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THE

Bookfellers to the Reader.

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MR.

R. Pope having been obliged to publish an authentic Edition of his Letters, in order to reject many which were not his, and to fhow his difapprobation of the publishing of others, written in his youth, and printed without his knowledge; has feem'd willing to deprive the publick of what Writings of this fort he could. Nevertheless the fame Perfons who began the Injury having fince continued it toward him, by pyrating his Edition, and replacing all the Letters he rejected; we have taken the Liberty in this to add thofe Letters, but in a more correct and reputable manner. We have done the Writer the Juftice to diftinguish them from thofe of his own Edition, by an Afterisk* in the Index: And we can fafely

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fafely fay, there is not one but is genuine. We have alfo given a Catalogue of the many Surreptitious Editions of his Letters; in every one of which are feveral he difapprov'd, or were falfely imputed to him.

PREFACE

PREFACE

Of the Publifher of the Surreptitious Edition, 1735.

W

E prefume we want no Apology to the Reader for this Publication, but fome may be thought needful to Mr. Pope: However he cannot think our Offence fo great as theirs, who first feparately published what we have here but collected in a better Form and Order. As for the Letters we have procured to be added, they ferve but to compleat, explain, and fometimes fet in a true light, thofe others, which it was not in the Writer's, or our Power to recall.

This Collection hath been owing to feveral Cabinets: Jome drawn from thence by Accidents, and others (even of thofe to Ladies) voluntarily given. It is to one of that Sex we are beholden for the whole Correspondence with HC. Ef which Letters being lent her by that Gentleman, he took the Liberty to print; as appears by the following, which we shall give at length, both as it is fomething curious, and as it may jerve for an Apology for ourselves.

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To

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June 27, 1727.

FTER fo long a filence as the many and great

A oppreffions I have figh'd under have occafioned,

one is at a lofs how to begin a letter to fo kind a friend as your felf. But as it was always my refolution, if I muft fink, to do it as decently (that is as filently) as I could; fo when I found my felf plung'd into unforefeen, and unavoidable ruin, I retreated from the world, and in a manner buried myself in a dismal place, where I knew none, and none knew me. In this dull unthinking way, I have protracted a lingring death (for life it cannot be called) ever fince you faw me, fequeller'd from Company, depriv'd of my books, and and nothing left to converfe with, but the Letters of my dead, or abfent friends; amongst which latter I always placed yours, and Mr. Pope's, in the firft rank. I lent fome of them indeed to an ingenious perfor, who was fo delighted with the fpecimen, that he importuned me for a fight of the reft, which having obtained, he convey'd them to the Prefs, I muft not fay altogether with my confent, nor wholly without it. I thought them too good to be loft in oblivion, and had no cause to apprehend the disobliging of any. The publick, viz. all perfons of taste and judgment, would be pleased with fo agreeable an amusement; Mr. Cromwell could not be angry, fince it was but juftice to his merit, to publifh the folemn and private profeffions of Love, Gratitude, and Veneration, made him by fo celebrated an Author; and fincerely Mr. Pope ought not to refent the publication, fince the early pregnancy of his Genius was no difhonour to his character. And yet had either of you been asked, common modefty wou'd

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