and I have had a converfation, that it would have been worth your while to have been plac'd behind the wainscot, or behind fome half-length picture, to have heard. He affur'd me that he wou'd make ufe not only of his intereft, but of his art to do you fome fervice; he did not mean his art of poetry, but his art at Court; and he is fenfible that nothing can have a better air for himself than moving in your favour, especially fince infinuations were spread that he did not care you fhou'd profper too much as a poet. He protests that it shall not be his fault if there is not the best intelligence in the world, and the most hearty friendship, &c. He owns, he was afraid Dr. Swift might have carry'd you too far among the enemy, during the heat of the animofity, but now all is fafe, and you are escap'd even in his opinion. I promis'd in your name, like a good Godfather, not that you should renounce the devil and all his works, but that you would be delighted to find him your friend meerly for his own fake; therefore prepare your felf for fome civilities.

I have done Homer's head, fhadow'd and heighten'd carefully; and I inclose the out-line of the fame fize, that you may determine whether you wou'd have it fo large, or reduc'd to make room for feuilage or laurel round the oval, or about the fquare of the Bufto? perhaps there is fomething more folemn in the image itself, if I can get it well perform'd.

If I have been inftrumental in bringing you and Mr. Addison together with all fincerity, I value my. felf upon it as an acceptable piece of fervice to fuch a one as I know you to be.

Your, &c.

LETTER

LETTER XXIII.

Mr. Pope's Answer.

Aug. 27, 1714. I Am just arriv'd from Oxford, very well diverted and entertain'd there. Every one is much concern'd for the Queen's death. No panegyricks ready

yet for the King.

I admire your whig-principles of refiftance exceedingly, in the fpirit of the Barcelonians: Ijoin in your with for them. Mr. Addifon's verfes on liberty, in his letter from Italy, would be a good form of prayer in my opinion, O Liberty! thou Goddefs heavenly bright! &c.

What you mention of the friendly office you endeavour'd to do betwixt Mr. Addison and me, deserves acknowledgements on my part. You thoroughly know my regard to his character, and my propenfity to teftify it by all ways in my power. You as thoroughly know the fcandalous meannels of that proceeding which was used by Philips, to make a man I fo highly value, fufpect my difpofitions toward him. But as, after all, Mr. Addifon must be the judge in what regards himself, and has feem'd to be no very juft one to me; so I must own to you I expect nothing but civility from him, how much foever I wish for his friendship. As for any offices of real kindness or fervice which it is in his power to do me, I should be afham'd to receive 'em from any man who had no better opinion of my Morals, than to think me a Partyman nor of my Temper, than to believe me capable of maligning, or envying another's reputation as a poet. So I leave it to time to convince him as to both, to fhew him the fhallow depths of thofe half-witted

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creatures who mif inform'd him, and to prove that I am incapable of endeavouring to leffen a perfon whom I would be proud to imitate, and therefore afham'd to flatter. In a word, Mr. Addison is fure of my refpect at all times, and of my real friendship whenever he shall think fit to know me for what I am.

For all that pafs'd betwixt Dr. Swift and me, you know the whole (without referve) of our correfpondence. The engagements I had to him were fuch as the actual fervices he had done me, in relation to the fubfcription for Homer, obliged me to. I must have leave to be grateful to him, and to any one who ferves me, let him be never so obnoxious to any party: nor did the Tory-party ever put me to the hardship of asking this leave, which is the greatest obligation I owe to it and I expect no greater from the Whigparty than the fame liberty, A curfe on the word Party, which I have been forc'd to use so often in this period! I wish the present reign may put an end to the diftinction, that there may be no other for the future than that of honest and knave, fool and man of fense; these two forts must always be enemies; but for the reft, may all people do as you and I, believe what they pleafe, and be friends. I am, &c.

LETTER XXIV.

To the Earl of Hallifax.

My LORD, Dec. 1, 1714. Am oblig'd to you both for the favours you have done me, and for those you intend me. I diftruft neither your will nor your memory, when it is to do good: and if ever I become troublesome or follicitous, it must not be out of expectation, but out of gratitude. Your Lordship may either cause me to live

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agreeably in the town, or contentedly in the country, which is really all the difference I fet between an easy fortune and a small one. It is indeed a high ftrain of generofity in you, to think of making me eafy all my life, only because I have been so happy as to divert you fome few hours: but if I may have leave to add, it is because you think me no enemy to my native country, there will appear a better reafon for I must of confequence be very much, (as I fincerely am) Yours, &c.

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Am writing you a long letter, but all the tedioufnefs I feel in it is, that it makes me during the time think more intently of my being far from you. I fancy if I were with you, I cou'd remove fome of the uneafinefs which you may have felt from the oppofition of the world, and which you should be afham'd to feel, fince it is but the teftimony which one part of it gives you that your merit is unqueftionable. What wou'd you have otherwife, from ignorance, envy, or thofe tempers which vie with you in your own way? I know this in mankind, that when our ambition is unable to attain its end, it is not only wearied, but exafperated too at the vanity of its labours; then we speak ill of happier ftudies, and fighing condemn the excellence which we find above our reach.

MytZoilus which you us'd to write about, I finish'd' laft fpring, and left in town. I waited till I came up

*This, and the three Extracts following, concerning the Tranflation of the firft Iliad, fet on foot by Mr. Addi fon, Mr. Pope has omitted in his own Edition.

Printed for B. Lintot, 1715. 8°.

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