to fend it you, but not arriving here before your book was out, imagin'd it a loft piece of labour. If you will still have it, you need only write me word.

I have here seen the First Book of Homer, which came out at a time when it cou'd not but appear as a kind of setting up against you. My opinion is, that you may if you please, give them thanks who writ it. Neither the numbers nor the spirit have an equal mastery with yours; but what furprizes me more is, that a scholar being concern'd, there should happen to be fome mistakes in the author's fenfe; fuch as putting the light of Pallas's eyes into the eyes of Achilles, making the taunt of Achilles to Agamemnon (that he fhould have spoils when Troy fhould be taken) to bea cool and ferious propofal; the tranflating what you call Ablution by the word offals, and fo leaving Water out of the rite of luftration, &c. but you must have taken notice of all this before. I write not to inform you, but to fhew I always have you at heart.

I am, &c.

* Extract from a Letter of the Reverend Doctor Berkley Dean of London-Derry.

July 7, 1715.

Some days ago, three or four gentlemen and my felf exerting that right which all readers pretend to over authors, fate in judgment upon the two new Tranflations of the firft Iliad. Without partiality to my country-men, I affure you they all gave the preference where it was due; being unanimously of opinion, that yours was equally juft to the fense with Mr.'s, and without comparifon more eafy, more poetical, and more fublime. But I will fay no more on fuch a thread-bare fubject, as your late performance is at this time.. I am, &c.

Extract

*

Extract from a Letter of Mr.Gay to Mr. Pope.

July 8, 1715.

I have just set down Sir Samuel Garth at the Opera. He bid me tell you, that every body is pleas'd with your translation, but a few at Button's; and that Sir Richard Steele told him, that Mr. Addison faid the other tranflation was the best that ever was in any language*. He treated me with extream civility, and out of kindness gave me a squeeze by the fore finger. I am inform'd that at Button's your character is made very free with as to Morals, &c. and Mr. Addison fays, that your tranflation and Tickel's are both very well done, but that the latter has more of Homer.

I am, &c.

* Extract from a Letter of Dr. Arbuthnot to

Mr. Pope.

July 9, 1715.

I congratulate you upon Mr. T*'s first book. It does not indeed want its merit; but I was ftrangely disappointed in my expectation of a tranflation nice

* Sir Richard Steele afterwards, in his Preface to an Edition of the Drummer, a Comedy by Mr. Addison, fhews it to be his opinion, that Mr. Addifon himself "was the perfon who tranflated this book.

66

Q4

ly

ly true to the Original; whereas in those parts where the greatest exactness seems to be demanded, he has been the least careful, I mean the hiftory of ancient Ceremonies and rites, &c. in which you have with great judgment been exact.

LETTER XXVI.

I am, &c.

Mr. Pope to the Honourable James Craggs, Efq;

July 15. 1715

Lay hold of the opportunity given me by my Lord Duke of Shrewsbury, to affure you of the continuance of that efteem and affection I have long born you, and the memory of fo many agreeable converfations as we have pafs'd together. I wish it were a compliment to fay, fuch converfations as are not to be found on this fide of the water: for the Spirit of dif fention is gone forth among us; nor is it a wonder that Button's is no longer Button's, when old England is no longer old England, that region of hofpitality, fociety, and good humour. Party affects us all, even the wits, tho' they gain as little by politicks as they do by their wit. We talk much of fine fenfe, refin'd fenfe, and exalted fenfe; but for ufe and happiness, give me, a little common fenfe. I fay this in regard to fome gentlemen, profefs'd Wits of our acquaintance, who fancy they can make Poetry of confequence at this time of day, in the midst of this raging fit of Politicks. For they tell me, the bufy part of the nation are not more divided about Whig and Tory, than thefe idle fellows of the feather about Mr. T*'s and my tranflation. I (like the Tories) have the town in general, that is the

mob,

par-.

mob, on my fide; but 'tis ufual with the smaller ty to make up in industry what they want in number, and that's the cafe with the little Senate of Cato. However, if our principles be well confider'd, I must appear a brave Whig, and Mr. T. a rank Tory: I tranflated Homer for the publick in general, he to gratify the inordinate defires of one Man only. We have it feems, a great Turk in poetry, who can never bear a brother on the throne; and has his mutes too, a fett of nodders, winkers, and whisperers, whose business is to ftrangle all other offsprings of wit in their birth. The new tranflator of Homer is the humblest flave he has, that is to fay, his first Minister; let him receive the honours he gives him, but receive them with fearand trembling; let him be proud of the approbation of his abfolute Lord, I appeal to the people, as my rightful judges and masters; and if they are not inclin'd to condemn me, I fear no arbitrary high-flying proceeding from the fmall Court-faction at Buttons. But after all I have faid of this great man, there is no rupture between us. We are each of us fo civil and obliging, that neither thinks he is obliged: And I for my part treat with him, as we do with the grand Monarch; who has too many great qualities not to be refpected, tho' we know he watches any occafion to opprefs us.

When I talk of Homer, I must not forget the early prefent you made me of Monfieur de la Motte's book: And I can't conclude this letter without telling you a melancholy piece of news, which affects our very entrails, L.* is dead, and foupes are no more! You fee I write in the old familiar way. "This is not to the minifter but to the friend." However it is fome mark of uncommon regard to the minifter that I steal an expreffion from a Secretary of State. I am, &c,

LATTER

M

LETTER XXVII.

To Mr. Congreve.

Jan. 16, 1714-15. Ethinks when I write to you, I am making a confeffion, I have got (I can't tell how) fuch a cuftom of throwing my felf out upon paper without referve. You were not miftaken in what you judged of my temper of mind when I writ laft. My faults will not be hid from you, and perhaps it is no difpraise to me that they will not: the cleanness and purity of one's mind is never better prov'd, than in difcovering its own faults at first view; as when a ftream fhows the dirt at its bottom, it shows alfo the transparency of the water;

My spleen was not occafioned however, by any thing an abufive angry critic could write of me. I take very kindly your heroick manner of congratulation upon this fcandal; for I think nothing more honourable, than to be involved in the fame fate with all the great and the good that ever lived; that is, to be envy'd and cenfured by bad writers.

You do no more than anfwer my expectations of you, in declaring how well you take my freedom, in fometimes neglecting as I do, to reply to your letters fo foon as I ought. Those who have a right tafte of the fubftantial part of friendship, can wave the ceremonial : a friend is the only one that will bear the omission; and one may find who is not fo,by the very tryal of it.

As to any anxiety I have concerning the fate of my Homer, the care is over with me: the world mult be the judge, and I fhall be the first to consent to the juftice of its judgment, whatever it be. I am not fo

arrant